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Made in America. Made in Los Angeles.

Over the past 10 years, California manufacturing has become nearly nonexistent.

Many businesses that were started by the Greatest Generation have gone out of business, moved out of California, or moved their operations off shore. And for good reason.

California businesses pay some of the highest taxes in the country. California businesses also have to endure crippling regulations. Most recently, we had to sell a few of our 26 foot bobtail delivery trucks, though they worked just fine, because California outlawed them.

Even though Los Angeles is a tough place to run a business, we continue to endure. We adapt, and move forward. We’re proud of our history, and proud that our products are still manufactured here in the Los Angeles area.

Over the past seventy years, we’ve expanded our product line, and value the relationship we have with each and every one of our vendors and customers.

In 2022, we’re looking forward to solving more packaging and shipping problems, one paper tube at a time. Happy New Year!

Mailing Tubes and Shipping Tubes. Made in America.

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chains and supply lines are being interrupted like never before.

The American shipping and packaging industry is no different.

We manufacture shipping tubes, mailing tubes, and poster tubes in Los Angeles and ship LTL and small packages nationwide.

Our spiral paper tubes are made with recycled paper (mostly old cardboard boxes) and are the preferred way to ship posters, artwork, and various components that are too long to ship inside a cardboard box.

Click here to learn more about our mailing tubes or to request custom pricing.

Summertime packaging tips

The US economy is on the up and up. Manufacturing is increasing. How has that impacted your supply chain?

Here are 3 packaging tips to consider this summer:

  1. Pay attention to the details on the front end
  2. Overestimate the amount of time it will take for your custom order to get delivered
  3. Make sure your invoices are paid on time

1. Pay attention to the details on the front end

When an inexperienced buyer is in a hurry for a custom order, they express a variety of emotions. The more emotions expressed, the fewer details they pay attention to. Have you ever noticed that grumpy people tend to spot every single little problem? Don’t let your client’s emotions distract you. Remain focused on the details: product, style, size, dimensions, color, material, shipping details, and payment terms.

If you are going into this order already in a time crunch, the last thing you want is to overlook an important detail, manufacture the order incorrectly, and end up having to make it again. This will only cost you more time and more of your money. If needed, have a coworker double-check the purchase order and details to confirm accuracy.

2. Overestimate the amount of time it will take for your custom order to get delivered

If you have a product getting ready to go to market, and the packaging is the last component you’re waiting on, give yourself plenty of time. Manufacturing is increasing across the board and, as a result, lead times and turnaround times are getting extended.

Budgeting a little extra time on the front end, will help you avoid having to expedite shipments unnecessarily. Sure, you can air freight that LTL shipment, but what does that do to your bottom line? Extra time will also come in handy in case the manufacturer makes a mistake, uses the wrong color, or something as simple as their shipping guy calls out sick the day your shipment is supposed to go out.

Manufacturing lead time +  shipping time + a little extra time = your best bet

3. Make sure your invoices are paid on time

Paying your bills on time is not just the best way to conduct business, it will benefit you in the long run. If your company has terms (an open account) with vendors, but doesn’t pay within the time period agreed upon, you establish a poor business reputation with your vendors. As unsecured creditors, they become hesitant-maybe you’ll pay late again…but maybe you won’t pay at all this time?

Make a conscious effort to always pay your bills early or on time. This will help establish a positive, trusting working relationship with vendors. Then, when that time comes when you’re in a hurry, made an internal mistake, or just need a favor, the positive reputation you’ve established and maintained over the years will pay off.

Don’t be that person who doesn’t ever seem to pay on time, but always seems to be in a rush or needing something obscure.

Serving Los Angeles since 1949

Spiral Paper Tube & Core was founded by George Hibard Sr., a US Marine and World War II veteran, nearly seventy years ago.

A machinist by trade, he designed and fabricated most of our first machines. From 1949 to 2004, we were located south of downtown Los Angeles at 8802 S. Graham, Los Angeles, CA 90002.

Bursting at the seams, we needed a bigger building, more more efficient transportation, and additional office space.

Originally, we manufactured spiral paper tubes such as garment tubes, tape cores, and mailing tubes. All were, and still are,  relatively simple to manufacture and serve a wide audience.

Over the years, we’ve explored more industries, discovering even more spiral paper tube needs. This has resulted is us making smaller diameters, larger diameters, shorter tubes, longer tubes, thinner tubes, thicker tubes, as well as adding custom paper, plastic and metal end closures.

In 2002, George Hibard Jr., like his father, designed and fabricated a machine that manufactured a paper product with a few different names: edge protectors, corner protectors, or simply “v-board.”

Invisible to most retail consumers, this v-shaped corner protector can always be seen at big box retailers such as Costco and Sam’s club on pallets of merchandise still shrink wrapped on the shelving.

 

With nearly seventy years of business under our belts, we’ve learned, grown, adapted, and have enjoyed serving Los Angeles with our paper packaging and shipping products. We’re looking forward to another seventy!

Expand Your Packaging Knowledge!

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Introducing the first Knowledge Base dedicated entirely to paper tubes and edge protectors!

We’ve been serving the packaging community since 1949 and have learned a few things along the way. Now, we want to share everything we’ve learned with you!

Whether you’re just starting out or are an industry pro, you’ll find these articles helpful and informative!

Our Knowledge Base is an online library of articles, addressing just about everything having to do with cardboard tubes and edge protectors. Articles discuss topics such as raw materials, the manufacturing process, printing options, packaging, and shipping. Read more…

Southern California’s Leading Paper Tube Manufacturer

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Los Angeles is home to many amazing destinations that attract tourists from all over the world. Because of the historical value found in Southern California museum exhibits, along with Santa Monica Pier, the La Brea Tar pits, famous chefs, unbeatable weather, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, visitors travel around the world to experience such attractions. Los Angeles is also known as the entertainment industry capitol of the world as it supports over 586,000 combined jobs and accounts for roughly $47 billion in economic output for Los Angeles County.

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Mailing Tubes, Poster Tubes, Cardboard Tubes

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I recently received an important document in the mail. This document represented many hours totaling over two years of my life. I had poured my heart and soul into those hours, and in the end I received nothing more than a piece of thick paper wrapped in a mailing package with my name on the label. Yet, that paper meant everything to me. It was the symbol that represented a great challenge that I overcame and achieved. That paper was my degree from graduate school where I received my Master of Science in Education with a 4.0 GPA.

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Online Ordering – 3″ ID x .125″ Tape Cores & Label Cores

Online Shopping DeAnna Kane

The turn of the century brought about an explosion in technological advances and practices within the shipping industry. Industry research shows that over 65% of United States shoppers will browse online for needed products and services. The U.S Census Bureau reported that the estimated retail e-commerce sales for the year 2013 was roughly $263.3 billion. In the fourth quarter of 2013 alone, e-commerce sales rose over 3% from previous quarters tapping out at $83.6 billion. It is only natural to guess that the highest volume of online shopping occurs between Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, online shopping is usually available 24/7 giving consumers maximum accessibility when searching for products and services.

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