How you can benefit from having a Positive Mental Attitude!!!

If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. ~Vince Lombardi
　
We all know that the economy is bad and things are tough! Many people are out of work and many more are afraid they will loose the job they have. Given this poor economic environment, it is crucial that you keep a positive attitude. The last thing you want to do now is get a negative attitude or become "paralyzed" by fear! Don't be like the woman, who although she was doing well on her job, became so preoccupied with the thought of being laid off that it started to affect her performance. She stopped performing at her best level. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy; her "fear paralysis" did indeed lead to her being laid off.
How do you stay positive and motivated? Simply thinking and saying "I'm going to be positive and have a great attitude" doesn't do it. Motivational quotes, posters, or notes on your computer or desk help, but they alone can't keep you motivated. You have to work at staying positive and motivated ... every day. It's not easy. You have to take deliberate action to have a positive attitude. You can't just think about being positive, you have to act!
10 Action Steps to Keep a Positive Attitude:
1. Don't fall into the "misery loves company" syndrome: If you find yourself participating in a "pity party" at work, politely excuse yourself. These parties are a fantastic drain on your time and energy, and they don't solve any problems.
2. Avoid "poison" people: You know who they are! They are the ones who are always complaining, being negative, or are quick to criticize your ideas. Since you may not want to totally eliminate them from your life, just arrange things so you only have to deal with them in small "doses."
3. Don't watch too much TV: When you're stressed or feeling down, a planned few minutes of watching TV can turn into hours.
4. Spend time with your kids, family, and friends: Instead of spending hours with the TV, rearrange your schedule and give some of that time to family and friends
5. Take a half-hour to an hour a day to motivate yourself: Read motivational books or listen to motivational tapes. I highly recommend the following:
a. What Makes the Great Great by Dennis Kimbro
b. Over the Top by Zig Ziglar
c. The Aladdin Factor by Jack Canfield & Mark V. Hansen
d. The Power of Focus by Canfield, Hansen, Hewitt
e. Live Your Dreams by Les Brown
f. If It's Going To Be, It's Up To Me by Robert Schuller
g. The Bible
6. Take an hour a day to become an expert: I got this idea from one Jack Canfield's tapes, where he talks about how you can take one hour a day to become an expert in your area or develop other marketable skills. You don't have to exhaust yourself trying to "cram" in new skills or expertise. An hour a day will get you where you want to be quicker than you think.
7. Try new things: Overcome the fear (i.e., fear of failure, rejection, or pain)! When you're learning or doing a new sport or hobby, you don't think about what's bothering you.
8. Exercise: We all know about the physical benefits of exercising, but to me that's just a side benefit. The real payoff of exercise is the mental stress relief. When you're "gasping for air," your thoughts are very simple. Most important, regardless of how badly you may feel when you start exercising, you will always feel better when you're done.
9. Pray: It doesn't matter what your religion is or beliefs are, you need to pray to ask for the help and guidance you need. I know it works!
10. Reward Yourself: Set small goals or steps, and reward yourself on each accomplishment. Don't constantly worry or "burn-out," take time to relax and "smell the roses."
The key is to get your mind off your problems, and give yourself time to re-energize. The single biggest discovery I've made about staying positive is that you have to take action at your worst moments. When you feel so miserable that all you want to do is crawl under a rock, stare at the TV, eat ice cream, or sleep, that is the precise moment you either read (or listen to) something motivational, exercise, or spend time with your kids, family, or friends. There have been times when I had to force myself to exercise or read, and no matter how badly I felt when I started, it helped. Did doing these things solve all my problems immediately? Of course not, but they helped me to maintain the positive attitude I needed to keep trying. Above all else, remember that "this, too, shall pass."

Did you know about Tamper Red Anti-Theft tape???

You can help eliminate Pilfering and increase your client's satisfaction!!

Tamper Red Tape


TAMPER-RED
With TAMPER-RED, more cartons can be sealed in less time than any other method of closure. TAMPER-RED forms a strong bond to a corrugated box with a single rub of the hand on the tape. With quick "application" time, your customers save time and increase productivity.
TAMPER-RED provides protection and security against tampering and/or pilferage of your products. Corrugated cartons cannot be resealed without detection because the bottom sheet actually penetrates the carton's surface. is designed with a red colored bottom sheet to draw attention to tampering. It cannot be removed without detection. The oversized width (3.188"), prevents resealing with standard 3" tape. This "tamper resistant" feature helps protect products and increases profitability.

TAMPER-RED Stock Imprint (Printed in Red Ink)

　

Aside from being the finest tamper proof/evident box sealing tape, TAMPER-RED is also designed for strength. Its base is one of the strongest gummed tapes made today, with a fiberglass pattern of (2-2-1-1-2-2) 1/2 centers in the machine direction, and the cross direction on 3/4 centers at 45°.

96% of the total adhesion of reinforced tape to corrugated occurs within 3 seconds of application. This "fast tack" assures closure on even the toughest carton-sealing application - (over-stressed, under-filled or recycled cartons), because TAMPER-RED adhesive becomes part of the carton. This "fast tack" saves time and improves productivity labels.

TAMPER-RED can be applied either manually or with semi/fully automatic sealing equipment - eliminates the need to purchase different types of tape for each of your taping applications. With the capacity of multiple sealing techniques, your customers will save time and money.

Did you know that you can have cold chain packaging that will stay cold for 5 days??

Yes...thats right....we can help you test a cold chain solution that keeps your products at 2-8 degrees celsius for 5-6 days so you don't need to ship overnight!!!!

Please ask me for a FREE 3M Safety Audit on your entire operation!!!

Did you know that 3M has a vast array of products that will keep your people safe and help you comply with strict OSHA requirements????????

Just ask me...

Go Green with Sustainable Paper Packaging!!

You Can Help the Planet with Biodegradable Packaging...




Efficient. Safe. Dependable.
Flexible: Largest selection of in-the-box paper packaging products and machines in the industry.
Safe: The unique compression technique means added volume - Paperplus cushions boast up to 30% more cushioning volume and higher compressive strength than other paper systems.
Easy: Reliable easy-to-operate equipment with efficiencies like programmable keypads and hands-free foot pedal control.
Versatile: Multiple machine configurations, flexible features and add-on components allow you to fit the equipment to your packaging process and engineer the most efficient production methods for your packing requirements.
Dependable: Skilled responsive representatives and service technicians to ensure your packaging systems are operating at peak efficiency.PAPERplus^® from Storopack offers a variety of systems that transform paper rolls into packaging material for any application from speedy light-weight filler to strong cushioning pads. Whether you’re packing small, medium-sized, large, or heavy industrial items, there is a PAPERplus^® product that is an efficient and economical solution for your packaging needs.
PAPERplus^® in-the-box packaging materials are made from recycled and virgin paper. It´s durable enough to be used many times and recyclable - making it economical and environmentally friendly.

