As more brands seek to adopt environmentally conscious practices, the demand for eco friendly packaging increases. Poly replacement coatings for food packaging have historically been more expensive than standard poly materials.

Bridging the Gap Between Cost and Performance

The team at Sierra Coating aims to bridge the gap between cost and performance. Though the cost of poly replacements, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) replacements, and other eco friendly coatings are steadily decreasing, we’re working to hasten that process. Chemical experts at Sierra are equipped with the knowledge and experience to provide a wide range of eco friendly solutions by sourcing coatings and substrates to replace plastic in packaging.

Over the years, our team has orchestrated and contributed to a number of environmentally friendly packaging development projects, working with the nation’s leading chemical companies to deliver eco friendly coating solutions.

RELATED: Taking the Eco-Friendly Packaging Leap

The Sustainable Packaging Movement

Driven largely by the desires of consumers and major retailers, the packaging industry has been moving toward sustainable options. Gaining momentum over the years, eco friendly efforts increased dramatically when the largest retailer in the world created an environmental impact scorecard for product packaging.

Types of Eco Friendly Packaging

There a variety of ways to create an eco friendly package. Below are some common methods:

• Utilize recycled materials to create the package
• Manufacture a package that can be recycled
• Construct a compostable package
• Develop a biodegradable package

Why Recyclable Plastics Don’t Always Work

A recyclable package can be reprocessed back into the work stream. Plastics are generally all recyclable, but several limiting factors must be taken into consideration. For example, not every county or municipality has the proper recycling laws or infrastructure to support certain types of plastic recycling. And when they do, recycling can be difficult to enforce.

Municipalities also have varying restrictions on what is recyclable – some municipalities won’t accept plastics that are soiled in any way, which food packaging almost always is; some recycle limited types of plastics; and some restrict what can be recycled based on their size or shape. These restrictions and challenges make paper-based packages with water-based, food-safe coatings attractive alternatives.

Sierra: A Culture of Innovation

Sierra Coating Technologies is proud to nurture a culture of innovation, which acts as the foundation of our business. Interested in learning how to make your packaging eco friendly? Contact our product experts today.

Toll manufacturing and contract manufacturing are two relatively similar forms of supply chain management that are often misunderstood and confused. While both of these manufacturing options have distinct and clear characteristics, their most strategic advantage  is their ability to provide customers with valuable ways to save both time and capital on their product line development.

On-Demand Service

In many ways, contract and toll manufacturing are similar to other on-demand services like Uber, Seamless, and HBO Go. They allow Sierra Coating to provide laminating or coating services on demand and as needed, as part of a “sharing economy” model that is beneficial for both the customer and the manufacturer.

“Sierra has delivered us a quality product for years, on time all the time.  If there is any kind of an issue they always get right on it.”

Brian, Company is a 10-year customer

Below, we will highlight the advantages and distinctions between toll and contract manufacturing to help you make the best decision for your company.

What is Toll Manufacturing?

In toll manufacturing, one company provides raw materials (or semi-finished goods) to a third-party, who will then provide the rest of the services (manufacturing). Typically, the third-party company will already have particular equipment and organizational models in place, and they can supply subclasses of manufacturing processes for the first company for a fee – or toll.

As a toll manufacturer, Sierra Coating can provide customers with a facility and manufacturing equipment to process their raw materials or semi-finished products. Because of this, the customer only has a variable cost of manufacturing without the financial investment in equipment, facilities, and employees. With toll manufacturing, the customer is equipped with the resources to develop their own specialty coatings or papers that Sierra Coating can use in the manufacturing process. Subsequently, the customer is able to develop the exact product they envision, without the time and capital investment of building a manufacturing operation. This significantly decreases the time required to get the product to market, as lead times for ordering and installing new machinery are eliminated.

At Sierra Coating, customers are able to supply one or more of the raw materials needed for production or, if the customer prefers, the Sierra Coating team can supply the materials.

Key Differences with Contract Manufacturing

Though contract manufacturing is similar to toll manufacturing, there are some key differences between the two. Similar to toll manufacturing, contract manufacturing involves outsourcing production processes to a third-party company. In contract manufacturing, however, the third-party company hired to produce the goods is supplying the manufacturing process as well as sourcing all of the raw materials. Contract manufacturing is creating a supply chain vendor for a branded, private label or custom-made product.  The contract manufacturer is responsible for making the product to specification and meeting the delivery time requirements. This offers the customer a fast and effective method of extending their product line with minimal investment and a made-to-order supply program.

Helpful Resources

Sierra Coating is a leader in coating and laminating services, with over twenty years of experience providing our customers with both toll and contract manufacturing services. To learn more about the differences between toll and contract manufacturing as well as other popular paper industry terms, download our free guide, Commonly Misused Terms within the Paper Industry.

If you have any questions about how Sierra Coating can help with your next toll and/or contract manufacturing project, contact us today.

Sierra Coating Supports MFG Day and the Innovators Making It Possible

On October 2^nd, 2015, we celebrate American entrepreneurship with National Manufacturing (MFG) Day. Manufacturers across the country will open their doors for tours and educational events to raise awareness of STEM education programs and celebrate progress made within the manufacturing industry.

From new start-ups to family-owned businesses that have been crafting goods for generations, our industry would not exist without the new ideas and solutions of innovators and entrepreneurs alike. Companies, like Sierra Coating Technologies, are proud to offer the services that help bring these new projects to life.

