Consumer products need to be packed in attractive packaging,
the cost of which can eat into your profit margins. Manufacturers of high value
products can afford glitzy packaging but for mass produced and mass sold items
with slim profit margins, packaging must be optimised so that it serves as a
promotional material but at a lower cost. In such a scenario, Banding is the
answer!
What Is Banding?
Banding consists of wrapping a printed band around a pack.
The band may be as wide as 2
inches or as narrow as a half inch, and it can be made
of polymer material as thin as 35 microns. Rolls of pre-printed bands may be
fitted to the dispenser of a banding machine, and as the products move on a
conveyor, the machine dispenses the band which is wrapped around the package.
It not only enhances brand appeal but also serves as a tamper-proof seal
thereby enhancing confidence in the quality of the product.
The Need For Banding Equipment
One can, of course, apply the band manually or by using a
manual tool. However, most consumer products are sold in bulk and at low
margins and banding must keep step with output of the packaging equipment.
Installing banding equipment to take care of banding is a logical step.
However, there are differences in the types of machines
available to suit the package and the way the band needs to be applied. One
machine for banding purposes also handles bundling. It allows for rotation of
product to be banded. In a high volume production environment a conveyorised
banding system is preferred for fast and accurate as well as precision
application of the bands on a variety of packaging that can include boxes,
trays and punnels. Typical areas of application are consumer and food products.
The band also serves as a tamper-proof seal. Then there are instances when
multiple packs may need to be banded together to form a bundle for which
another type of equipment for banding can be used. Machines are best selected
based on the end product, its size and structure as well as its rigidity.
Buying the machine from a reliable supplier with experience
and knowledge in this area is a good idea. If the same supplier also offers
consumables, then it is an additional treat that you should go for.