Go Green with Corrugated Packaging that Suspends Your Products in Mid-Air!!!

Discover if this innovative packaging is for you!

Korrvu® Packaging



Korrvu® packaging is a dynamic packaging product that uses a strong, highly-resilient low-slip film to surround your products, protecting them from shock and vibration.


Innovative - Engineered solutions to specific packaging requirements with unique features.
Unparalleled Product Protection - A complete packaging solution that holds your product securely in place protecting it from damage due to shock, vibration and impact.
Showcases Your Product's Appearance - Korrvu® packaging's transparent film enables your package to serve as both a protective shipper and an effective display merchandiser.
Versatile and Flexible
Easy to Store
Environmentally Sound - Contains at least 30% recycled content and is readily recyclable in corrugated hydrapulping operations. Korrvu® packaging is reusable for return shipments minimizing waste at both ends of the distribution cycle. RESY approved for recycling in Germany.
Standard Designs - Appropriate for a wide array of products without the custom design process - Korrvu® packaging stores flat, reducing storage and warehouse space requirements. No special equipment or capital investment is required. - The resilient film will conform to a variety of shapes. Each design can be used for a variety of similar shapes reducing your packaging inventory.

A Client like you Recently Saved over $60,000 per year over Die Cut Foam!

You can have Protection and Flexibility All In One!!
ask me more....

Instapak Series Foam-in-Place Packaging Systems
Sealed Air Corporation
Fast, easy and versatile, the Instapak foam packaging process allows on-line, on-site production of packaging that provides protection against shock and vibration during shipping and handling.


　Over thirty years ago, Sealed Air Corporation pioneered semi-rigid polyurethane foam technology and was the first to identify and apply its unique benefits to protective packaging. The result, the Instapak foam-in-place packaging process. Fast, easy and versatile, the Instapak foam packaging process allows on-line, on-site production of packaging that provides protection against shock and vibration during shipping and handling.
One of the most economical packaging materials available, Instapak foam packaging cuts your packaging material costs without compromising product protection.
• Fast – Instapak foam expands in seconds to form protective cushions significantly improving productivity.
• Makes Packaging Your Products Easy - Economically and efficiently protects products of any size, shape and weight.
• Versatile - Whether your packaging requirement is precision cushioning, high-speed void fill or heavy-duty blocking and bracing, there is an Instapak system to meet your needs.
• Engineered Protection - Instapak foam has unique cushioning properties that protect your products during shipping, warehousing and handling.
• Space Saving- Instapak foam expands up to 200 times its liquid volume, when, where and as you need it, significantly reducing the costs of storage and handling. Two 55-gallon drums of liquid components when combined can create a trailer-truck load of packaging material.
The Instapak 900 Series Systems:
The UL approved Instapak 900 series hand-held foam dispensing systems, featuring all-electric, microprocessor-controlled operation, consistently produce top quality Instapak foam packaging. The Instapak 900 system is suited for small to medium packaging operations, while the Instapak 901 system is ideal for larger packaging environments.
Instapak Foam-in-Place Packaging:
A simple cushioning or blocking and bracing process for a variety of items in varying shapes and sizes.
Instapak Foam-in-Place Molding:
A process that produces specifically designed cushions for ultimate protection and efficiency.

Did You Know the Exciting History of the Corrugated Carton???

The Corrugated Box Was Invented in 1856!!!

In the mid-19th century, an ingenious concept enabled flimsy sheets of paper to be transformed into a rigid, stackable and cushioning form of packaging for delicate goods in transit.. Corrugated (also called pleated) paper was patented in England in 1856, and used as a liner for tall hats, but corrugated boxboard was not patented and used as a shipping material until December 20, 1871. The patent was issued to Albert Jones of New York City for single-sided (single-face) corrugated board.. Jones used the corrugated board for wrapping bottles and glass lantern chimneys. The first machine for producing large quantities of corrugated board was built in 1874 by G. Smyth, and in the same year Oliver Long improved upon Jones' design by inventing corrugated board with liner sheets on both sides. This was corrugated board as we know it today.
The Scottish-born Robert Gair invented the pre-cut paperboard box in 1890 – flat pieces manufactured in bulk that folded into boxes. Gair's invention came about as a result of an accident: he was a Brooklyn printer and paper-bag maker during the 1870s, and one day, while he was printing an order of seed bags, a metal ruler normally used to crease bags shifted in position and cut them. Gair discovered that by cutting and creasing in one operation he could make prefabricated paperboard boxes. Applying this idea to corrugated boxboard was a straightforward development when the material became available in the early twentieth century.
The corrugated box was initially used for packaging glass and pottery containers. Later, the case enabled fruit and produce to be brought from the farm to the retailer without bruising, improving the return to the producers and opening up export markets.
Manufacture of corrugated board



Corrugated board is manufactured on large high-precision machinery lines called corrugators, usually running at 500 lineal feet per minute or faster. These machines over time have become very complex with the objective of avoiding some common problems in corrugated board production, such as warp and washboarding.
The manufacturing process begins with pulping, the separation of wood (hardwood and sapwood) into individual fibers, as accomplished by mechanical methods or chemical treatment.
In the classical corrugator, the paper is softened with high-pressure steam. After the board is formed it is dried in the so-called dry-end. Here the newly formed corrugated board is heated from the bottom by hot plates. On the top, various pressures are applied by a load system on the belt.
The corrugated medium is often 26 lb/1000 sq.ft basis weight in the U.S.; in the UK, a 90-gram per square metre fluting paper is common. At the single-facer, it is heated, moistened, and formed into a fluted pattern on geared wheels. This is joined to a flat linerboard with a starch based adhesive to form single face board. At the double-backer, a second flat linerboard is adhered to the other side of the fluted medium to form single wall corrugated board. Linerboards are test liners (recycled paper) or kraft paperboard (of various grades). The liner may be bleached white, mottled white, colored, or preprinted.
Common flute sizes are "A", "B", "C", "E" and "F" or microflute. The letter designation relates to the order that the flutes were invented, not the relative sizes. Flute size refers to the number of flutes per lineal foot, although the actual flute dimensions for different corrugator manufacuturers may vary slightly. Measuring the number of flutes per lineal foot is a more reliable method of identifying flute size than measuring board thickness, which can vary due to manufacturing conditions. The most common flute size in corrugated boxes is "C" flute.
Standard US Corrugated Flutes

Flute Designation	Flutes per lineal foot	Flute thickness (in)	Flutes per lineal metre	Flute thickness (mm)
A flute	33 +/- 3	3/16	108 +/- 10	4.8
B flute	47 +/- 3	1/8	154 +/- 10	3.2
C flute	39 +/- 3	5/32	128 +/- 10	4.0
E flute	90 +/- 4	1/16	295 +/- 13	1.6
F flute	128 +/- 4	1/32	420 +/- 13	0.8