As a contract and toll manufacturer, Sierra Coating provides laminating services on-demand for all scales and project applications — especially those that have never been seen before.

To help entrepreneurs understand the steps of taking their idea from prototype to high-volume production, our team of experts at Sierra Coating created the ultimate cheat sheet. One of the most critical keys for developing a new product design is the staging and gating process. Our team outlined four steps for young entrepreneurs to keep in mind as they pursue a new project:

1. Consult Research & Development specialists who can offer insight, experience and expertise.
2. Determine the feasibility of your project. Does it hold up to economic analysis?
3. Develop and test your prototype.
4. Continually utilize the staging and gating process to enhance the quality and reduce the risk of failure.

The Sierra Coating team is well-equipped to help minimize the costs and risks associated with new product development through our contract manufacturing services. The treated paper services we offer include a facility for high-volume production, and prototype development can often utilize the very same machines.

We’re lucky to work with brilliant new ideas every day. Learn more about our process at Sierra Coating and how you can get a new project off the ground by downloading our new eBook, The Stages and Gates of Prototype to High-Volume Production. We wish all the innovators and creative makers a happy and inspiring MFG Day!

In today’s business world, new companies seem to sprout up all the time—and fade into obscurity just as quickly. While there isn’t a set roadmap that leads to success, it’s certainly helpful for companies to spend an appropriate amount of time conceptualizing their products.

You’ve probably heard the saying “work smarter, not harder,” and that’s exactly what successful companies do; they avoid poor production practices and use informed decision-making for better results. Success is never a guarantee, but if you learn to work smarter, your company can avoid common problems that inhibit product development.

Choosing the Wrong Manufacturer

It’s easy to be enticed by low-cost production solutions (usually found overseas), but you need to invest in a quality manufacturer. If you entrust your product to a company that can’t handle high-production volumes, or can’t fully understand the design or specs of your product, find someone else to work with.

When you find a reliable manufacturer, provide them with every detail possible (metrics, tolerances, etc.) so you can both be on the same page during the development stage. Also, be sure to provide manufacturers with functional tests to ensure the correct operation of your product.

Continuously Adding Features

At some point during the development process, you or a member of your team might have ideas about features to add to the product. Though that seems like a perfectly normal practice, you must learn to avoid it and exercise the proper resistant. By continuing to add more features, you might change the intended use of the product or make it too complex for many consumers to understand.

Launching a simpler product is many times a smarter play. Don’t alienate potential customers with your overloaded product; launch something simple that solves a particular problem, then learn how you can improve the product with customer feedback. You should be careful about adding excessive features to your products as it comes paired with additional complexity and expense.

Poor Balancing Between Pre- and Post-launch Learnings

You should be learning more about your product before it hits the market, but the product launch also has a lot to teach you. Once your product gets into the hands of consumers, the experience will give you greater insight on what works, and what can be improved upon.

For example, maybe after the product’s launch, you realized that a certain packaging material would have suited your needs better, or perhaps the package design isn’t attracting as many people as it could be. Details such as these can help you develop an outstanding product; conduct rigorous user research to discover how to improve your existing product, and how to improve your future products.

Let Us Help You

Sierra Coating Technologies LLC can assist you with the coating or lamination portion of your product development needs. We incorporate a proven development process and share our expert ideas with you, helping you develop your intellectual property. If you require a coated or laminated product manufactured to defined quality specifications in a repeatable and economically viable process, contact us today to get started.

Establishing a Distinctive Brand with Packaging

When it comes to creating and marketing a new product, brand owners must factor various considerations. Even at the rudimentary level, entrepreneurs need their product to be fully functional, serve a meaningful purpose to consumers, and help establish a distinctive brand within a heavily saturated market.

A highly effective method for establishing your brand is utilizing top-quality packaging. Many brand owners focus more on other aspects of product development, but this is a critical mistake. In addition to safeguarding products from damage, packaging entices potential customers to learn more about the product—this promotes brand recognition, which in turn leads to future sales.

Stand Out on Retail Shelves

At Sierra Coating, we understand the importance of exceptional product packaging—there’s no better way to accentuate the hard work accomplished by brand owners. To teach you the benefits of this practice, our team has created a new eBook titled Helping Brand Owners Shine: The Silver Box Advantage.

This free-to-download resource provides a detailed overview on the value of packaging, and why it should never be overlooked by any brand owner.

First impressions are vital to future product success.

According to extensive market research, 31% of consumers feel packaging influences their overall product satisfaction and 37% of consumers admitted to never trying a product due to lackluster packaging. When you choose a packaging solution from our company, we can assure that your product will turn heads.

When reading the eBook, you’ll become familiar with Sierra Coating’s innovative silver folding carton grade made with Metalized Polyester (MET-PET) film. MET-PET is a brilliantly lustrous silver film that can be laminated and permanently adhered to SBS board stock; utilizing this material will instantly elevate your brand recognition, as the glistening finish simply cannot be ignored or forgotten by consumers.

Establishing your brand can be difficult, but Sierra Coating’s MET-PET packaging film will provide a professional edge over several other brand owners. Learn more by obtaining your free copy of Helping Brand Owners Shine: The Silver Box Advantage today.

If you have questions about the silver box advantage or our other packaging solutions, contact us today.