The Benefits of Custom Corrugated Boxes

If there’s one instance in which a book can and should be judged by its cover, it’s with packaging. In fact, the packaging of a product is almost as important as the product itself. When a company ships an item to a customer, the box in which it’s contained is the first thing the customer sees.

Therefore, it’s a very good idea to consider custom boxes for your products, as the benefits are numerous and significant. They range from aesthetics to economics, and much in between. Here are just some of the many advantages to using custom boxes. 

Size and Pricing

Chances are, your goal is to run your business in the most efficient way possible. So why would you package a product in a box that’s too big? It doesn’t make sense, and yet so many people do it. Instead, shipping items in boxes custom-made to their appropriate size means the elimination of wasted space and shipping materials. Furthermore, as we’ve recently written about, the new dimensional weight pricing method being used by all major carriers is based on package size, with larger packages costing more, regardless of weight. Therefore, custom boxes mean you won’t be charged more than you should be.

Protection

What good is the delivery of a quality item, if it’s broken once it gets there? If you use a custom corrugated box, it’s specifically made to house what’s in it, taking into account the strength and durability requirements. This ensures your product reaches your customers safely every time.

Branding

Once again, before your package is ever opened by your customer, the box is being seen—and not just by the client, but by countless people along the way. The package is the first—and often best—way to get your brand out there, and it’s an opportunity for visibility that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Eco-Consciousness

Eliminating wasted space and materials is great for the bottom line, and it’s also great for the planet. Custom boxes that are efficient have a smaller environmental impact, and take up less space on vehicles, making the transport more efficient as well, which saves fuel. It’s a win/win!

Want to know more about our custom corrugated boxes? Visit our website and contact us anytime for more information. 

Happy Holidays, From Our Family To Yours

For those of us in the packaging industry, this is one of the busiest and most exciting times of the year. The holiday season is especially demanding for us, but once again, we’ve been more than up for the challenge.

That said, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal customers for their continued support, and wish you all a very happy holiday season.

We’d also like to take a look back at the year, which was a very successful one for Stamar Packaging. Of course, we couldn't have reached this success without our amazing team of dedicated professionals—truly the best in the business. We believe one of the many reasons our employees are so great is their commitment to teamwork and collaboration, both within our facilities, and outside of them.

One of many examples was our participation in the ROC Race in July; even during a torrential downpour, our team members kept smiles on their faces, while running and cheering each other on, and raising money for The Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Whether it’s a fun and charitable activity like the ROC Race, our spring and fall barbeques, or the everyday team- and morale-building, the Stamar Packaging family is dedicated to each other and to our clients.

So as another year comes to an end, we’d like to thank everyone for making it such a good one, while wishing all of our friends and family a very healthy, successful 2015!

Dimensional Weight Pricing: What is it, and how will it Affect You?

If you’ve recently heard about dimensional weight pricing, and are wondering what it is, you’re not alone. It’s a new shipping pricing method that’s going into effect in 2015, and it’s important to be aware of what it means, and more importantly, how it will affect your business.

All of the major carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and DHL will be using the dim weight method, which applies to all packages shipped by ground service that are less than three cubic feet—therefore, the pricing is based on volume rather than the actual weight of the shipments. Carriers will multiply the length by width by height and divide that by 166 for domestic packages or 139 for shipments to Canada; the resulting cubic size determines the price.

So why the changes? As most people are aware, e-Commerce has changed the way people buy, sell, and ship. Currently, a growing number of e-Commerce shipments are not being packed with regard to the density of packing, making shipping containers relatively large yet lightweight (relative to what’s inside the container). What this leads to is full delivery vehicles that aren’t being used to their maximum capacity, which is inefficient. The dim weight method optimizes packaging while taking size, rather than weight, into account.

There are several advantages that will come from these changes, not the least of which is the reduction of fuel and transportation costs. The aim is also to minimize the environmental impact of packaging—a result of greater efficiency. A hope of the new method, of course, is that the savings will be passed along to customers.