Corrugated fiberboard can be specified by the construction (single face, singlewall, doublewall, etc), flute size, burst strength, edge crush strength, flat crush, basis weights of components (pounds per thousand square feet, grams per square meter, etc), surface treatments and coatings, etc. TAPPI and ASTM test methods for these are standardized.
The choice of corrugated medium, flute size, combining adhesive, and linerboards can be varied to engineer a corrugated board with specific properties to match a wide variety of potential uses. Double and triple-wall corrugated board is also produced for high stacking strength and puncture resistance.
Box manufacture processBox designMain article: Corrugated box design






Packaging engineers design corrugated boxes to meet the particular needs of the product being shipped, the hazards of the shipping environment, (shock, vibration, compression, moisture, etc), and the needs of retailers and consumers.
The most common box style is the Regular Slotted Container (RSC). All flaps are the same length from the score to the edge. Typically, the major flaps meet in the middle and the minor flaps do not.
The manufacturer's joint is most often joined with adhesive but may also be taped or stitched. The box is shipped flat (knocked down) to the packager who sets up the box, fills it, and closes it for shipment. Box closure may be by tape, adhesive, staples, strapping, etc.
The size of a box can be measured for either internal (for product fit) or external (for handling machinery or palletizng) dimensions. Boxes are usually specified and ordered by the internal dimensions.
Box styles in Europe are typically defined by a 4-digit code specified by FEFCO: for example, a regular slotted container (RSC) is coded 0201. FEFCO styles are normally the basis for more complicated special designs that incorporate, for instance, locking tabs or internal fittings.
ManufacturingBoxes can be formed in the same plant as the corrugator. Part of the scoring and cutting takes place in-line on the corrugator. Alternatively, sheets of corrugated board may be sent to a different manufacturing facility for box fabrication; these are sometimes called "sheet plants".
The corrugated board is creased or scored to provide controlled bending of the board. Most often, slots are cut to provide flaps on the box. Scoring and slotting can also be accomplished by die-cutting.
The "Flexo Folder Gluer" is a machine that in one single pass prints, cuts, folds, and glues flat sheets of board to convert them to boxes for any application, from storing old family pictures to shipping the biggest of plasma TV sets to the global market. The most advanced of FFG's can run at speeds of up to 26,000 boxes per hour (about 433 per minute).
Single-face laminateA limitation of common corrugated material has been the difficulty in applying fine graphic print for informative and marketing purposes. The reasons for this stem from the fact that prefabricated corrugated sheets are relatively thick and spongy, compared to the thin and incompressible nature of solid fibre paper such as paperboard. Due to these characteristics of corrugated, it has been mainly printed using a flexographic process, which is by nature a coarse application with loose registration properties.
A more recent development popular in usage is a hybrid product featuring the structural benefits of corrugated combined with the high-graphics print of lithography previously relegated to paperboard folding cartons. This application, generally referred to as 'Single-Face Laminate', begins its process as a traditional fluted medium adhered to a single linerboard (single-face), but in place of a second long-fibered liner, a pre-printed sheet of paperboard such as SBS (solid bleached sulfate) is laminated to the outer facing. The sheet can then be converted with the same processes used for other corrugated manufacturing into any desired form.
Specialized equipment is necessary for the material construction of SFL, so users may expect to pay a premium for these products. However, this cost is often offset by the savings over a separate paperboard sleeve and the labor necessary to assemble the completed package.
Recycling



Old corrugated containers are an excellent source of fibre for recycling. They can be compressed and baled for cost effective transport. The baled boxes are put in a hydropulper, which is a large vat of warm water for cleaning and processing. The pulp slurry is then used to make new paper and fiber products.
Mill and corrugator scrap, or broke, is the cleanest source for recycling. The high rates of post-consumer recycling reflect the efficiency of recycling mills to clean and process the incoming materials. Several technologies are available to sort, screen, filter, and chemically treat the recycled paper.
Many extraneous materials are readily removed. Twine, strapping, etc are removed from the hydropulper by a "ragger". Metal straps and staples can be screened out or removed by a magnet. Film-backed pressure sensitive tape stays intact: the PSA adhesive and the backing are both removed together.
Materials which are more difficult to remove include wax coatings on corrugated boxes and "stickies", soft rubbery particles which can clog the paper maker and contaminate the recycled paper. Stickies can originate from book bindings, hot melt adhesives, PSA adhesives from paper labels, laminating adhesives of reinforced gummed tapes, etc.
Corrugated fiberboard shredders are now available which convert post-consumer corrugated board into packing/cushioning materials by means of a specialized shredding process.
Recycling corrugated fiberboard helps countries without sustainable wood resources build a paper and packaging industry locally.Box blank showing score lines, slots, and manufacturer's joint A corrugated fiberboard shredder. Main flutes for corrugated fiberboard

Your Return on Investment on a New Stretch Wrapper!!!

How a Stretch Wrapping Machine Can Save You Money!
If you’re shipping out products on pallets and stretch wrapping them by hand there is a chance you could save money by using a Stretch Wrapper to automate your operation. Although there is no set number of skids you would need to wrap per day to have a machine show a return on investment, typically you will start to see a ROI when you are wrapping around 50 or more skids by hand per day.

The money a Stretch Wrapper will save you comes from:

Stretching film tighter thus using less stretch film
Having your team members spend less time wrapping skids by hand (time is money)I have found the companies I work with usually set their machines to wrap at about 250% prestretch. This means the machines stretches the film by 250%. Obviously, this is much tighter than a person could stretch by hand which is how a machine allows you to use less film. Using less film will save you money and reduce the amount of waste your facility is producing. Many machines are Semi or Fully Automatic, so the guys or girls that would usually be spending their days wrapping skids by hand can be used in a different area while the machine does the work. Using the same amount of workers to do more will reduce labor costs.


“Ok, I want one, but how do I show purchasing it’s worth it?”

This is a question I get asked a lot and it’s actually one that’s very easy to answer. Machines can be set to always wrap the same way so there are formulas to show how much money a machine would save you. This cost analysis can be easily done by a packaging specialist and may make investing in a machine a no brainer. I had a company I was working with who wanted a machine but didn’t think they could afford it. When we did the cost analysis they saw leasing to own a machine would save them hundreds of dollars per month as soon the machine hit their floor. This eased any concerns they had of investing in a machine.


