If you oversee a packaging and shipping operation, you know that even though we’re still enjoying late summer/early fall, the holiday season will be here in the blink of an eye. You also know that the key to profitability in the busy months ahead will be shipping efficiency and operations productivity.

Well-engineered gummed paper tape dispensers are built to last. With preventative maintenance and care, they can provide you with years of useful service. Water-activated tape (also known as gummed tape, gum tape, Kraft paper tape, reinforced tape and WAT) and easy-to-use WAT dispensers, provide customers with quality carton sealing solutions. However, if your machine isn't functioning properly, there might be an easy fix requiring only simple troubleshooting techniques.

Are you using packing tape (also known as plastic, pressure-sensitive tape) for sealing and shipping cartons from your warehouse? What if there were good reasons to consider an alternative? Read on to learn six good reasons to consider switching from plastic, pressure-sensitive tape to gummed paper tape (also known as water-activated tape or WAT).

If your company sells luxury goods like cosmetics, handbags, higher-end apparel and other costly items online, you face unique shipping challenges. In particular, theft is an issue that can take a bite out of your profits.

Ecommerce in the United States is projected to hit $735.4 billion by 2023, which means that a lot of packages are landing on front porches all across America. The increase in ecommerce revenue and shipping volume amplify the importance of making sure quality is paramount in all areas of the fulfillment process - especially when it comes to sealing cartons before shipment. We recommend water-activated tape for companies shipping valuable products, in large or small quantities. Water-activated tape (also known as gummed tape, Kraft paper tape, reinforced paper tape) is designed to create a superior seal on your corrugated cartons while providing advantages other carton sealing methods do not.

Streamlining the packing and shipping process in your warehouse is a never-ending game of optimization. One of our most common suggestions is to make the switch from plastic, pressure-sensitive tape (PST) to water-activated tape (WAT). If you are currently using handheld tape guns with PST to seal your cartons, you are missing out on potential productivity and safety upgrades. Using WAT and an electric dispenser will increase both the productivity and safety of your packing station. If you’re new to water-activated tape (also called gummed paper tape), check out our guide here.

We are frequently asked which water-activated tape dispenser is better - electric or manual. And there’s really only one answer - it depends. “Better” can mean a lot of different things to different businesses - better price point, better efficiency in application, better for traveling around the warehouse with...the list goes on.

The shipping stream can be a very unforgiving environment. Every package faces a variety of forces in transit. If your company ships heavy items, those forces are amplified, which can increase the likelihood that a carton seal will fail.

You may be thinking that all tape is made the same as long as it's sticky enough to keep the corrugated carton shut. Although tape's main purpose is to adhere to and seal the carton, there are actually several differences between shipping and moving tape.

Summer has arrived and the weather is right for a bike ride. Consequently, bicycle retailers are seeing an increase in orders. That’s the good news. However, shipping bicycles poses some unique challenges.