However, in order to reap the benefits, retailers and manufacturers must be careful to optimize their shipments. Otherwise, millions of dollars could be thrown away. So how can you be sure to benefit from dim weight pricing, rather than lose money because of it? Familiarize your entire staff with the process, and follow these tips:

•        Choose the appropriate packaging size for a product—size matters! Use only what you need; no more, and no bigger
•     Use high-quality shipping materials, taking strength, cushioning, and durability into account
•         Be sure to block and/or brace items to keep them safe
•        Talk to your carrier representative and be fully aware of your particular dim weight pricing
•        Measure the OUTSIDE length, width, and height of containers after packaging
•        Keep track of all monthly shipping charges and make sure you’re being charged correctly
•        Keep your customers educated on the policy in order to maintain compliance for return shipments

If you and all of your employees are diligent about the dim weight pricing, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the advantages that will come from it. And don’t forget—we’re happy to answer any questions along the way!

Packaging, PACK EXPO, and Why Trade Shows Matter

It’s an old saying in business: “it takes money to make money.” Attending and exhibiting at trade shows is a good example of this. They require both an investment of time and money, but they can prove to be invaluable. Sometimes, what a company gets out of trade show attendance and/or exhibiting is incalculable.

Some of the many reasons to attend a trade show include:

•         Face-to-Face Interactions: There’s nothing like having the opportunity to meet, interact with, and converse with your customers, peers, and competitors. This opens numerous doors and puts faces to names, while allowing new business relationships to develop. The possibilities are endless.
•          Educational Opportunities: In order for your business to grow, you must constantly learn about your industry, its trends and technologies, and what people are talking about. Trade shows provide the opportunity to attend seminars, share ideas, and learn and grow as a result.
•          Direct Leads: While it’s not the only reason to attend a show, there’s no telling what kind of leads and sales can come as a result of attendance.

At Stamar Packaging, we are actively involved in the packaging industry, and are constantly looking to grow, evolve, and stay informed. As a result, we make it a point to regularly attend relevant shows and events, and we are very much looking forward to this year’s PACK EXPO, occurring November 2-6 in Chicago.

PACK EXPO is one of the largest, most important, and most exciting packaging industry events in the world, and it features the most advanced technology and innovations. We find it extremely important to attend PACK EXPO, view the new products and services on display, and learn about the latest industry happenings. We also see it as a great chance to meet our fellow packaging peers.

We look forward to another successful PACK EXPO, and look forward to seeing many familiar faces there.

The Many Advantages of Stretch Wrap

Packaging, in general, is one of the most critical aspects of any product. It provides protection, ensures quality, and serves the needs of virtually every industry and countless applications.

There are so many different types of packaging—each with unique advantages and roles—and oftentimes, those in need of packaging aren’t sure exactly what type is best for their requirements. At Stamar Packaging, we offer a wide variety of solutions, and one that is often used yet not always fully understood is stretch wrap.

Stretch wrap is an efficient wrapping that can cover containers, boxes, parcels, and a wide variety of products and goods in need of storage and/or transportation. It is commonly made from low-density polyethylene, and is very elastic/stretchable.

The plastic stretch wrap is applied with a stretch wrapping machine that has the ability to wrap packaging/products in bulk. Stretch wrap offers many distinct benefits, which include:

·         Protection: Wrapped goods are well protected from dirt, dust, moisture, and damage, ensuring nothing affects the quality of what’s inside.

·         Consistency: The use of a stretch wrapping machines means everything is wrapped exactly the same.

·         Time Savings: Stretch wrapping can be applied to large quantities of products in minimal amounts of time, which also translates to cost savings.

·         Variety: Stretch wrap can suit a variety of applications, with different sizes, widths, and thicknesses available based on various requirements.

The fact is, a product or parcel is often only as good as its packaging—faulty or low quality packaging can ruin what it’s actually meant to protect. Stretch wrap offers many advantages and is an excellent choice for economical, protective, consistent packaging.

Feel free to contact us with any questions, or to learn about how our solutions can help you. 

Teamwork: The Recipe for Success

One of the greatest lessons you learn when being in business a long time is that you are only as good as the individuals who make up your team. A company is the sum of its parts, its people.

Every single individual in a company, no matter their role, adds tremendous value, and collectively, they add up to who you are as a company. It’s been widely documented that teamwork is one of the best ways to bring all members of an organization together and make them truly care about each other and the work they are doing.

This article states it well: “Teams often arise when employees come together to accomplish a common goal.

Teamwork within the workplace not only benefits your workers but also significantly affects your business.”