My Favorite Stretch Wrapping Machines

Arpac Lo Pro Series Wrapper


With the heavy-duty steel construction and the best warranty in the industry this machine will still be the best investment you have made a decade from now. It’s also amazingly easy to install and use. Set up just requires you to plug it in, put the film in the machine and press a few buttons. From then on out all you have to do to wrap a pallet is set the pallet on the base, and press the green button. If you want a fully automatic machine you will have to invest more up front, but you can have a machine that only requires you to set skids on a conveyor belt. The machine will move them onto the platform, wrap them, cut the film, and send them down the next conveyor belt without a human doing a thing. It’s so easy that a caveman can do it!!!

Sustainable Packaging Initiative from Sealed Air!!!

Sealed Air Introduces SmartLife™ Sustainability Platform
ELMWOOD PARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) today announced a new SmartLife™ initiative -- which is an integrated, Company-wide approach designed to educate and demonstrate how packaging can enhance sustainability and outline how we are advancing our sustainability mission through our business strategy and across our broad range of solutions.
“As an example, a change in the way a package is designed may result in less weight or the use of fewer natural resources, but that change could result in downstream waste, such as product damage or food spoilage - ultimately leading to a greater environmental impact.”As part of this launch, we have issued our updated 2010 sustainability policies and performance review, which include our 2015 sustainability goals, via the new http://sustainability.sealedair.com site under the headings of Environment and Citizenship. The site focuses on the importance of applying life cycle thinking to quantify and balance the environmental impacts of products from sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, use and end of life. It also highlights our SmartLife commitment to delivering sustainable innovation and solutions through smart people making smart choices that provide value to customers throughout the entire supply chain life cycle.
“Without taking a holistic view of a product’s life cycle, there is a risk of minimizing the environmental impact at one stage of the life cycle that results in compromising performance in other areas,” said Ron Cotterman, Executive Director of Sustainability. “As an example, a change in the way a package is designed may result in less weight or the use of fewer natural resources, but that change could result in downstream waste, such as product damage or food spoilage - ultimately leading to a greater environmental impact.”
To further demonstrate our commitment to the SmartLife approach, we have also created a second website – www.smartlifeinsights.com – designed to provide educational materials on packaging and the environment and to help dispel some of the myths and misconceptions that exist in the marketplace.
“This new website supports our sustainability commitment to help our customers – and their customers – make Smart choices by clearly identifying the features, attributes and benefits associated with packaging decisions as well as advancing industry standard sustainability metrics for the packaging industry and beyond,” said Cotterman.
Initial content on the new site includes thought leadership pieces on the impact of product and food waste on the environment and how collaboration can improve end of life scenarios for packaging.
About Sealed Air
For fifty years, Sealed Air has been a leading global innovator and manufacturer of a wide range of packaging and performance-based materials and equipment systems that now serve an array of food, industrial, medical, and consumer applications. Operating in 51 countries, Sealed Air’s international reach generated revenue of $4.2 billion in 2009. With widely recognized brands such as Bubble Wrap^® brand cushioning, Jiffy^® protective mailers, Instapak^® foam-in-place systems and Cryovac^® packaging technology, Sealed Air continues to identify new trends, foster new markets, and deliver innovative solutions to its customers.

You can save big with an automatic random case sealer!!!

3M Case Sealers Run Faster Than Ever for More Boxes a Minute

Upgraded machines capable of offering up to a 30% increase in efficiency
3M introduces new adjustable and random case sealers fitted with the new 3M™ AccuGlide™ 3 Taping Head, capable of offering up to a 30% jump in throughput and efficiency.
Now, the family of 3M-Matic™ Adjustable Case Sealers will process 40 boxes a minute compared with 30, while the 3M-Matic™ Random Case Sealers can process 19 boxes a minute compared with 15.
3M's adjustable case sealers offer productivity and versatility in a rugged compact unit. Traction-grip drive belts center and stabilize boxes for consistent, accurate sealing. The units' laced belt construction with traction grip provides reliable feeding and easy replacement. And now with 3M's new case sealers, users can benefit from a dramatic increase in throughput for better-than-ever results.
3M's family of random case sealers are designed for automatic sizing and sealing. The sealers feature a pneumatic packing station that holds empty cases for filling, and automatically centers them for accurate sealing. These features coupled with the new, faster 3M AccuGlide 3 taping head provide customers both the speed and performance they need.

Poly Foam Packaging!!

Different ways you can utilize poly foam!!
Poly Foam Rolls
Polyethylene foam, otherwise known as poly foam or PE, is resilient foam that can resist shocks and is also light, flexible, as well as cost-effective. It is also completely resistant to corrosion like rot, mold, and mildew, and is a very environmentally sound product that doesn’t give chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that hurt the ozone layer.
Over sixty million tons of polyethylene is produced every year, and it has many uses. Since it is naturally buoyant, and it comes in handy for many aquatic products. A great percentage of polyethylene is used for poly foam cushion filling. For example, polyethylene foam rolls can be used to cushion products in their delivery boxes, and poly foam can be used as foam pouches to protect against damage while shipping.
Poly foam can also be helpful for companies who are worried about ESD (Electro-Static Discharge), which can ruin microprocessors in circuit boards. Shipping electronic products in poly foam pouches might be just the material needed to keep products safe.
Because of its environmentally safe nature and soft texture, poly foam will be used for packing for years to come.

Winter Packaging!!

Did you know some how to protect your winter sports gear with packaging products??
Shipping skis, snowboards, and other winter sporting gear can be a hassle, and quite costly. Here are some tips to help you along, whether you’re going on a winter vacation, or shipping gifts to your favorite sports enthusiast for the holidays.
For skis, wrap the tips and bindings with bubble wrap or other cushioning.
A canvas or nylon bag is recommended to put the skis or snowboard in.
Secure the zipper of the bag with a cable to prevent it from coming open.
Use the Snowsports Industries America (SIA) Ship Your Gear program, which can give you a discount of up to 16% on shipping costs if you ship with FedEx.By using the proper packaging to ship your winter gear products, you’ll ensure safe delivery so your recipient can pack in the most fun out of the winter season.

The benefits when purchasing strategizes with their friends in accounting!!

