Trends in Polystyrene Foam Packaging

The global market for polystyrene and styrene is constantly growing. There are big business opportunities in the polystyrene market, due to the implementation of different innovations and the general public’s acceptance of this material. Polystyrene is used in almost all of the daily products we use, starting from our kitchen products to cars, and from packing different products to various applications in industry.

Rising demands of polystyrene in the developing countries are contributing to the global growth of the polystyrene market. Car tyres of higher performance are also made with polystyrene & styrene, so there is a large base and demand for the product in the most developed countries as well. With this in mind, we should expect the polystyrene business to certainly grow and expand in the following years. The demands for polystyrene are especially high in Asian countries like South Korea and China, as well as in the Middle East and North America.

However, this business brings some challenges and obstacles as well. Concerns about the pollution of the environment, reduction in car sales throughout Europe, currency conversion risks, as well as replacement of polystyrene with some other materials pose a big threat to this type of business. Trends in polystyrene foam packaging include increased urbanization and higher GDP, rationalization of capacities and usage of polystyrene in advanced technologies.

At Vertapak we are experts in all types of polystyrene foam packaging, so for more advice, please contact us now.

5 Advantages Of Temperature Controlled Polystyrene Boxes

Polystyrene is an aromatic polymer made from the styrene monomer and represents one of the most used plastic materials in the world. This is a thermoplastic material without a colour and is a solid and durable plastic with a certain level of flexibility. It can be recycled which means that it is eco-friendly. There are many ways in which manufacturers use polystyrene, but they can also be used for some more unusual reasons. We look at some of these below:

  1. Storing Frozen and Chilled Foods
    This is probably the most frequent way in which people use polystyrene boxes of this kind. They just put the frozen/chilled foods they purchase from the local store in the boxes and maintain their temperature.
  2. Boxes for Hens
    Of course, this doesn’t mean that polystyrene boxes are used only for this purpose. For instance, there are many people who use them as special nest boxes for their hens. Simply lay the box on the side and the hens will start using them as their nest. They provide ideal conditions for good nesting.
  3. Decoration
    Another great thing about these boxes is the fact that they can be used as decoration too. For instance, you can paint them with acrylic paint and place them in any room you want. Unleash your creativity and experiment with the boxes you have.
  4. Hot Box
    This is another advantage of polystyrene boxes related to meals. This time, you can use them to finish the cooking of your meal. Just put a straw in it and place your part cooked meal inside. This is a great way to finish the cooking in a natural way.
  5. Storing Biscuits
    If you don’t want the biscuits to fill the room with their scent, you can store them in these boxes. Of course, you can store other scented/aromatic foods too.

Of course, from a commercial packaging point of view, temperature controlled polystyrene boxes are incredibly useful. Contact Vertapak now for more information.

How To Pack Irregular Shaped Items For Delivery

Sending a package through the post is fairly simple, right? Wrap up a book or a box, and send it via a courier service or taking it to your local post office – easy!

But what about packing an oddly-shaped item? Suddenly it seems more complicated than it really is – read on to find out how to pack irregular shaped items for delivery.

Sending a Round Item

Packing a round item such as a ball, bottle, or poster (something that can potentially roll around in a van during transit) should be placed inside a sturdy cardboard box. The box should be large enough to fit both the item and cushioning, so that there is no free space for the item to move around in the packaging during delivery.

Wrap the item in a protective material such as bubble wrap. This will ensure the item will not become damaged before being delivered to the recipient.

Sending a Long Item

Longer items such as pool cues and fishing rods have to be handled and packaged differently to other items. This is because damage and breakage are more likely to occur in a longer item.

Packaging a long item works much in the same way as any other; it should be wrapped first in bubble wrap, making sure to wrap the ends and middle with additional packaging for extra stability. It should then be placed into a suitable box ready for delivering.

Sending a Fragile Item

All fragile items (whether big, small, or irregularly-shaped) should have a “fragile” stamp on the packaging – this won’t always ensure that the item will be safe during transit, as accidents can happen. Make sure any fragile item you send has as much packaging protection as possible – wrapped in protective packaging materials, such as bubble wrap and secured in a suitable box surrounded by additional cushioning materials. Extra care needed when sending any fragile item.

For more advice about packaging please contact Vertapak now.

How to Pack Fragile Items When Moving?

At Vertapak we know a lot about packaging products for industry but we also know a thing or two about packaging for domestic moves as well. Just for a change we thought we would share a few tips about how to pack your fragile items. When you decide to move from one place to another, the most tiring and time taking job is packing! And it gets even more time consuming when you have to pack delicate and fragile items. You should know the art of packing crystal and china porcelain items in the best way you can to avoid breakage. Here are a few points you need to know when you need to pack safe before moving.

