There’s more to tape than just width and thickness.
This article will be a crash course in tape. For the sake of time, not detailed enough to guide you to the right tape in every application but a quick overview and checklist. Perhaps enough to get you thinking about your box tape in a different light.
We’ll start with the different types of tapes and adhesives. Second, we’ll cover different application aspects to consider when picking a tape. Third, signs you might have the wrong tape. We’ll end with how to confirm you have the right tape for the job.
How many different tapes are there?
I’m sorry. Felt like I need an image here but couldn’t find a good one and my AI skills are….well, no better than this lol.
The short answer is two….or four. Two in the sense of pressure sensitive (the “plastic” packing tape) and water activated (kraft colored, typically reinforced with fiberglass strands). But there are three main adhesives of pressure sensitive.
Couple notes first, the below sheet is overly simplistic. It does not account for a variety of factors that all can make a difference in the ultimate performance and right tape for the job. Ie. tape width, thickness, or the quality of the adhesive.
TAPE TYPE | KEY STRENGTHS | BEST USE CASES | CRITICAL CONSIDERATION |
Acrylic | Excellent clarity, UV resistance (won’t yellow), works at extreme temperatures, and has a long shelf life. | Works well on most applications. | Sensitive to dusty, old, or heavily recycled boxes. |
Hot Melt | Fast initial adhesion (quick-tack) and high tensile strength. | Similar application to acrylic but can work better on dusty & recycled boxes. Good for custom printing. | Performance degrades faster at cold or hot temps. Very loud “screeching” during use. Shorter shelf life and will yellow over time. |
Natural Rubber | Extremely malleable, high tack (even on imperfect surfaces), and works across broad temperature swings. | Irregularly shaped, very dirty, and heavy boxes. | Higher price point than acrylic and hot melt adhesives. |
Water-Activated Tape (WAT) | Bonds irreversibly to the carton, forming a tamper-evident, structural seal. Can provide superior aesthetic to the consumer. | High-Security Shipments, heavy loads, lengthy or multiple “touch” transits, high-end branding. | Requires a specialized dispenser and water activation. More expensive than acrylic and hot melt. |
What to consider when picking a tape?
Box Weight - Pick your heaviest carton and plan around that. Rarely have I seen it worth having multiple types of tape in a facility.
Box Conditions - Are these typical RSC’s, FOL’s, something else? Is your corrugated highly recycled and/or secondhand?
Automation & Throughput - What’s your throughput like? Do you have high speed automation in place?
Storage Conditions - Where are you storing your tape AND where are your packages stored before shipping? Temperature, humidity, and length of storage are key.
Shipping & Handling - How far will your package ship, is it parcel or full pallets, how many “hands” will it pass through?
Unique Requirements - Are you shipping something special like hazardous materials or live animals? Who is receiving it (consumer or another business).
Signs you need a different tape!
This won’t cover signs of tape “overkill” but those are out there too. I have an e-commerce customer who when I started working with them, their packing team was EXTREMELY picky about their tape. They had initially used a 2” 1.8mil hot melt tape which worked well but had issues during the winter. Their supplier’s response - move to a 3” natural rubber tape. Of course, it worked great (so the packers didn’t want to switch) but had a hefty price tag.
I convinced them to give a 3” 2mil acrylic tape a chance and sure enough, it worked. The packing team bought in and the customer realized substantial savings!
Regarding signs you might need to upgrade your tape though:
Is your team using multiple strips of tape down the middle and/or on all sides (H-tape method)?
Is your tape peeling on the edges or lifting off entirely?
Are you receiving regular returns, damages, or reports of theft (91% of people will leave a brand after just one unfavorable experience)?
Your tape works well in one area but not another.
Does your team complain about the sound when taping?
How can I ensure I have the proper tape?
You don’t have to guess at it anymore. We can make this scientific (but quick & easy) by measuring the exact amount of adhesion strength between your box and tape. The above video shows how it works. It’s extremely fast and easy.
In my last article I shared how we were able to “downgauge” the tape at a food processor with the ET Xtreme tapehead. That wasn’t guesswork. We used the AF2K tool to confirm the adhesion strength was better with our 1.6mil tape and ET Xtreme tapehead than it was with their 1.85mil tape and current tapehead.
The AF2K test doesn’t improve performance by itself but it does eliminate the guesswork and streamline tape improvement. It doesn’t matter if it’s done by hand or automation. Why not confirm a lower cost option will work and save the stress at night while you’re waiting to see if more claims come in?
This is great but I’ve already tried multiple options and suppliers….I’m running optimally.
I’ve no idea who this person is other than he’s on The Voice. Just really liked the gif.
Maybe you are. What I will say is that FlexPAC has options that most of our competition doesn’t. That’s not bragging, but I don’t know of one who can holistically compete with FlexPAC. Maybe on a very specific application they’ll win but more often than not, we’ll go head to head and win.
If I haven’t seen your business, some things to think about:
1) Could a premium but still low cost private label tape address issues you’re having currently? Quite often, the answer is yes.
2) If you have tape machines, we offer the most advanced tapehead on the market which drives more adhesion out of a tape than any other tapehead. Essentially improving the tape quality without actually upgrading or paying more for it.
3) Has your testing method of new tape options been the “hope and pray” method? “Well, I guess we’ll give it a go and just hope that we don’t get an increase in claims.”
4) Most importantly, have you had a packaging expert help? If you have but you’re skeptical, seek a second opinion. If you haven’t start there. You’re an expert in your business & industry, it’s not your job to also be a packaging expert. It is my job though….and it’s an honor to be invited in for those conversations.
Want to learn more?
If you have questions, want to learn more, or maybe you want to do a deep dive on your tape - reach out! You can reply to this email, book a conversation here, or reach out to me at the info below.
(812)244-9393 & [email protected]
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