Learning About Basic Manufacturing

Posted on: 29 June 2018

If you work in the industrial sector, you likely use film cores for at least one reason or another. A film core supports a rolled product, such as:

• Toilet paper rolls

• Paper towel rolls

• Yarn rolls

• Rolls of food wrap (including commercial grade plastic wrap)

When you roll the product, you roll it over a core that is typically made of your choice of material. The core may be made of plastic, foam, or paper. Most generally, paper rolls are constructed of cardboard because it is sturdy enough to support a weighted roll of product.

However, as an industry worker, you are faced with tough decisions. You have to choose a core that offers the best support for the product. Aside from that, you must also choose a core that tackles core issues, particularly green-related issues.

Shifting Trends in Consumer Patterns

In recent years, consumer shopping trends shifted in such a way that it applied pressure on manufacturing industries. As such, many industries did their best to focus on greener development policies. In the last couple of years, industries began listening to the consumer, which caused 25% more companies to focus on more eco-friendly approaches to manufacturing.

If you wish to keep up with shifting demands from consumers, it means you have to consider your approach. Which film roll materials are best for your company and the consumer? Which materials are more eco-friendly? Fortunately, answering those questions might not be as hard as you would think, though the answers might surprise you.

The Plastic vs. Paper Debate

It often seems there is a long, drawn out debate surrounding the use of plastic or paper. Part of the problem is the majority of Americans believe paper is a much safer, cleaner alternative compared to plastic. More specifically, 73% of Americans support the use of paper compared to 22% of Americans who support plastic.

However, there are a few surprising facts to consider before jumping the gun and supporting the use of paper film rolls. For starters, the use of paper is not all it is cracked up to be. There are pros and cons to the use of both paper and plastic. Knowing what those pros and cons are can help you make a more informed decision.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Americans are more likely to recycle paper than plastic, which makes paper seem like a more obvious eco-friendly choice. Further, paper breaks down far more quickly in comparison to plastic. For instance, it may take months or more for plastic to biodegrade. However, paper may only take a month.

Again, it would seem like the clear winner is obviously paper. However, take into consideration that when placed in landfills, the biodegradable process of paper slows. That is because all the trash in landfills prevents access to the sun and air, which helps hasten biodegradation.

Another reason people often support the use of paper versus plastic is because paper comes from a renewable source. Although tearing down trees to create paper is often a frowned upon practice, many people understand that trees can and do grow back. They can also be replanted.

Plastic, on the other hand, you must use oil and natural gas to produce plastic bags. Both are non-renewable resources, so again, people frown upon the use of plastic. Wouldn't it be rather shocking to find out that plastic film rolls may, in fact, be a better choice than paper?

Before you shake your head in disbelief, take into consideration that paper produces more greenhouse gasses in comparison to the equivalent amount of plastic. Also, a factory that manufactures paper produces approximately 70% to 80% more pollution than plastic manufacturers.

Finally, consider the fact that paper weighs more than plastic, which means that it takes four times the energy to produce paper compared to the energy you would use to produce plastic. Also paper production uses three times the amount of water compared to the equivalent production of plastic.

Therefore, if you want a choice that is far more eco-friendly, it might be better to opt for plastic film cores. Raising awareness about the pros and cons of plastic versus paper can help your customers understand why you are making the choice to use plastic instead of paper. In the long run, your decision could have a much greener outcome than you might expect.