At Stamar Packaging, we believe wholeheartedly in the idea of teamwork, of bringing employees together to accomplish goals, both within the realm of work they’re doing during business hours, and outside of that. And we believe that the result is a group of invaluable team members who are great at their jobs and care about what they do.

To this end, we recently participated in the ROC Race 5K, a game show-inspired obstacle race whose participants are referred to as ROC Stars (a fitting name for our employees). Taking place on July 12, 2014, this was our first ROC Race, and the company paid for and encouraged everyone who wanted to participate. One of the best parts: the ROC Race benefits The Challenged Athletes Foundation, a very worthwhile cause.

While the day of the event proved to be one of the rainiest of the summer—with the entire team getting rained on—it was still a fun and successful event. Some employees came to participate, others came to cheer them on. Despite the weather, some participants even went back and finished the race. In the end, it was still a great success; we had fun and bonded as a team. It was a great example of how teamwork can make a company even stronger.

We will continue to look out for and participate in more events of this nature (while keeping our fingers crossed for dry weather!), and most importantly, will continue to encourage solidarity as a group, ensuring our products and service are as great as the people who provide them.

Four Benefits of Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

While it seems obvious that the right protective packaging for shipping your products is critical, many companies don’t know what exactly the right choice is; therefore, inadvertently, many choose packaging that isn’t up to par, potentially harming their products and their business.

While there are certainly many packaging options, one of the best for protecting fragile and/or complex parts is corrugated cardboard packaging. The reasons for this are many; here are just some of the main benefits:

1) Highly Protective

Corrugated cardboard are constructed specifically for strength and durability, while still being lightweight.

Advanced computer designs turn paper into a highly sophisticated construction, which protects products within from moisture and other elements. The design process also allows for customization, so corrugated packages can be made to fit specific needs.

2) Sustainable

Since it all begins with wood, which is a renewable resource, corrugated cardboard can be recycled up to eight times. When you’re using a box of this kind, it is most likely recycled and recyclable.  Newspapers, boxes, and other materials are recycled to create corrugated cardboard, making it an extremely environmentally-friendly form of packaging.

3) Flexible

Corrugated boxes are simply one of the most flexible, versatile packaging products available. Almost limitless sizes, levels of protection, and shape combinations can be made. The choices are endless.

4) Cost-effective

These are also among the least expensive packaging/shipping options available. While the design process is sophisticated and high-tech, it’s also rather easy, which keeps the costs down. Using recycled, renewable materials also keeps them cost-effective. In this way, they’re good for the environment and the bottom line.

We have an extensive collection of these protective, affordable, reliable boxes. Visit our website to view the line.

The Value of Employee Morale

To be successful in manufacturing, there are two things a company must consistently do right: create quality products, and provide excellent customer service.

But of course, it goes much deeper than just this. After all, a company is only as good as the people who work for it, and it is those people who are responsible for making the quality products and providing the excellent customer service. These things don’t just happen.

It begins and ends with highly trained and experienced employees, but within that there’s the invaluable and highly critical aspect of employee morale. If employees are not happy, satisfied, respected, and valued, they are much less likely to work hard and provide the work that leads to successful business practices. And of course, the opposite is true.

This article points out that studies have shown that “engaged employees work harder, are often willing to take on extra responsibilities and are a positive influence on other employees,” with benefits that include “a higher rate of productivity and a lower staff turnover.” Disengaged employees put in the bare minimum and care less about their work and their company; they also tend to leave a company after a much shorter amount of time.

At Stamar Packaging, we realize this. Certainly because we know employee morale boosts our business, but also because we truly want our employees to be satisfied and happy, to feel valued—because they are. We are proud of our dedicated team of experts, and we care about them.

We promote this on a daily basis, but also with special events that are meant for bonding, relaxation, and fun. Each spring and fall we hold an employee-only barbeque, and have been for about ten years. Everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite dish, and we all vote on the top three dishes, with the winners receiving gift certificates. Everyone looks forward to the barbeques and has a wonderful time.

We are also taking part in the Chicago ROC Race on July 12, a 5K race that our employees joined and made sure everyone could get involved in. We’re all very excited!

We care about our employees and our customers, and we believe this is evident through the work we do. This is why we’re as successful as we are.