Things you need

There a few things you need before you decide to wrap the items. These things include; newspapers, plastic bags, plastic boxes or cartons, shredded paper etc.

How To Do It?

  1. Try getting cartons or boxes that are durable and strong. Most fragile items are heavy and they require a solid box to pack them up in a safe way.
  2. Use shredded paper to put it all over in the box to pack the fragile item tight leaving no space for the item to move.
  3. Wrap the items with a newspaper. Avoid using a newspaper with China porcelain as it might leave an impression after you unwrap it. Instead use plain paper on such items.
  4. Start placing the flat items first. Align them in such a manner that they all fit well in the box. Avoid over filling the box or carton. This might make the box too weak and it might break being unable to withstand the weight of the items.
  5. Wrap smaller items in plastic and try fitting them in with the bigger ones.
  6. Crystal items need to be packed separately piece by piece to avoid the shredding of the edges and corners of these items.
  7. Secure the box by closing the lid properly and by taping it appropriately. Use markers to write ‘fragile’ on the boxes so that you know which box contains what.

We hope this has helped. For all your commercial packaging needs please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Creative Things You Can Do With Polystyrene Beads

Polystyrene beads are one of our most popular packaging materials but as well as being a fantastic packaging product its versatility doesn’t end there. There are also quite a few creative things you can do with polystyrene beads so for a bit of fun, we thought we would share some ideas with you:

Polystyrene Beads InsulationYou can use polystyrene beads at the bottom of a vase to display dried or artificial flowers. The beads will keep the stems steady and raise them to the height you want them to be at.

Use them as spacers to glue on to the back of wall mirrors or picture frames. This will help to protect painted walls.

Ever caught your hand on a sharp tool when rummaging around in your tool box? Most of us have. You can use polystyrene beads to cover the tips of sharp tools such as screwdrivers and Stanley blades when they are not being used so that they can be stored safely.

Polystyrene beads can be really good for spreading glue and other adhesives rather than using a brush. You can simply discard the beads after using them rather than having to clean the brush.

You know how easy it is to bash your fingers when you’re trying to drive home a nail with a tiny head into the wall? Well, polystyrene beads can help to protect your fingers. Simply push the tip of the nail through the polystyrene bead to steady it against the wall. Take a few hammer taps, remove the bead, and finish driving the nail into the wall.

If you have bean bag chairs that have lost their shape then you can use polystyrene beads to refill them.

You can use polystyrene beads to help fill up planters. This works well with shallow rooted plants, is good for drainage and also helps large pots to be lighter and easier to move around.

The next time you’ve got some polystyrene packaging material left over, why not get creative?

What Are Polystyrene Balls And How Are They Used?

To make polystyrene balls, tiny polymer molecules are infused with air to increase their size. These polymers are derived from petroleum by-products through a distillation and refining process. After they have been infused with air, the balls can either be joined together to form larger beads or moulded into different products such as foam building insulation or food packaging.

Polystyrene BallsThe polymers start off as molecules measuring only 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) in diameter. They are then put through a steam process that infuses air into the molecule and turns it into a larger polystyrene bead. If the beads are then placed into a mould or extruded through a die, they can be formed together to make much larger products.

The Advantages of Polystyrene Balls

A big advantage of polystyrene balls is that they are very lightweight, strong and durable. The most popular applications they are used for include acting as filler for pillows, cushions, beanbag chairs, pet beds, stuffed toys and animals.

They can also be moulded or extruded to make product packaging such as the hard foam casing that is often used to protect electronic equipment.

Other popular uses include disposable cups and plates, fast food containers for takeaway restaurants and when they are formed into dense sheets of foam they can also be used to insulate buildings.

Polystyrene balls acts as very effective wall cavity insulation in buildings. They provide excellent insulation and make the building more energy efficient. This helps to keep energy costs down and is an eco-friendly choice because it saves on fossil fuels.

In addition to being lightweight, strong and durable, polystyrene balls are also well known for being moisture resistant, compression resistance, shock absorbency and its thermal properties.

Polystyrene balls are very versatile so to find out more about how they can be used as a packaging solution please contact Vertapak now and speak to one of our specialist team.

The Importance of Bespoke Polystyrene Packaging Services

Not all polystyrene packaging is created the same so depending on the type of products you plan to transport; it pays to plan carefully the best type of packaging products to use. When it comes to packaging expensive and fragile products then we believe it’s an area that you should never compromise. You might save a few pounds by using cheaper packaging but at the end of the day you need to consider carefully whether cheaper packaging is going to be more trouble than it’s worth, especially when it comes to providing good customer service and minimising complaints.