I trust all things are well with you!!
I came across this article that I thought you may enjoy!!
Did you know that good things happen when your purchasing department has a strategic alliance with the accounting department??Agreeing on Cost Savings Reporting Standards. When procurement departments use the term "cost savings," they are often referring to price reductions. When CFO's hear the term "cost savings," they often expect to see a reduction of expenses from the previous year's income statement to the current year's. Not every price reduction is reflected on the income statement like that and, as a result, some CFO's doubt Procurement's cost savings claims. By agreeing with Finance on standards and using the income statement to "keep score," Procurement's cost savings reporting will be more believable. Considering The Downsides of Certain Cash Flow Strategies. As credit became harder to get in recent years, organizations sought ways to hold onto cash longer. One way was for CFO's to insist on extending supplier payment terms to 90 or more days. That improves cash flow, but Procurement sees consequences that Finance may not: supplier relationships being strained, suppliers raising prices to compensate for slower cash receipt, or even having fewer suppliers willing to do business with the organization. By collaborating, Procurement and Finance can construct a more balanced cash strategy. Determining a Balanced Inventory Approach. One line on a balance sheet that CFO's watch to evaluate performance is inventory. CFO's generally don't like high inventory. They feel that using cash to procure items that sit idly on the shelf is wasting the opportunity to invest that cash in activities that will provide a return on investment. However, Procurement knows the operational realities of inventory: many organizations need it to make sales and continue operating through unexpected events like a spike in demand or an interruption in supply. Again, Procurement-Finance collaboration can help by identifying the inventory needed to balance operational continuity and working capital strategies. Considering Supply Market Forces When Setting Financial Goals. Finance sets expense goals. If these expenses involve commodity purchases, Finance may not have the same awareness that Procurement does with regard to how commodity prices fluctuate. By Procurement and Finance collaborating, the organization can avoid setting unrealistic financial goals that will harm them later.
I hope this helps give you some creative ideas you can add value to your company by working with your friends in accounting!!
Paul

Did you know why so many people convert from Steel to Plastic Strapping???

Many companies like yours, have switched from Steel to plastic strap and have saved money, and improved their system while dramatically improving worker morale!!
call me to discuss!!

Your Benefits When Converting from Steel Strap to Polyester Strap

Features and Advantages you will realize!!

You get Light duty palletizing that requires little stretch of strap over time

Your Heavy duty palletizing requires memory for load settling during transit

Your Heavy duty baling requires tight application

Your Bundling of packages with heavy weight challenges

Your Palletizing of heavy loads for transit or storage

Your Unitizing products for ease and safety of transport

Practicality-

Does your current methodology make sense today?

Will your production operate more efficiently and effectively?

Will your operators embrace change for the good of the company?

Safety-

Did you know that A coil of polyester weighs half that of a coil of steel?

Did you know that Polyester strap does not cut skin?

Did you know that Polyester strap is easier to dispose of in a trash can?

Economics

Your Polyester strap is 40% less money than steel!

Your workers won't file comp claims for lifting hazards!

Your workers won't file comp claims for cutting hazards!

Here are 9 things you can do if you want to get promoted at work!!!

Many people ask me "how can i make more money at work?"...i know it sounds simple..but the more value you bring to your company...the more they will WANT to pay you!!!
here are 9 things you can consider!!!



PLAN
1. Where Are You and Why Are You There?
How to get promoted? First you will need to have a reference point. Ask yourself, where are you now? And why are you there? Is there any key strength that has brought you where you are now that you can continue to leverage for the next promotion?
Are there any weaknesses that you really need to correct before the next promotion is possible? These questions, while simple are strategic. It allows you to check your strengths and weaknesses. It forces you to access what has worked and what will work to get you promoted.
2. Where Do You Want To Be and How Do You Get There?
You obviously need to have an objective and a plan. Just saying that you want to get promoted is not enough. You need to be clear on your next position. Is it a promotion to a different department or a different branch? Write this down.
Now that you have written this down, how do you plan to get that promotion? Develop a plan for to achieve that objective. If you are lucky, you can even work this out with your immediate boss. Most bosses do not promise that promotion at such discussions but at the very least you get an idea of what are the expectations.
ATTITUDE
3. Put Pride, Passion and Belief In Everything You Do
People who get promoted are those that have a sense of pride in their work. And they take pride in their work. They are driven by genuine enthusiasm and desire to do their best no matter how small the job.
They believe in themselves and they believe in the bigger goals of their unit or department and company. How to get promoted? Ask yourself; do you conduct yourself with pride, passion and belief?
4. Back it Up with Skills/Knowledge, Direction and Action
Having pride, passion and belief is only part of how to get promoted. It must be backed up skills and knowledge. That means having the necessary skills and knowledge to do a superb job. Having a direction is important to guide that energy generated by your passion. Otherwise, effort is wasted. Without action which is the actual completion of the task, all else is academic. You will be judged by what you do.

5. See Challenges As Opportunities
Another obvious tip on how to get promoted is to see challenges as opportunities. Very often I see young executives being thrown challenging assignments, which they choose to see as an additional chore.
If you want to be promoted, look at challenges as opportunities to shine. Do not complain about hard work, how hard you worked or if your assignment is tougher than your colleagues’. Trust me, no one wants to know how hard you work. In everyone’s mind, their own work is the hardest.
ACTION
6. What Is Your Part?
Know your part and play your part. What is your role? Are you an implementer? Or are you a leader? Know exactly what you need to do in order for your unit to achieve its goals. Knowing your part means being a team player. No one can succeed without help from others. We all need the support of colleagues. When the team succeeds, you succeed too.
7. Do Your Best NOW
I consider this as one of the most important tip on how to get promoted. Do your best NOW. Today. This week’s tasks and projects. Do not bask in the glory of your previous work. That is gone. In all likelihood, no one else cares about it especially your bosses.
Do not think too much about future projects that are not implemented yet. That is in the future. It is not here yet. Focus on DOING your best NOW. It determines how you are being judged. When you reflect too much on the past and think too much about the future, you forget to focus on the NOW.
8. Do More Than Necessary
If you want to know how to get promoted, do more than the necessary. That means volunteering for work and taking the initiative to make a job better. It also means not sitting around waiting for work to come to you.
Bosses like people who can help them solve problems. Even if the problem is not yours, but if you feel you can be of help and have the expertise to solve it, then volunteer to help. You become the team’s competitive advantage when you do that. And bosses like people who give their unit an advantage over the others. Helping your team stay ahead is then helping you stay ahead too.
9. Do Work from The Next Level Up
If you continue doing work for your current position then you truly deserve your current position. People who know how to get promoted know that if you want the position next level up, you start doing some of those work from that level now. If you are a senior executive now, do some work that is only expected of an assistant manager (assuming that is the next level up). This allows you to demonstrate that you are capable of that position already.

Your 20 point check list to see if you have the right vendor for you!!!

Would you like to know in advance if you are choosing the correct vendor for your company???  It can make you look great if you make the right choice!!.....

all the best!!

paul

 

A 20-Point Proposal Evaluation Checklist

PurchTips - Edition # 205 June 1, 2010

By Charles Dominick, SPSM

 

What Does A Compliant Proposal Look Like?

Proposals can contain a lot of information and are the basis on which procurement decisions are made. So you must evaluate them carefully for compliance with your requirements. Use the following checklist to simplify your proposal evaluations and ensure that a supplier is worthy of being considered.

