I’m a technology guy who has a software product that I think folks in the architectural drafting/landscape architecture/engineering industry would find very useful. As such, I’m trying to find out opportunities to go meet as many of these professionals as possible. So, I was wondering if anybody knew of annual trade shows/trade groups or conferences in the US where we should be attending? Thanks!

Over the last few years there have been a lot of innovations in the packaging industry and there is bound to be more to come with all the recent changes in commerce and customer buying methods such as online buying. If you look back to when the innovations started, you will see that it happened with a few companies starting up specialising in providing packaging materials for other manufacturers whereas before that everything was mostly packaged in plain cardboard boxes that had made in-house.

Consumer awareness on packaging materials changed in the last decade or so, as they now have high expectations on the shelf life and quality of the product they are purchasing. Probably the biggest innovation in that area is the introduction of Tetra packs into mainstream packaging. With that, the shelf life of perishable products such as milk and food stuffs suddenly shot up, and there was more say on the quality of the end product. Besides, this gave consumers more power to buy in bulk, and that made the deal win-win for the company too!

The packaging innovations have not stopped with perishable foods however. We are all familiar with bubble wrap, we all remember popping the bubbles as a child (or perhaps as an adult!) and the quality of it is still improving as it makes a comeback today. With rising sales of electrical goods and the steady increase in online buying, there is a need for a packaging material that can ensure the safety of fragile products like electronics.

Clear stretch wrap has also become commonplace in the world of packaging as people become more and more concerned about hygiene. Clear stretch wrap provides peace of mind that the product is fresh and completely sealed.

If you really think about it, packaging materials are used on every level of the commerce chain, including by everyday consumers. Whether youre moving house or just transporting something valuable, bubble wrap and clear stretch wrap are ideal.

For expert advice about what packaging supplies you will require, please visit Aspak.co.uk for cardboard boxes and a complete range of packaging materials.

The packaging industry is huge and has been for many years, and as more companies veer towards online sales, the demand for good packaging companies is only going to increase. Also, over the next few years there will be huge emphasis laid on making the packaging industry greener.

Whether your company manufactures a small product, or a very large one, whether you are an affiliate or reseller, you cant ignore the importance of good packaging as it is the way a product is packaged that creates the first impression in the minds of the customer. Most people will be able to remember a time when they have bought a product based on the packaging and on the flip-side, many products fail to make the cut because the way they are packaged does not do the product any justice at all.

If you have a branding company that handles the way your product appears to the customer, it will also recommend the kind of packaging material which suits your product image. Otherwise, you would most probably have decided on the packaging material based on a whim or someone elses recommendation, and there is every chance that there would be something better suited for your product. Now that most companies use third party companies to handle their packaging needs, this can usually be done with a quick phone call to your vendor to discuss your new packaging needs.

Most products today have packaging solutions that are entirely tailor made for their own use ” including multiple layers of packaging, special stickers and many innovations in the way the product reaches the customer. One example is the steady increase in use of bubble wrap ” especially with the rise in consumption of consumer electronics, and other delicate products. Then there is the environment to think about. With packaging material being considered as one of the worst villains in the struggle for greenness, no company can choose to ignore the outcry!

So before you make the decision about what packaging to use, make sure you take everything into account!

For expert advice about what packaging materials you will require, please visit Aspak.co.uk for cartons and a complete range of packaging materials.

Over the last ten years or so, the delivery industry has grown massively in size. This is because more and more businesses are running just in time deliveries and many companies are now shifting a lot of their focus to online selling, delivery requirements have sky-rocketed all over the western world, and this has had a huge effect on the packaging industry.

The amount of packaging now used is many times that of how much was used in the mid 90s. There has been a consistent growth year on year since the revolution of the Internet and even during this current recession, more and more buyers are abandoning the high street and looking for bargains online meaning packaging demand is higher still.

There are many suppliers available, but it does depend upon what you intend to transport as to what you best packaging solution will be. Some suppliers will not insist on minimum order values, while others will need you to order 50 or 100 of each box type as a minimum. If you are a smaller business, delivering a variety of products in small volumes then you will prefer to use a supplier that doesn’t limit your minimum order size. It is of course important to minimise your outlay on packaging as it will all reflect in your bottom line.

Cardboard box providers can also print boxes to your specification so you can personalise your deliveries to improve your profile. This can be a good additional form of advertising not only for your existing customers, but for everyone that will come into contact with your packages whilst they are being delivered and indeed for the rest of the boxes life.

Whether you need single wall or double wall will affect the cost of your boxes, single wall are obviously cheaper than the equivalent twin walled box. You will also need to make sure that you use a suitable packing material in you box to protect your goods from damage. A good bubble wrap or loose fill will help you to avoid unnecessary breakages.

If you have ever moved house, needed a storing solution or have had the need to ship goods from place to place, then you will have had a need for suitable packaging. Cardboard boxes have two basic material constructions, single wall and double wall.

Single wall is one layer of cardboard with one layer of fluting, ideal for smaller, lighter objects. Single wall boxes are perfect for packaging, storing and transporting a variety of products, especially where the weight of the contents is not great.

Double wall is one layer of cardboard, one of fluting, followed by another layer of cardboard, then another of fluting, finishing with another layer of cardboard. They’re ideal for heavier, bulky items for moving, storage or posting/courier transportation. They provide extra durability and protection for heavier more fragile items.

Double walled boxes will support more weight, and consequently last longer than single walled boxes, but they do cost more initially.

If you need to package light items then after choosing a suitable box, they can then be supported inside that box using loosefill or as they’re more commonly known wotsits (but they dont taste nearly as good and are white!) Loosefill is ideal for protection of items that do not weight too much, heavier items however should be wrapped with bubble wrap before boxing and loosefilling.

Bubble wrap will not only protect your goods from potential damage should the box be dropped or if it moves in transit, but it will also protect items surrounding your item from damage if your item has significant weight. Bubble wrap is cheap and so is cost effective as a means of protecting your goods whilst you move them from place to place.

Another cost effective method of safely packaging fragile or heavy items is to use corrugated paper, which is sometimes referred to as protection paper or wavy paper. It costs around the same as bubble wrap and comes in a variety of widths to suit whatever you need to pack.

The important thing to remember is that no matter what you are planning to transport, there is a suitable packaging medium to do the job for you. Correctly used, your goods will arrive at their destination in one piece without any problems. All that is required is to make sure that you use packaging materials suitable for your application.