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December 30, 2011

Military Packaging: Getting our Soldiers Home Safely

At any given moment around the world, soldiers, pilots, and every variety of support unit from countries everywhere are working to eliminate conflict and make the world a safer place.  Recently, American Troops across Iraq have fully committed to a complete return home after occupying the country since 2003.

Essentially, wherever the troops go, so do military packaging products. As such, military packages must be impeccably and affordably manufactured to deliver the reliability necessary.

During the entire period of occupation, the armed forces continually rely on equipment sent from home (wherever that may be). For this very reason, effective military packaging is absolutely essential when it comes to getting equipment where it needs to go while also helping to ensure it is also returned home effectively.

military packaging comes in all shapes and sizes, and it keeps troops everywhere stocked with what they need.

Years ago, when troops were deploying to places like Iraq and Afghanistan, packaging manufacturers had to make sure that the life saving equipment they brought with them could fulfill the critical role intended. This includes packaging supplies ranging from desiccant bags and anti static bags to anti-moisture and static wraps and packaging for tools like optics, weapon systems, and vehicles.

Before mil-spec packaging became a requirement by the military, troops were forced to cope with equipment that had become lost or damaged due to packaging that wasn’t up to par. Today, things are different, and even as the troops return home, military packaging functions in the same way it did when they deployed, so that unused tools and equipment can be repurposed in the future.

Some types of mil-spec packages include:

Desiccant bags: desiccant bags contain packaged clay desiccant that effectively protects the contents of virtually any sealed package during shipping and storage. In military operations where equipment is often subject to high levels of moisture, desiccant bags are an essential tool when it comes to delivering materiel necessary for successful operations everywhere.

Mil-spec barrier bags: military specification barrier bags are another essential tool used to safely provide troops around the world with the supplies needed to successfully complete operations in even the harshest conditions.  Mil spec barrier bags are generally used when the exact size of all the supplies being packages is known. Barrier bags are typically used for transporting materials such as food, industrial products, electronic components, and much more.

Anti static packaging: anti static packaging products like bags and covers are engineered to provide static shielding for electronics, computers, medical equipment, weapon and targeting systems, and much more. Anti static packaging is a critical tool used to protect delicate equipment in transit to and from its destination, ensuring that it is delivered in working order to those that need it. This

Without these protective packaging supplies, not only would it be harder to track and categorize supplies, but it would also raise the likelihood of a soldier turning to a piece of equipment (in a potentially dangerous situation) and discovering that it had been damaged by moisture, dust, or static electricity.

As you watch the news broadcast of troops returning to their homes everywhere, keep in mind the tools that helped them stay safe and supplied. From MRE bags and supply containers to high-tech weapons systems. In every case, all of these supplies were protected by mil-spec packaging solutions that might have made the difference between supplies ready-to-use at a moments notice and equipment lost to harsh conditions, poor categorization, and more.

Filed under: mil spec packaging — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:52 pm

December 25, 2011

Military Packaging Through History: The Solutions that Get Our Troops What They Need

When you turn on the news and see coverage about our soldiers, the first thing you think of probably isn’t about how tough it can be to send them the daily essentials that they need. When it comes to packaging supplies for the military, the United States Government has developed a complete logistical solution to meet its (often complex) needs.

With the way technology has changed virtually everything, the science of mil spec packaging has also changed with it. Have you ever thought about military packaging? Chances are you haven’t — but it’s more interesting than you might think. Read on for a history of military packaging and to learn more about how it works today.

Military packaging became a concept around 1941, when the U.S. Army was running exercises in Iceland. During those exercises the army  experienced a significant amount of supply losses which were eventually attributed to bad packaging solutions. Similarly, the U.S. Navy had the same problem during operations in Guadalcanal in 1942. Ultimately, it was realized that the Army, Navy, and Marines were experiencing extremely troublesome supply shortages that were jeopardizing their ability to sustain operations — all because military packaging design was unable to meet their needs.

mil spec packaging

Proper mil spec packaging gets our troops the supplies they need so they have what they need every day, no matter where they might be.

At the time, Industry was more concerned with eye catching packaging that did little in terms of water resistance or protection — a disaster In the making when it came to shipping military supplies overseas. The War Department soon realized that while commercial packaging was fine for domestic distribution, it was hardly enough when it comes to keeping the military reliably supplied. The first military specification for packaging was created in December, 1942, calling for solid weatherproof fiberboard boxes which eventually became the iconic v-boxes, or “victory boxes” you can see in photos today.  They were developed specifically to more reliably supply troops overseas with military packaging solutions that took up less space and were stronger than regular nailed wooden boxes.

After the first official specifications for military packaging were defined, other needs soon became apparent — such as the requirements for accurate labeling, inventory control, and beyond. Eventually, mil spec packaging became a serious concern with frequent innovations such as varying packaging materials, barrier materials, advanced pressure sensitive and water resistant adhesives, case liners, storage for electrical equipment, and more.

