What is?.... Glossary of Terms

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What is Pallet Wrap?

Pallet Wrap – commonly referred to as stretch wrap as it is used to wrap and stretch around a pallet load of goods to help contain them so that they can be securely and safely stored or transported. Pallet wrap is applied in a way that allows the elastic recovery of the plastic to create a tight-fitting band around the goods. There are two types, standard and pre-stretched. Standard requires the user to pull and stretch the film, whilst pre-stretched has been pre stretched which means less effort is required of the user (and therefore less plastic wrap). Pallet Wrap is available in a hand wrap or a machine wrap used on pallet wrapping machines . ... continue reading

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What is Poly Tubing?

Poly Tubing – or Polythene tubing is a roll of clear continuous plastic tubing which is commonly used with a heat sealer to custom size (long or short) plastic bags for product. The heat sealer will cut and heat seal closed either end of the tubing. it is available in a range of widths and thicknesses. ... continue reading

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What is Shrink Film?

Shrink Film – commonly referred to as shrink wrap, is a roll of plastic – usually either PVC , polyolefin or polyethylene - which will shrink when heat is applied. It is commonly used as a form of packaging to contain goods – the goods are wrapped and then heat is applied which causes the shrink film to shrink around the product. It is available in various thicknesses and widths so that it can be used for different sized and weighted goods. Heat is commonly applied using either a heat gun , or with a shrink wrapping machine and heat shrink tunnel . Comes in clear or black.... continue reading

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What are Shrink Sleeves?

Shrink Sleeves – also known as tamper seals or tamper evident security seals or plastic sleeves for bottles. Commonly seen as the plastic tamper seal on the top of a bottle or jar that has perforations for easy opening, and if it isn’t there then customers are less inclined to purchase. Technically a shrink sleeve is a tube of PVC plastic that will shrink when heat has been applied using a heat gun . ... continue reading

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What is an Impulse Heat Sealer?

Impulse Heat Sealer – An Impulse heat sealer will create a single line of seal using heat. It simply uses a scissor action to create the line of heat to seal and is commonly used to seal closed bags. They come in various sizes – or lengths of seal, (from 100mm to 1m), and different widths of seal from 2mm to 5mm, some also have cutters to cut away the bag after the seal. Can be used with polypropylene, polythene, shrink film as well as poly tubing . ... continue reading

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What is a Heat Gun?

Heat Gun – also known as a Hot Air Gun, in terms of packaging a heat gun is used to apply heat to certain plastics to enable them to shrink to the desired size. Used to apply shrink sleeves over bottles or jars, the heat enables the Shrink Sleeves to shrink, also used with simple shrink wrapping operations (such as a Shrink-A-Pack ) to once again enable the shrink film to shrink around the product. ... continue reading

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What is an Air IB Express?

Air IB Express – known as the New Air IB Express Packaging System – this is a table-top sized machine that enables the user to create lengths of bubble wrap on demand and as needed. A roll of film is inserted onto the winder of the machine (various widths, bubble profiles, and weight bearing gauges are available) and the button is pushed. ... continue reading

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What is Instapak?

Instapak – is made of two main chemicals that when combined expand and quickly solidify. In Instapak Quick Bags the chemicals are confined in a bag so when the bag is patted with hands – activating the mix – the chemical activates and expands within the confines of the bag so that when the weight of an object is placed upon it, the foam expands around the product creating a perfectly shaped cushion before solidifying. With the larger Instapak systems it works in the same way, but confined in different ways. ... continue reading

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What is a Zapak?

Zapak – is a brand of strapping tool that will friction weld plastic strapping together, and then cut it thereby allowing a reliable seal on your strapping without the need for seals or buckles and in a nice neat, small and more portable package. Zapak Strapping tools are available as battery operated (being portable), electric, or even pnuematic versions. ... continue reading

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What is Bubble Wrap?

Bubblewrap – is a roll of plastic with inflated cushions of air raised with in it – bubbles, that is commonly used as a type of protective material to wrap items to avoid damage or scratches during storage or transport. It comes as a single/standard bubble (one flat layer of plastic, one layer of bubble), a twin skin (layer of flat plastic, layer of bubble, layer of flat plastic), metalised or foil backed bubble – which also comes as a standard or twin skinned, and also in a range of bubble profiles (sizes of bubbles). ... continue reading

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What is Water Activated Tape?

Water Activated Tape is a starch based paper tape that when wet with water the adhesive becomes active making the tape ready for application. The reason why people would use it over traditional packaging tape is because being a wet paper tape it adheres to the fibres of the carton as it dries. This means it doesn't lift and can't be lifted without leaving evidence, meaning it creates a pilfer evident, or tamper evident seal. As it is made from kraft paper and uses a starch based adhesive it is considered biodegradable and an environmentally friendly form of packaging tape. ... continue reading

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What is Cloth Tape, Book Binders Tape and Framers Tape?

Cloth Tape is a hi tack adhesive tape that is made with cloth backing which gives it the ability to form around irregular shapes well. It can be referred to as book binding tape as well as framers tape as it is commonly used for this purpose. ... continue reading

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What is Double Sided Tape?

Double sided tape is a tape that has adhesive on both sides with a silicone or waxed liner material that is removed as it is applied. Double sided tape come in an enormous variety from tissue tapes, transfer tapes, mounting tapes, foam tapes and cloth tapes. ... continue reading

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What is a Self Seal bag?

Self Seal Bags are commonly referred to as zip lock, snap lock or press seal resealable clear plastic bags. They all feature a distinctinve strip of interlocking plastic at the top or end of the bag that when pressed together form a seal that can then again be re-opened and re-sealed again and again. ... continue reading

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What is Environmentally Friendly Packaging?

Environmentally friendly packaging is any packaging material that is considered friendly to the environment, whether it be re-usable - able to be used again, recyclable - recycled for another purpose or reducable - meaning it degrades when in the environment such as landfill or that it has been made from less material with the same or better outcome. Many items are made from recycled material so is also considered friendly to the environment. ... continue reading

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What are Glue Dots?

Glue Dots are a round dot of glue or adhesive, usually around 1cm diameter, that are held on a roll of wax type paper for easy use and application. Glue Dots come in a range of tacks from easily removable through to permanant (and in between), and are commonly used to apply one item to another (example: business cards to flyers, magnets to flyers). They are used as an alternative to wet glue adhesives and double sided tapes. ... continue reading

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What is an Orbital Wrapper?

An Orbital Wrapper applies stretch film to items to bundle them together. Used for items which are placed horizontally into the circular wrapper which allows the film to rotate around the item and wrap it in plastic. ... continue reading

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What is a long handle pallet wrap dispenser?

Long handle pallet wrap dispensers are hand held manual dispensers of pallet wrap with long handles. The long handles mean the user doesn't have to bend so low when applying pallet wrap to pallet loads of goods. ... continue reading

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What are Jiffy Padded Mailers?

Jiffy Padded Mailers are a mailer or courier bag made entirely from paper. The exterior is made from strong heavy duty kraft paper, with the interior padding made from recycled paper fibre which expands as the package is handled. It features double folded corners as well as double glued bottom flap for edge and corner protection. ... continue reading

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