From Recycled Corrugated Cartons to Cold Chain: How Packaging Tape Protects Sealing Efficiency

For cartons and the products they contain, sealing tape plays a vital role in preserving package integrity.

Incorrect tape selection or poor application can cause seal failure and other issues, leading to inefficiency and higher costs, including rework and production line downtime. When the right tape is chosen from the outset, cartons stay sealed, goods remain protected, and production lines run with fewer interruptions. That said, certain packaging operations call for purpose-built solutions to meet application-specific or operational challenges. Two clear examples are corrugated cartons and cold-chain packaging environments.

Across products shipped in the United States,

more than 90% are sent in corrugated cartons, using over 400 billion square feet of board every year.

According to a Smithers report, global demand for corrugated packaging has risen by almost 4% annually since 2018,

and is forecast to hit 300 billion US dollars by 2023.

A stronger focus on sustainability is fueling corrugated carton use. As companies raise their environmental standards, the shipping sector is handling and delivering a growing volume of corrugated packaging. At the same time, the global pandemic pushed consumers from offline shopping to online buying, accelerating e-commerce growth.

As a result, there is more demand to ship heavier, bulkier and higher-value parcels, including food, beverages, industrial goods and electronics. So while the industry had been moving in this direction for years, pandemic-driven demand has widened the need for corrugated cartons.

These cartons may be produced with 100% virgin fiber, 100% recycled fiber, or any blend of the two.

The move toward eco-friendly packaging has driven steady increases in both the share of cartons made from waste paper and the share of recycled fiber in the board itself; many packaging operations now rely on 100% recycled corrugated cartons.

Such structural changes in cartons require adhesive adjustments for sealing. Creating a strong seal on virgin corrugated board is comparatively easy: fibers are longer and the surface is more porous, allowing packaging tape adhesive to bond quickly and firmly.

Recycling significantly alters substrate characteristics. Paper is shredded and re-pulped, so shorter fibers pack more tightly. Because corrugated carton fibers can be recycled six times before final disposal, repeated cycles leave the fibers extremely short. The resulting surface has fewer pores than virgin material, making it hard for tape adhesive to penetrate quickly and bond.

Fortunately, hot melt packaging tape makers have created adhesive formulations designed for high-recycled-content corrugated cartons, especially 100% recycled cartons, keeping pace with sustainable packaging trends and rising shipping demand.

These specially formulated hot melt packaging tapes deliver a strong, secure carton sealing tape solution, lowering the risk of packaging damage and helping manufacturers and distributors reduce returns.

Compared with standard hot melt packaging tapes, these aggressive hot melt tapes offer greater shear strength, tack and holding power. They are engineered for producers that need tape capable of enduring transportation demands and standing up to a rigorous supply chain.

When paired with an application system that applies the correct rub-down force, the added pressure drives more tape adhesive into the carton fibers, creating a reliable seal.

Tape solutions must handle the rough surfaces of recyclable packaging, while some industries also face cold-chain packaging challenges. Whether in frozen food, meat and poultry processing, dairy facilities that must stay refrigerated for health and safety, or unheated warehouses and storage sites in cold climates, temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit can make it difficult for packaging tape to maintain its performance.

Because tape is viscoelastic—combining liquid and solid properties—it can be hard to apply correctly in cold conditions. Once the liquid component hardens, the tape loses tack. If it cannot make contact with the surface, it cannot stick to the package. To prevent tape failure, cartons stored in cold environments need adhesives that form a permanent bond without freezing.

Acrylic tape works across a wide temperature range but is not advised for automated applications. It lacks a release coating, so unwinding requires more pull force. During automatic application, this places extra stress on the tape’s film backing, causing premature breakage and tape waste.

In addition, acrylic tape does not provide shear strength or holding power in automatic palletizing applications. For automated packaging lines in cold settings, the strongest option is a specially formulated machine-grade hot melt tape with suitable unwind properties and a synthetic rubber/resin adhesive that creates an immediate permanent bond at below-freezing temperatures.

Truly demanding applications require tough tape. Quality tape helps ensure materials are packaged safely even under challenging carton and temperature conditions.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-377442.html