Good old plastic is being shaped into hot new products for technically oriented business solutions
To young Benjamin Braddock in the 1967 movie The Graduate, the word "plastics" suggested a terribly depressing future. But today, that classic career advice could never serve to epitomize unimaginable drudgery. Plastics, it seems, offer a perfect complement to technology, with plastic products taking on exciting new shapes and designs to satisfy ever-evolving applications.
Consider phone and gift cards. Mike Lettmann, sales associate for Xtreme Graphics/Travel Tags, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., sees no signs of these markets slowing down. "Because phone cards tend to be cheaper, many people are abandoning long distance carriers altogether," Lettmann said. "And issuing gift cards instead of gift certificates eliminates the option of cash-back change, which customers can spend elsewhere. The balance stays on the gift card, encouraging customers to return to the store."
Joe Street, regional sales manager for Fort Scott, Kansas-based Ward/Kraft, pointed out that gift cards, also referred to as "stored-value" cards, help to eliminate fraud, since they have no value until activated by an authorized employee. Phone and gift cards also function as wallet-sized billboards, featuring innovative designs that lend an eye-catching, aesthetic appeal.
At Xtreme Graphics/Travel Tags for instance, lenticular imparts a high-tech, edgy look that's popular with consumers today. Said Lettmann, "Lenticular animates plastic products by creating depth, 3-D effects and full- or two-phase motion, so when applied to VHS and DVD cases, for example, it creates products that move on the shelves, as opposed to static images."
The company is currently working on lenticular cups and gift cards. "The possibilities are endless," he added, noting that although lenticular increases a product's cost, the added value is designed to boost customers' overall profitability.
Some customers may not be familiar with lenticular—or may recall an unsophisticated process prevalent 30 years ago, which lacked in graphic quality and was prone to ghosting effects—so Lettmann suggested using actual samples to communicate its visual impact.
For the best results, he also re-commended checking with the supplier to make sure the sizes and colors of the customer's artwork are appropriate. "Certain designs will work better for lenticular," observed Lettmann. "It's advisable to keep the artwork within the same shades or hues since extreme opposites—such as a black dog that changes into a white cat—can still cause some ghosting."
Raised images, textured backgrounds and glow-in-the-dark and thermochromatic inks are other ways Xtreme Graphics/Travel Tags adds interest and value to plastic cards, luggage tags and promotional products. "A process we've developed within the past year creates unique effects whereby plastic surfaces can feel like a football, reptile skin, wood grain, leather and other textures," he explained.
More Than a Pretty Face
Despite the hip new looks, plastic cards remain the old work horses customers can de-pend on to get big jobs done.
Said Street, "Combining plastic card products with loyalty programs, for example, allows merchants to track customers' visits, items purchased and dollars spent. This can provide demographic data for targeted marketing."
To this end, Ward/Kraft has partnered with New Market Solutions (NMS)—a Cleveland-based software company—enabling distributors to offer gift card program software, as well as mag-stripe readers.
"Providing the total service from a single location avoids logistical problems and reduces errors that can occur when dealing with a jigsaw puzzle of products," added Street.
In addition, this comprehensive approach encourages distributors to focus on bundling services instead of being single- product-focused.
Not only is the NMS partnership convenient and effective for acquiring all of the necessary materials, but it enables Ward/Kraft to specialize in small- to medium-run card jobs, and thus provide dynamic card programs to customers who heretofore didn't have access to them.
"These smaller companies don't necessarily expect to compete with large retailers," said Street. "They're simply seeking opportunities to increase their businesses."
Street noted that it does take a little more time for distributors to market card programs, but added that anyone serving the retail or hospitality industry probably already has qualified prospects among those existing accounts.
To get the ball rolling, Ward/Kraft provides marketing kits detailing its gift card and hotel keycard programs, which include samples and handouts covering benefits to both the distributor and the customer.
For instance, unlike the Yellow Pages or area directories, businesses, products and services featured on hotel keycards are not competing with others listed on the same page. In addition, the advertising can pay for a portion, if not all, of the keycards, reducing costs to the hotel. "The distributor is offering a money-making, rather than a money-saving, product to the customer," observed Street, "and repeat orders are almost always guaranteed."
It's Not All in the Cards
Headquartered in Brockton, Mass., Pilgrim Plastics, too, is realizing a brisk trade in plastic card products. But as Customer Service Representative Cindy Walters noted, they are just one type of plastic product in demand.
"Point-of-purchase items—including counter change mats, danglers and shelf strips—rulers, slide charts, keytags, templates and mortgage calculator cards are also very popular plastic products with continued demand," said Walters.
Within the hospitality industry, do-not-disturb and other door hangers, as well as L-shaped table signs are big sellers, and templates, gauges and charts—such as breast self-exam cards—are needed within the medical industry.
"Plastic stress cards and bath thermometers are great for en-closing inside mailers to clinics and daycare centers," Walters added.
There is another plastic product recently launched by Columbus, Ohio-based Plastic Suppliers that is expected to enjoy significant growth over the next few years, according to National Sales Manager Rich Eichfeld.
Used by converters for label-sleeving applications requiring high shrinkability, Oriented Polystyrene (OPS) film is a thin-gauge label plastic likely to be found, for example, on a catsup bottle, explained Eichfeld.
"Manufacturers are leaning toward more contoured bottles to increase marketing impact," said Eichfeld, "such as a beer can with a keg-shaped design."
Not only is OPS a highly shrinkable product that uniquely conforms to containers, but it offers an economical and environmentally friendly replacement solution for PVC and PETG, as well as polypropylene.
"OPS is recyclable and doesn't release harmful chemicals during the in-cineration process," explained Eichfeld. "What used to be a negative of Polystyrene is now a plus; its heat resistance is what gives it its shrinking capacity."
Plastic Suppliers offers OPS in any quantity from small to large runs, and while some web width requirements apply, Eichfeld pointed out that they are fairly standard within the industry for label substrates.
By Maggie DeWitt
- People:
- Benjamin Braddock
- Lettmann
- Places:
- Inver Grove Heights