The value of your products should be a primary consideration when you are planning for them to be transported. Inadequate or insufficient packaging is sure to lead to damaged goods and a great deal of inconvenience and annoyance for your customers which could be damaging for your reputation. On top of that you will potentially have to pay extra costs for returns, pay out for claims as well as giving credits on your business account. All of this will damage your reputation and the relationship that you have built with existing customers and is likely to send new customers away looking for a different solution.

Polystyrene PackagingBespoke Polystyrene Packaging Solutions

Sending undamaged products with packaging that is strong, reliable and fit for purpose is what every customer deserves. This is why bespoke polystyrene packaging for your products is the best solution. Packaging that is tailor made to fit your products to give them maximum protection has got to be the best choice if you want to keep your customers happy.

At Vertapak we have many years experience of creating bespoke polystyrene packaging solutions for our customers so if you need any advice about the products you are trying to transport and the best materials to use in order to keep them safe and secure then please contact us now.

The Importance of Custom Made Packaging

You might save a few pounds by using cheaper packaging but at the end of the day you need to weigh up whether cheaper packaging is going to be worth it in the long run, both from a customer service and minimising complaints perspective.

The first thing you should consider is the actual value of the products you are having shipped. Inappropriate or insufficient packaging could potentially lead to damaged goods and a great deal of inconvenience for your customers at the receiving end. The cost of returns, claims and giving credits on your business account will damage your reputation, the relationship you have with established customers and if the customers are new, they’re likely to look elsewhere in the future.

Custom Made Packaging Solutions

Your customers deserve to receive their goods undamaged with packaging that is robust and fit for purpose. This is why custom-made packaging is the best every time. No matter what the size and shape of your products, if you are going to ship them over long distances you need packaging materials that are designed specifically to keep them safe and secure.

This is what we do at Vertapak. We have many years experience of creating custom made packaging solutions for our clients so if you need any advice about the products you are trying to transport and the best materials to use in order to keep them safe then please give us a call. We would be happy to help.

Some Fun Uses For Polystyrene

We all know that polystyrene is a fantastic packaging and insulating material but there are some fun and practical things that it can be used for as well. Here are just a few:

  • It can be used in sculpturing, modelling and artwork to make creative pieces. You can use flat sections to mount pictures and photographs on to and for creating wall art.
  • You can use it to fill plant pots rather than using heavy soil. This is ideal for shallow-rooted plants and makes the pots easier to move about as well as being good for drainage.
  • If you put some quick-drying fabric around it, you can create floating toys for your kids to enjoy in the bath!
  • A good practical use is to put polystyrene in empty freezer drawers if they’re not being used – this will improve the efficiency of your freezer.
  • By cutting it up into pieces you can use it to refill bean bag chairs that have lost their shape.
  • Polystyrene containers can be used for protecting seedlings from the cold earth.
  • You can use polystyrene to insulate man-made ponds in the garden.

And there you have it! Polystyrene is an extremely versatile material that can be used in a variety of different ways. You just need to have a bit of imagination!

The Benefits Of Polyethylene Packing

Polyethylene packing is used for a wide range of applications such as insoles, exercise mats, cervical collars, life jackets, carpet underlay, theatre sets and props etc. It is used extensively across industries such as packaging, health care, automotive, sports and leisure, marine, building, footwear to name just a few.Polyethylene Packing

Polyethylene packing is ideal if you have vulnerable items that need to be transported because of its durability. It can deal with most of the rigours that transportation creates without damaging the goods inside so it’s a cost effective method of protecting your goods.

Protecting your products saves time, money and ultimately leads to better customer service for your customers and less complaints about damaged items.

Another benefit of polyethylene packing is that it is completely recyclable, so it’s the eco-friendly choice when it comes to packaging products.

There are many benefits with polyethylene packing and these include;

There are many benefits with polyethylene packing and these include;

  • Excellent at absorbing impact and vibration
  • Good acoustic and thermal insulation properties
  • Strong resistance to adverse weather conditions
  • Excellent chemical resistance
  • Ideal for thermomoulding and thermoforming
  • Superb alternative for packaging materials such as rubber, felt, wood composites and fibreglass
  • Nonabrasive and noncorrosive qualities
  • Very lightweight and flexible
  • Suitable for multiple drops and factory transit applications

Polyethylene packing is available in a variety of colours and we can tailor the packaging specific to your requirements. To find out more please contact Vertapak and discuss your packing needs with us.