At monta, tape was first produced in the late 1960s to replace yarns and strings, the traditional carton sealers of the day. These days a world without tape cannot be imagined. In every major industrial endeavor the final product has to be secured for transportation to the customer. With the effects of globalisation the goods are often shipped thousands of miles from the production sites, sometimes being conveyed for months before reaching the final destination and its user. And, of course, to ensure perfect condition on arrival, the product must be packed properly and sealed. Typically a carton is used and over 80% of these cartons are sealed with an adhesive tape. Of course there are alternative sealing methods on the market, such as gummed paper, hot melt glue, staples or plastic/metal strips, but traditional packaging tape remains the most common way to seal a carton.
Of the various adhesive technologies natural rubber works best, especially out-performing others on difficult surfaces, e.g. cartons composed of recycled material, and in conditions that include wide temperature ranges. Packaging tapes, especially those produced by monta, are also used in many technical applications ranging from splicing thermoformable films in the pharmaceutical industry, to protecting various types of surfaces, to sealing chocolate boxes or bread bags.
The application spectrum is wide and a bit of creativity can yield the most interesting possibilities. One customer discovered monta self adhesive packaging tape used to protect contact lenses during the production process. Another finds tape being used to secure refrigerator parts both in production and during transportation. We even see young artists moving away from paint graffiti to make names for themselves as tape artists. Keeping all this in mind, imagine that suddenly tape is no longer available on the market, because of non-availability of raw materials or shutdown of production units. Would the economy stand still? Would shipment of products be halted? Or would cartons remain open during transportation, increasing the potential for damage and theft? Would there be a desperate run for tape to secure the last quantities? Certainly everyone, the personal user included, would miss this commodity which is in many cases considered a cheap penny article, discounting its value and the technology behind it.
Times are difficult right now. Adhesive tape products are available in a limited way, because of raw material shortages and player-related changes in the market. The happy news is that this brings into focus the significant merits of commodity packaging tape, raising awareness of its worth in the world market.