Today, mil spec packaging is hardly simple, with a constant focus on more reliably and cost efficiently transporting troop supplies to all corners of the world with packaging solutions that offer features such as anti-static barriers for electronic components, integration with military labeling standards, and much more. Today, suppliers across the country work tirelessly to  provide the efficient and effective military packaging solutions need to support our armed forces when they need it the most.

 

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Filed under: mil spec packaging — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:43 pm

December 20, 2011

Point of Purchase Display Design: Selling Through the Ages

Imagine yourself, walking through the mall. You’re set upon on all sides by store fronts, product displays, and message after message saying: “You need this!” or “This will make life easier!” or “What are you doing with that when you can have this!? Many times you can tune out the lesser product displays, but sometimes they’re just too eye catching and too impressive to ignore — minutes later, you’re walking out of the store with a new phone!

point of purchase displays have been used throughout ages...

Over the years, studies have said that up to 75% of In Store Purchases are influenced by point of purchase displays and point of purchase design. But what are they?

Point of purchase displays, sometimes referred to as POP displays or custom POP displays, have existed as long as people have done business together. Have you ever seen movies about ancient Rome? Then you’ve definitely seen  an example of point of purchase displays in the form of street vendors hawking their wares with carts full of product, neatly arranged to sell as much as possible.

Or maybe you’ve seen pictures of bazaars from around the world, presenting their merchandise to sell to passing shoppers — yet another example of point of purchase designs from around the world and throughout history.

In the twentieth century, competition grew fierce between merchandisers and the need for more effective point of purchase display advertising grew as well. Department and grocery stores turned to the POP display manufacturing industry to help them sell their wares with better custom point of purchase displays, establishing POP advertising as an even more important asset.

Fast forward to today and you’ll soon notice that you can see custom point of purchase displays just about everywhere things are sold. You see them everywhere, from the mall to the airport and everywhere in between. With such a history, dating back further than we can even trace, it’s not surprising that point of purchase design can be responsible for up to 75% of in-store sales, whatever the store might be selling.

So think, where do you see point of purchase displays? Next time you shop, think about how that display might look hundreds of years ago.

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Filed under: pop displays — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:30 pm

December 15, 2011

The History and Importance of Military Packaging

Packaging. It’s something you might not be inclined to think about very often, but it actually impacts you more than you ever would have thought. Hypothetically, if you were to think on the topic of packaging, what wouldyou think about? Of course there’s the obvious answers, like boxes and bags or packing peanuts and bubble wrap, but it goes far beyond just the obvious.

mil spec packaging

Military packaging helps our troops stay supplied, no matter where they are

Think for a moment about the military. While packaging might not be a hot topic in the news or in our culture, it can literally mean the difference between life and death for soldiers at home and abroad. Philosopher and theorist George Santamaya said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” and it’s a bit of advice that you can apply to virtually everything, especially military packaging.

With Santayana’s famous saying in mind, it’s important to remember that the “past” for the military in terms of packaging was characterized by inefficiency, failed shipments, and a distinct lack of organization. Whether the department of defense was acting on Santamaya’s posthumous advices or not, the military naturally began to evolve their approach to packaging to ensure that soldiers deployed around the world got the supplies they needed to operate reliably, quickly, and without loss of supply or life.

In the wake of World War II, where ineffective military packaging presented itself as a major problem for the war effort, there was clear indication that a more focused and thought out approach to military packaging was necessary. With this need realized, military packaging has undergone numerous changes and updates since.

Even with increased focus given to packaging in conflicts after WWII, the American Military still suffered serious losses due to ineffective military packaging. In Vietnam for example, one of the most prominent military packaging failures occurred when fiberboard used for exterior shipping containers was literally falling apart with minimal exposure to the elements. The failure was caused by changes in the performance requirements, eliminating water immersion tests previously required to “pass” a container for military use. The end result? Loss of equipment, loss of money, and undersupplied troops. Due to events such as this, military packaging has continued to be the subject of constant improvement and reassessment.

Another issue that has arisen in the past due to ineffective mil spec packaging occurred during the Gulf War Conflict, when International Standards Organization (ISO) containers were used to move supplies through water ports quickly without extensive handling. However, once the supplies arrived in the field, they were hard to identify and catalog. This resulted in waste when duplicate orders were made for the same needed item, when in actuality it simply couldn’t be located.

Today, military packaging has continued to evolve to better accommodate the needs of soldiers on and off the battlefield. Military packaging is routinely provided by a number of suppliers across the country, who all must conform to specific military specifications.

For more on military packaging, visit our site to learn more…

Filed under: mil spec packaging — Tags: , — admin @ 2:35 pm