In this part we’re going to discover the reasons why your tape isn’t sticking properly. If you have read Part 1: The Basics of Tape we recommend you take a minute and read that post if you haven’t.
A tool that doesn’t do its job isn’t confidence inspiring and considering that tape is the very tool used to secure and seal a customer’s precious items you expect it to perform without fail until it arrives at its final destination. If not, your customer is already searching for answers or worse, alternatives and you’re left with making it right which can grow into a costly position. Not to worry, Colt Paper is here to save the day!
The Right Tape For The Right Job
When choosing the correct tape it’s often found in the name. Medical, Electrical and Painters tape would do a poor job packing and sealing boxes or cartons hence why using a tape having the words packing or sealing in their names makes perfect sense that’s not to say using Duct Tape won’t do the job it’s simply going to add to the total cost of sending packages not to mention the impressions it leaves in its wake.
The Tape is Long in the Tooth
The lifespan of tape isn’t infinite and with age it’s components breakdown and can’t be expected to perform as when first bought. The medium (plastic or paper) will loosen and eventually become brittle, the adhesive will either dry up and lose its ability to properly stick to any surface. Prolonged exposure to sunlight and or any extreme conditions will usually accelerate the aging process so it’s best to use the tape as quickly and as much as possible before an extended period of storage is required.
Hot and Cold Temperatures
The ambient temperature is vital when applying the adhesive. All purpose packing tape will never perform better than a cold temperature packing tape however cold temperature tape won’t last as long as an all-purpose tape when the package is shipped and then stored in hot and humid areas. A simple analogy would be to think of tape as tires on your vehicle; you have summer, all-season and winter. Tape and tires need to be sticky and durable enough to perform as expected as soon as they hit the road to wherever they need to be.
In the next post will uncover the wide world of tape dispensers and how they turn the tables on an otherwise sticky situation. Part 3: The Dispenser – The Terminator of Tape