We have prepared practical tips that will save you time and money, and we will also introduce the key types of adhesive tapes you cannot do without when packing.
5 modern principles of efficient packing:
1. Correct application: The basis of success and 100% adhesion is the right technique. It is not enough to simply unroll the tape and lightly pull it across the box. To activate the adhesive properly, you must press the tape firmly onto the surface and smooth the whole area thoroughly. Only under this pressure does the adhesive fully bond with the cardboard or other material and create a perfect, strong joint.
2. Tape width: Forget about tediously wrapping boxes with narrow tape. The wider the tape, the better and more reliable the seal – it is a much more efficient solution than taping a box twice with a narrow tape. The most commonly used width of adhesive tape is 48 mm. While narrower tapes are suited to finer, more precise details, wider tapes make it quick and easy to close heavier cardboard boxes.
3. Roll length and comfort: Both the width of the tape and the length of the roll should always match your packing volume. Longer rolls reduce how often the tape has to be changed during operation and keep the work flowing. Combined with a suitable tape dispenser, you will also speed up packing considerably and make the work more comfortable for operators.
4. Temperature preparation: For optimal adhesion, tapes should be stored at room temperature for at least 24 hours before use. If you bring tape in from a freezing warehouse or car and start taping straight away, the adhesive will not work properly.
5. Choosing the right adhesive: Choose the adhesive according to the (temperature) conditions in which you pack or which the parcel will face in transit.
Acrylic adhesive: The most widely used water-based type. It reaches 100% effect immediately after application and is perfect for everyday packing of mostly lighter shipments. Its drawback is that it loses its tack when used at temperatures below 5 °C.
Synthetic rubber HOTMELT adhesive: Unlike acrylic, it reaches its full adhesive strength with a slight delay after application. Once applied, the tape cannot be removed without visibly damaging the box. It copes with more demanding temperature conditions, i.e. around 0 °C. The drawback? UV radiation significantly reduces its adhesive strength.
Natural rubber SOLVENT adhesive: A highly effective adhesive with extreme adhesion to the surface. It is the only one of these adhesives that easily handles a wide temperature range and holds securely even in winter.
Key types of tape for your warehouse, workshop and home use:
☑ Classic adhesive tapes: The absolute standard
The basic building block of every shipping station. Classic tapes consist of a film carrier (BOPP or PVC) and a quality adhesive. The durability of the tape as a whole depends on the type of film carrier and the type of adhesive. Thanks to their reliability, they are suitable both for manual application with a dispenser and for automatic carton sealing machines. A special type of classic adhesive tape is the so-called low-noise adhesive tape, which does not make the usual loud noise when unrolled. It contains a thick layer of acrylic adhesive, which is why it unrolls quietly.
☑ Paper adhesive tapes: Ecology with a premium look
A great choice for anyone looking for a sustainable alternative to plastics. Together with a cardboard box they create a fully recyclable mono-material package. This saves end customers a lot of time when sorting waste – they can put the box in the paper recycling bin in one piece without laboriously tearing off the tape. As a bonus, they give parcels a clean, natural and very elegant look that elevates your brand.
☑ Reinforced adhesive tapes: For extreme loads
Where ordinary tape fails, brute force takes over in the form of filament tapes. These extremely strong tapes are reinforced with glass fibres and offer exceptional resistance to abrasion, tension and lateral pressure. For very heavy, oversized or sharp-edged parcels, reinforced tape is the ideal choice for complete safety of the shipment in transit.
☑ Coloured and printed adhesive tapes: Visual packing
The ideal helper for visual differentiation, sorting and quick organisation in warehouses are coloured adhesive tapes. Using different colours on boxes makes it easy to mark specific types of goods or particular production batches. For easy company promotion there are printed adhesive tapes made of BOPP film and acrylic adhesive. The base can be white, red, blue, yellow, green, clear or brown, printed either with fast surface printing (1–3 colours) or with advanced reverse printing on the underside of the film (1–6 colours). Reverse printing achieves its colours by dyeing the adhesive directly, which protects the design perfectly against abrasion.
Not sure which adhesive tape to choose? Write to us about what you want to pack and we will recommend the optimal combination of width, roll length and adhesive type!