Did the supplier:

• Submit its proposal on time?
• Confirm its ability to comply with the specification or provide an acceptable specification?
• Answer all required questions?
• Provide pricing in the proper currency and unit of measure?
• Refrain from charging "over-and-above" fees?
• Confirm its ability to provide the required quantity?
• Confirm its ability to deliver to, or perform at, the desired location(s)?
• Confirm its acceptance of the specified payment terms or propose acceptable payment terms?
• Confirm its ability to comply with the specified freight terms or propose acceptable freight terms?
• Confirm its ability to comply with the specified delivery/performance dates or lead time or propose acceptable delivery/performance dates or lead time?
• Confirm its ability to comply with the specified warranty or propose an acceptable warranty?
• Refrain from taking exception to your contract terms?
• Provide financial statements?
• Provide a cost breakdown?
• Offer value creating or cost saving ideas?
• Comply with proposal expiration date requirements?
• Provide the information necessary to be set up in the purchasing system?
• Provide evidence of any required certifications?
• Provide any required samples?
• Demonstrate that it has the capacity to handle the additional work if awarded your business?

Do you know how much it costs you when you stock out of product???

Hello...many folks never realize or calculate the true cost to their organization when they stock out of materal!!!

 

Calculating The Cost of a Stockout

PurchTips - Edition # 212 September 8, 2010

By Charles Dominick, SPSM

 

How Much Does A Stockout Cost Your Organization?

It is no secret that companies have been keeping their inventories extremely "lean" in an effort to contain costs in the unstable economy of the past three years. But when sales are lost, there is a such thing as "too lean."

I was recently reminded of this when I went to have my car tires replaced and my preferred retailer was out of my size of tires and couldn't get them in before my state inspection was due to expire. So, I had to buy another set of tires from this retailer's competitor.

Tires aren't cheap - I spent about $700. I wondered if the tire retailer's headquarters is calculating the cost of its stockouts in order to realize the need to improve its inventory levels. Calculating the cost of stockouts can be done using a formula like this:

CS = (NDOS x AUSPD x PPU) + CC

Where,

CS = Cost of a Stockout

NDOS = Number of Days Out of Stock

AUSPD = Average Units Sold Per Day

PPU = Price Per Unit (some use Profit Per Unit)

CC = Cost of Consequences

Cost of Consequences generally will apply only to stockouts of raw materials or subassemblies, not finished goods. These consequences includes costs associated with a production line that has been idled or must be switched over to accommodate another process due to the stockout. They can also include penalties payable to customers for failure to deliver on time.

Most experts agree that carrying costs - the downside of having extra inventory - are 18 - 35% of an item's value for a year. This translates to 0.05% to 0.1% per day. Though profit margins are certainly tight in this economy, getting a sale is many times more profitable than avoiding inventory carrying costs.

The moral of the story is that, when it comes to inventory levels, be lean. But don't be too lean. Stockouts negatively impact your organization's revenue and put money in its competitors' pockets.

Common Purchasing Mistakes

If you are human, like all of us...you may have accidentally committed these common blunders...i hope you enjoy this great article....
all the best!!
paul

Do You Make These Purchasing Mistakes?

PurchTips - Edition # 206 June 15, 2010

By Charles Dominick, SPSM

 

How Many Of These Six Mistakes Have You Made?

1. Assuming that a small order doesn't warrant much time. A purchase doesn't have to involve a large monetary expenditure to represent a big risk to the organization if it isn't fulfilled at the right time with the right quality item or service. So, evaluate the criticality of each order and invest an appropriate amount of time based on the degree of criticality.
2. Assuming that supplier offerings are equal except for price. Most suppliers strive to differentiate their products or services. You should seek to understand those differences, what value those differences have to your organization, and which offering is the best overall fit for your organization, price and other factors considered.
3. Failing to allow suppliers to suggest alternatives. Suppliers may know a better or cheaper way to accomplish your goals. Restricting them to your requirements without giving them the chance to suggest other options may result in forgoing profit improvement opportunities.
4. Failing to build stakeholder consensus in purchasing decisions. A big determinant in things like whether supplier onboarding is smooth, estimated cost savings are achieved, or volume guarantees are met is the compliance of stakeholders in your organization. If you give them a voice in the purchasing decision, the likelihood of compliance - and purchasing department success - is much higher.
5. Failing to qualify a new supplier. You should select a supplier because that supplier is the best fit for your organization, not because the supplier was the best proposal writer. Always qualify new suppliers in a way that is appropriate for the value and criticality of the purchase. This may even mean "dating the supplier before marrying the supplier."
6. Agreeing to things that the organization can't support. When purchasing agents focus solely on price, there may be temptation to do anything to achieve savings. But being able to trade concessions for lower prices means knowing your organization's limits. For example, don't agree to pay a supplier in 10 days or via EFT if you haven't confirmed that your organization can actually do those things.

Did you know the relationship between packagaing cost and performance?

The Concept of Cost/Performance

The preferred criteria for selecting appropriate interior packaging materials for any specific application is a combination of the cost of the final package and the level of performance it provides. This combination can be thought of as the overall value of the package.

In general, a package will perform one or more of the following functions:

1. Containment
2. Convenience
3. Communication
4. Protection

Each can be considered as a type of performance for the overall package or for specific components or parts of the pack. For interior packaging materials, we are most often concerned with protecting the products in the package.
Protection may be from spoilage, heat, cold, moisture, infestation, light, tampering, pilferage, Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), corrosion and physical damage resulting from the bumps, jolts, impacts, compression and vibrations encountered in typical distribution, shipping and handling environments. So, interior packaging materials are most often first considered on their ability to perform some required protective function. This should not be the entire basis for selection however, since all performance will come at some cost.

Over the years it has become obvious that overall value for a pack design is based on several cost factors, including (but not always limited to) the costs of:

       Materials

       Labor

       Freight/Postage

       Storage/Warehousing

       Shipping container

       Shipping damage

       Disposal

Each of these factors is typically included in the final analysis of a pack design we at Sealed Air define as "Value Analysis."

Packaging operations of the scale described earlier (1,000 - 5,000 packs per month) probably will use a limited range of internal packaging materials, depending on the types of products being shipped and the types and levels of protective performance required. The types of performance most often considered for these materials are:

       Surface protection

       Interleaving/Wrapping

       Void fill

       Blocking and bracing

       Cushioning

       Specialty

                       Atmospheric Barrier (humidity, moisture, dust, etc.)

                       Electrical Protection (shielding, anti-static, etc.)

