There is plenty of “anecdotal evidence” available about the benefits of paper tape for carton sealing. People who have used both plastic pressure-sensitive tape and paper water-activated tape are quick to share their opinions on the two types, and when specific carton sealing benefits are required, the preference for gummed paper tape is clear. However, paper packing tape’s advantages are also confirmed by science.
A detailed study by SGS North America, a leading testing and verification company, produced compelling statistics. The company was provided with 1,300 cardboard cartons and spent two full workdays sealing them – one day with water-activated tape and the other with pressure-sensitive tape. Results were provided in a number of areas, including:
Productivity
Carton sealing productivity is 21 percent higher using a gummed paper tape dispenser and water-activated tape versus a hand-held tape gun with pressure-sensitive tape.
Tape Integrity
Cartons sealed with paper tape remained intact and prevented tampering; while those sealed with plastic tape were not secure and were easily accessed without any sign of tampering. Tape integrity was maintained in a variety of environments, including high humidity, cold temperatures and dusty.
Adhesion
Testing demonstrated gummed paper tape’s superior bonding ability and therefore package safety. When the gummed paper tape was removed from cartons, it also removed 80 percent of the carton’s fibers, revealing its strength and tamper-evidence. Plastic pressure-sensitive tape bonded poorly and was easily removed from the carton without showing any evidence of the tape’s removal.
Material Usage
The average amount of tape needed to seal a single carton using water-activated tape was eight percent less than using pressure-sensitive tape (when one strip of plastic tape was applied).
In short, water-activated paper tape outperformed pressure-sensitive plastic tape in four criteria critical to efficient and effective carton sealing packing operations.