A screw cap or closure is a common type of closure for bottles, jars, and tubes.
A drum is a cylindrical shipping container used for shipping bulk cargo. Drums can be made of steel, dense paperboard, or plastic, and are generally used for the transportation and storage of liquids and powders. Drums are often stackable, and have dimensions designed for efficient warehouse and logistics use. This type of packaging is frequently certified for transporting dangerous goods. Proper shipment requires the drum to comply with all applicable regulations.
A closure is a device used to close or seal a container such as a bottle, jug, jar, tube, or can. A closure may be a cap, cover, lid, plug, liner, or the like. The part of the container to which the closure is applied is called the finish.
A heat sealer is a machine used to seal products, packaging, and other thermoplastic materials using heat. This can be with uniform thermoplastic monolayers or with materials having several layers, at least one being thermoplastic. Heat sealing can join two similar materials together or can join dissimilar materials, one of which has a thermoplastic layer.
A contract packager, or co-packer, is a company that packages products for their clients. The packaging and labeling services can be used for many types of products including foods, pharmaceuticals, household products, and industrial products.
An overwrap or wrap is a method of sealing a contained product, typically as part of retail packaging. It is often made of plastic film or paper. The wrap is applied over the bare product or can be applied over another form of packaging. It is typically used to protect products, but can be used decoratively.
Vacuum packing is a method of packaging that removes air from the package prior to sealing. This method involves placing items in a plastic film package, removing air from inside and sealing the package. Shrink film is sometimes used to have a tight fit to the contents. The intent of vacuum packing is usually to remove oxygen from the container to extend the shelf life of foods and, with flexible package forms, to reduce the volume of the contents and package.
A bail handle, or simply bail, is a handle that consists of an open loop that moves freely within two fixed mounts or ears. It is a type of metal or plastic package handle used for carrying such items such tin cans, buckets, or kettles, or as a form of drawer pull. A bail handle can also be used to hang items such as IV bottles and potted plants.
A bulk box, also known as a bulk bin, skid box, pallet box, bin box, gaylord, or octabin, is a pallet-size box used for storage and shipping of bulk or packaged goods. Bulk boxes can be designed to hold many different types of items such as plastic pellets, watermelons, electronic components, and even liquids; some bulk boxes are stackable.
A tube, squeeze tube, or collapsible tube is a collapsible package which can be used for viscous liquids such as toothpaste, artist's paint, adhesive, caulk, & ointments. Basically, a tube is a cylindrical, hollow piece with a round or oval profile, made of plastic, paperboard, aluminum, or other metal. In general, on one end of the tube body there is a round orifice, which can be closed by different caps and closures. The orifice can be shaped in many different ways: plastic nozzles in various styles and lengths are most typical. The other end is sealed either by welding or by folding.
A vertical form fill sealing machine is a type of automated assembly-line product packaging system, commonly used in the packaging industry for food and many other products. Walter Zwoyer, the inventor of the technology, patented his idea for the VFFS machine in 1936 while working with the Henry Heide Candy Company. The machine constructs plastic bags and stand-up pouches out of a flat roll of film, fills them with product, and seals them. Both solids and liquids can be bagged.
Food storage containers are widespread in use throughout the world and have probably been in use since the first human civilizations.
A shrink tunnel or heat tunnel is a heated tunnel mounted over or around a conveyor system. Items have shrink film loosely applied; with heat, the film shrinks to fit snugly around the wrapped object.
A retort pouch or retortable pouch is a type of food packaging made from a laminate of flexible plastic and metal foils. It allows the sterile packaging of a wide variety of food and drink handled by aseptic processing and is used as an alternative to traditional industrial canning methods. Retort pouches are used in baby and toddler food, camping food, field rations, fish products, instant noodles, space food sports nutrition and brands such as Capri-Sun and Tasty Bite.
Fillers are used for packaging, mainly for food/beverage but for other products as well. These are used to fill either a bottle or a pouch, depending on the product.
A chub or a chub pack is a type of container formed by a tube of flexible packaging material. The cylindrical package has the appearance of a sausage with the ends sealed by metal crimps or clips.
Resealable packaging is any type of packaging that allows the consumer or user to reseal or reclose the packaging. Often packaging needs to be resealed in order to maintain product freshness or prevent spillage. Reusable packaging allows for multiple uses which can help reduce waste.
In technical usage in the shipping industry, a pail is a type of cylindrical shipping container with a capacity of about 3 to 50 litres. It can have straight or slanted sides and usually has a handle or bail. In non-technical usage, a pail is synonymous with a bucket.
A clamshell is a one-piece container consisting of two halves joined by a hinge area which allows the structure to come together to close. Clamshells can be made to be reusable and reclosable or can be sealed securely.
Overpackaging is defined by the Institute of Packaging Professionals as "a condition where the methods and materials used to package an item exceed the requirements for adequate containment, protection, transport, and sale".