                       Temperature

Areas of Packaging Performance

A brief description of each type of performance may help to explain why certain materials may be preferred over others.
Surface Protection: These materials serve to protect finished surfaces on products which might be susceptible to scratching, denting, marring and highlighting during warehousing and distribution. Products with finished, polished or painted metal or wood surfaces most often will require a surface protection material to ensure that these surfaces arrive undamaged at the ultimate user. Materials used for such purposes must be clean, non-abrasive, and non-reactive. Often, they must also "breathe" in order for surfaces to finish curing in the final package.
Wrapping/Interleaving: When several items are shipped in the same shipping container, they must often be individually wrapped or interleaved to prevent internal collisions and impacts during shipment. Often these types of contents can more easily be protected if they are consolidated into a single unit through wrapping and interleaving with the appropriate materials. The preferred materials for these applications must be thin enough not to add inordinate bulk to the contents while sufficiently resilient to ensure the items being wrapped are protected from each other during shipping and distribution.
Void Fill: In many packaging areas only a limited number of corrugated box sizes can be stocked. Therefore, it is not unusual that the contents will not fill the internal volume of the box being used. The excess space in the container in these instances can create problems in shipment. We often use void fill materials to compensate for any potentially damaging effects of these voids while also insuring the maintenance of the original packaging array throughout shipment. Void fill materials should be economical, "bulky," easy to use and resilient enough to maintain their bulk throughout the shipping cycle. If void fill materials compress and do not recover during impacts, vibrations or compression, then the void originally occupied will be created again in the pack.
Blocking & Bracing: There are times when the objective of a package assembly will be simply to keep the product inside in a specific position within the package. Cushioning may not be an issue (the product being rugged and not easily damaged from shock). Most often, this packaging function deals with large, heavy, rugged items which may be packaged in crates or on pallets.
Cushioning: Many items will be damaged if they are subjected to rough handling or transit vibrations without additional protection. Such fragile (and semi- fragile) products will require "cushioning." Materials which cushion will support the product within the pack and then deflect or deform under dynamic impact in a controlled manner, reducing the level of shock felt by the product to safe levels. Most effective cushioning forms will then recover after such an impact in order to maintain this ability for subsequent impact events. Cushioning is often designed and fabricated (or molded) for specific products but for the operations described here, more often the cushioning materials preferred are those which have broad ranges of potential usage including wraps and foam- in-place.
Specialty: Many types of products will require special types of protection. Products which might rust or corrode, which are sensitive to light, dust or electrical discharge, which must be kept frozen or be kept from freezing, will require materials providing these types of protection within the package. The features of concern for the interior packaging materials are relating to surface protection, wrapping/interleaving, void fill and cushioning.

Materials

The chart included breaks down the common interior packaging materials most often encountered in a typical packaging area. A brief description of the categories might help in understanding the materials and their uses. The list is by no means complete – there are materials which are not included. However, those listed are by far the most commonly in use in today’s packaging operations.
Paper: As an interior packaging material, paper has been in use for longer than any other of the materials listed here. As printed or unprinted news, kraft, bogus, tissue and wadding (multiple layers of kraft and/or tissue bonded together into a sheet or roll of material), paper has been wrapped, stuffed, wadded, crammed and jammed into packages to protect products, block them in place, fill voids and to even absorb any liquids which might be present should the packaged product be a bottle of one fluid or another. More recently, paper products which are processed through machines which crumple, crunch or slit and expand the sheets to convert the flat sheet into more bulky forms for void fill and cushioning have been introduced.
Air Cellular: The first and perhaps most recognizable of the air cellular materials are Sealed Air’s AirCap® and Bubble Wrap® air cellular cushioning materials. Available in rolls (both plain and perforated for ease of use), sheets and bags, these high efficiency materials have been used in packaging operations for over 40 years. Available in different bubble heights, air cellular materials can be used for all the protective functions listed on the chart quite effectively. They can also be laminated to various substrates to achieve other performance attributes such as insulation, cohesion and adhesion. Most recently, a form of these materials has been introduced which can be inflated on site, on demand, eliminating the issues associated with storing and handling these lightweight, bulk y products prior to their use. The Sealed Air® Inflatable Bubble Wrap® system is a unique, efficient new approach to interior packaging problems.
Inflatable Void Fill: This class of materials consists of pouches of air created on site, on demand for void fill applications. Using typically low density polyethylene (LDPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) films, various size pouches can be created on different types of equipment available from a number of manufacturers. These materials provide high efficiency, low density, low cost void fill for products which are considered light to moderately heavy (less than 25 pounds). Because of the broad range of providers, the equipment and the types of films used, there can be significant differences in products from different suppliers.
Loose Fill: Peanuts, discs, donuts, tubes, sausages all have been used to describe the various forms in which these materials may be provided. Although there may be some differences in how these various forms flow, compress or stabilize in the package, the major types of loose fills found today are based on the materials from which they are made. The first and most common types are those made from expanded polystyrene foam (EPS). These are extremely low density (nominally 0.3 pounds per cubic foot) and have been in common use as void fill for some time.
Several years ago, a new class of these materials was commercialized, made from starch (typically corn, wheat or oats). Being "bio-based" materials, these products are often promoted as being soluble in water and biodegradable. Heavier than their EPS counterparts (nominally 1 pound per cubic foot density), starch based loose fills have become more common in many void fill operations.
Foam-in-Place: These are polyurethane foams created by combining two chemical components on site, on demand. Dispensed in a liquid form, the combined components react, creating a foam in the package, around the item being protected. Highly efficient cushioning, void fill and blocking and bracing formulations are provided for many high performance applications. New approaches feature operations in which the components are dispensed into a bag in a foam-in-bag process and the bag is then placed into the pack where the foaming reaction then takes place. Foam-in-bag packaging also provides more accurate control over the amount of foam used in each application. A new offshoot of this approach is Instapak Quick® foam-in-bag from Sealed Air Corporation. Here, the two components are provided already in the bag. The operator simply activates the reaction in the bag without the need of any equipment other than a warming device used to keep the Quick™ bags at the optimal reaction temperature.
Polyethylene and Polypropylene Foams: These are two different closed-cell foam materials, commonly used in roll or sheet form. Note that they are both also available in plank and molded forms, but for the operations described for this article, these are most often found on rolls, as perforated rolls or as sheets for wrapping, interleaving and cushioning. Made from different kinds of polymers (polyethylene and polypropylene), these materials are somewhat similar in appearance, but will have different performance characteristics as is demonstrated in the accompanying chart of materials.
With the number of different materials available for surface protection, wrapping and interleaving, void fill, blocking and bracing and cushioning, most small- to-medium packaging operations will include perhaps two or three different options, particularly when the products being packaged are not all identical and all the packages going out the back door are not the same. Selection of the most effective interior packaging materials to use (alone or in combination with others) will typically require the consideration of both the performance requirements of the application along with the total costs involved with the use of the various candidate materials. Optimizing the value of the total package based on these criteria will most often result in successful shipments along with controlled packaging costs for both the interior packaging materials and the outer shipping container.

