Last updated: 10 Dec 2021 | 1867 Views |
In order to successfully market a product, the brand must create an identity that differentiates it from other similar products on the market. It’s often the brand name and image that helps products succeed. But the more products a brand offers, the more important it is to establish a unique identity for each product. In the past, there was a problem printing on extruded tube packaging in Thailand that inspired packaging manufacturers to come up with an elegant solution.
An entire industry has evolved to address this need for product identities. This industry is a combination of marketing science and artistic creativity. They create visually appealing and sometimes even award-winning graphics and packaging designs that become recognised by users around the world.
But the standards created by these marketers and visual artists need to be maintained throughout the creation of the product’s packaging in order to deliver the desired impact. And this was the dilemma that packaging manufacturers faced.
When plastic tube extrusion first became a viable and attractive way to package liquid and gels, the type of plastic that was used didn't offer the right type of surface for direct printing on. Any attempts at printing on these tubes directly soon became smeared and smudged or wore off easily after the product was handled a few times.
Back then, packaging manufacturers used printed paper labels that were stuck on the surface of the tubes with an adhesive. But this proved to be a less than ideal solution as the tubes would become wet during normal use by consumers, and the labels would rub off, leaving the tube's contents unidentifiable.
The paper label also caused a problem when it came to recycling that plastic tube, and both the brands and the packaging manufacturers wanted recycling to become a part of the tube’s lifecycle.
Many people tried different types of ink in an effort to solve this problem that threatened the viability of plastic tube packaging. It wasn’t until a group of researchers started reformulating the plastic material itself that an elegant solution was found.
Today, the plastic used to print on extruded tube packaging in Thailand provides a slightly rougher texture that enables the inks to adhere to the plastic surface of the tube.
The days of finding bits of paper in your shower drain and wondering what’s in the tubes that have lost their labels are over.
The manufacturing process has also benefited from the new direct printing method. The unit cost and weight of plastic tubes have dropped because of this innovation.
To find out more about the recent innovations of extruded tube manufacturers in Thailand, contact Victor Packaging, a leading supplier of extruded and PBL tubes and PET bottles in Thailand.