Why people choose to utilize Static Sheilding Bags

Looking for an extremely cost-effective way to protect your electronic merchandise while taking orders, packaging and shipping? Whether you’re shipping your electronic products to your customers or selling them in your brick-and-mortar store, you’ll want to use the static shielding bags for packaging and shipping at Wrapnpack. These products are vital packaging and shipping casing for all ESDS (ElectroStatic Discharge Sensitive) electronic products.

What are ESDS products for packaging and shipping? These are items that are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. That just means that they’re sensitive to charges that can spark when two items with different electrostatic potential come into direct contact with one another. In other words, it’s similar to the static shock one may get after walking across a nylon-carpeted floor and then touching metal.

Packaging and shipping items like microchips are sensitive to electrostatic discharges. Over the years, microchips have become increasingly complex and efficient; they only require a small amount of electricity to run, which makes packaging and shipping them more difficult. They’re sensitive to the static electricity produced by electrostatic discharges. Packaging and shipping ElectroStatic Discharge Sensitive bags keeps these microchips safe from potentially dangerous shocks that may occur if the microchip comes into contact with other charged items.

At Wrapnpack you can get packaging and shipping products that are either open-ended static shielding bags or sealable Ziploc-style bags. These packaging and shipping bags have 4-layer construction and are sturdy enough to handle even the most heavy-duty electronic equipment.

How you can use Kraft Paper to protect irregular packs!!!

How you can use Kraft Paper to protect Irregular Packs

Looking for a package wrapping design that’s both understated and unique? Try our corrugated Kraft paper single face rolls. Our corrugated Kraft paper rolls are available in either white or brown. This Kraft paper is made with a smooth fiberboard on one side and raised corrugated flutes on the other. This lightweight and versatile corrugated Kraft paper design means you get a wrapping product that’s both handsome and simple.

All corrugated Kraft paper rolls are A-fluted, 3/16” thick, with 36 flutes per lineal foot. That means they’re the thickest corrugated Kraft paper you can get. And they’re great for protecting fairly delicate items while shipping. The corrugated Kraft paper is also versatile; our corrugated Kraft paper rolls start at 6” in length and run all the way to 72” in length. These corrugated Kraft paper rolls are also easily cut and pliable, so whatever the size and shape of your shipping product, you can get the proper corrugated Kraft paper roll at  Wrap-N-Pack to secure your product.

These corrugated Kraft paper rolls have many great, simple decorative uses. You can make folders, gift boxes or a collage. Or if you simply want lightweight and secure padding for shipping your products, then check out our selection of corrugated Kraft paper rolls.

Paul's October Pack Blog!!

Keeping Your Important Documents and Posters Safe with Telescopic Mailing Tubes

With our mailing tubes, you can be sure you’re keeping those really important documents safe. Perfect for drawings, blueprints, screen prints, calendars, flags, posters, promotional materials or any other set of papers that you need to keep clean and crease-free. Telescopic mailing tubes are the sturdy and elegantly simple solution to sending valuable papers.

You may be surprised to find that the telescopic mailing tubes available at Wrap-N-Pack.com  are among the sturdiest shipping containers we have in stock—but it’s true. These mailing tubes are made from a 1/8” spiral-wound double wall cardboard, which means that they’re very resistant to crushing or bending. Because they’re so durable, the telescopic mailing tubes available can be reused, often several times.

The Wrapnpack telescopic mailing tubes also come equipped with solid metal flush caps that will securely seal items and protect them from damage. Great for shipping and storage, the metal ends of our mailing tubes will keep your documents secure whether you’re sending them across town or across the country. Order mailing tubes in a subdued professional brown, or get mailing tubes in a flashy red and add a little character to your shipping packages. These telescopic mailing tubes are available in lengths beginning at 2” x 24” through 4” x 42”.

Other Things you can do with Packaging Materials!!!

Alternative uses of shipping supplies!!!!!

Packaging supplies, while practical when utilized in the traditional sense, can also be a source of innovation, ingenuity and frugality when used creatively. Over the next few posts, we’ll look at 101 nonconventional uses for packaging supplies. Whether you’re a parent, teacher or business person, you’re sure to find something interesting!
1. Homemade cards – Kids and adults love to receive homemade cards, and what better product to use to create them than brown kraft paper? It’s sturdy and neutral, the ideal base for a memorable craft!
2. Homemade envelopes – Just as you used the brown kraft paper to create cards, you can also use it to create envelopes. (They can even be mailed!) Remember to make room for a legible “send to” and “return” address as well as a place for a United States postal stamp.
3. Canoes – No, really! You can turn regular brown kraft paper into small (doll-sized) canoes that really float! There are plenty of designs online, so finding a pattern is easy. You could even have a game at a kid’s birthday party – make a canoe and see if it can win a race!
4. Fingerpainting Surfaces – Brown kraft paper is perfect for messy fingerpainting projects. Not only does it absorb excess paint (and what youngster doesn’t lay it on pretty doggone thick?), but it also has a naturally textured neutral-colored surface that really makes the paint come to life.

5. Personalized Place

Mats – Another great craft for children is making homemade place mats using brown kraft paper and paint, crayons, markers, stickers, glue, glitter and whatever else will work! The placemats will be sturdier than those created on average-weight paper and can even be laminated for many months of usage.
6. Books – Kids and teens (and some adults, too!) like to create their own picture books, and brown kraft paper has a wonderful surface. It also is tough enough to be “stitched” (either using a needle and thread or even a sewing machine – slowly, of course) so any handwritten picture book or collection of illustrated poems will last for generations.
7. Homemade Beads – Did you know that you can make homemade beads out of brown kraft paper? All you have to do is cut the paper into very long, thin triangles. Create the bead by laying a knitting needle or disposable wooden skewer on the longest end of the triangle. Fold the long end of the triangle over the skewer, then apply glue to the rest of the triangle. From there, just start rolling! Eventually, you’ll wind up at the tip; if you’ve applied enough glue, the “bead” will completely adhere to itself. Remove the bead from the knitting needle or skewer and place on a non-stick surface (such as wax paper) to dry. Once finished, beads can be painted and strung on ribbons, yarn, leather strips, you name it!
8. Customized Wrapping Paper – Make holidays especially unique this year with customized wrapping paper! Just use your brown kraft paper as a base and then let your imagination go wild! Kids adore this activity, especially younger ones who cannot yet easily wrap gifts themselves but want to contribute to the process.
9. Fun Hats – Brown kraft paper is stiff enough to make a plethora of hats (you can find schematics online). From traditional “pirate fare” to fantastical robot helmets, these hats will be much nicer and heartier than their newspaper-based counterparts. (They won’t bleed newsprint on kids’ heads, either!)
10. Fun Playthings for Parties – Who doesn’t love popping the bubbles on bubble wrap? For your next party, give out strips of bubble wrap as “favors!” Sure, everyone will laugh and make a joke… but before long, they’ll be popping like crazy! It’s addictive… in a great way.