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Self-Locking Metal Ends: the preferred end closure for metal manufacturers

We make heavy duty shipping tubes. We don’t make self-locking metal ends. But, they’re like peanut butter and jelly. Ham and cheese. Ying and yang.

What good is a shipping tube without an end closure?

When a lightweight poster is shipped, the paper poster doesn’t move around much inside the poster tube. And it doesn’t really matter if it does or not because it’s so light. Not the case with a heavy metal bar.

When a metal bar is shipped inside a shipping tube, a dynamic load is created each time the bar moves. Depending on the force, it will puncture a paper end cap and possibly a plastic end plug.

Self-locking metal ends are the preferred end closure for metal manufacturers. One end is hammered into the shipping tube. The metal bar is placed inside. Then, the other self-locking metal end is hammered into the other end so that it fit snugly up against the metal bar inside.

The use of this style end closure prevents a dynamic load from happening, and ensures the product arrives as it should.

When choosing a paper tube, be sure to consider the End Closure

Getting a product to market, or planning how best to ship it, is quite a feat. There’s a million details that need to be considered.

A brown cardboard box is simple and economical. Think about all of your amazon.com orders. How do they arrive? In a brown cardboard box with an Amazon logo. It gets the job done. But does it leave a lasting impression? No.

When you order a rare print or poster, and it arrives in a poster tube (not a box), but default, it’s exciting. But why?

It’s different. It’s not a box. It’s round.

Round packaging is less common, so it feels exciting.

A “paper tube” becomes a “poster tube” when two things happen: first, when you insert a poster. And second, when you insert end closures.

Friction-fit plastic end plugs are used with poster tubes for a variety of reasons. Plastic end plugs are light and help keep shipping costs low.

The ribbed, friction fit helps the packer and end user easily remove and replace them. And lastly, they’re available in different colors.

For more information on our end closures, visit our product page.

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.

Made in the USA

Since our first paper tube came off the line in 1949, we’ve been in Los Angeles, California.

Now, more than ever, we’re proud to manufacture paper tubes and edge protectors in our own backyard. For the past few months, supply chains around the world have been affected, disrupted, and, for some, have come to a screeching halt.

If your supply chain has been disrupted, and you’re looking for an alternate source for Mailing Tubes, Paper Cores, Edge Protectors, Fiber Cans & Telescope Tubes, Concrete Form Tubes, Specialty/Custom Paper Tubes, Litho Display Poles, or Small Paper Tubes, we’re here to help.

Call us anytime with the inside diameter, outside diameter, usable length, overall length, thickness, and any other details, and we’ll get you going.

Don’t have the specs? No worries. Send us a sample of what you’re currently using – we’ll measure the sample and duplicate it.

We’re here for you.

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.

You Won’t Find Custom Poster Tubes at Your Local Office Supply Shop – Part 1

Color: Kraft aka Brown

End Closure: White plastic plug

 

Local office supply stores stock some of the common poster tubes – 2″ inside diameter x 24″ usable length, 2″ inside diameter x 36″ usable length, 2″ inside diameter x 48″ usable length and 3″ inside diameter x 24″ usable length, 3″ inside diameter x 36″ usable length, 3″ inside diameter x 48″ usable length.

For some, these sizes are sufficient. But many are left wondering where they can find a custom poster tube with something besides kraft brown or matte white outside wrap.

If you’re finding yourself in the latter group, this blog is for you. Here are a few pictures of some customer poster tubes we make. You’ll notice that most of these poster tubes have white plastic end plugs – white plastic plugs are the cheapest, lightest, most common way to secure the ends of a poster tube. These plastic plugs are available from 1 inch to 12 inches.

Custom Pantone color end plugs are available in quantities of 50,000 – 100,000.

 

Color: Matte Black aka Flat Black

End Closure: White plastic plug

Color: Glossy Red

End Closure: White plastic plug

Color: Glossy Yellow

End Closure: White plastic plug

 

Color: Glossy Black

End Closure: White plastic plug

 

Color: Kraft aka Brown

End Closure: Crimped Ends aka Snap Seal

 

Crimped poster tubes or “snap sealed” poster tubes are an alternative to “open end” poster tubes with plastic end plugs. Because glossy paper is much thinner than kraft brown paper, it tends to tear or rip when crimped, so crimped posters tubes are usually ordinary kraft brown, though sometimes matte white or matte black.

Crimped poster tubes don’t require plastic end plugs, but they do require a little more labor. Open end poster tubes are manufactured and ready to go. Crimped end poster tubes are manufactured, then sent to get crimped. Because of the additional step, the lead time or turnaround time for this type of poster tube is a little longer.

A great way to brand crimped end poster tubes and increase product visibility is to add a one color print (like a rubber stamp). To see examples of custom printed poster tubes and crimped end poster tubes, stay tuned for Part 2 of You Won’t Find Custom Poster Tubes at Your Local Office Supply Shop. 

 

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!

Made in America. Since 1949.

 

As you may have already seen, this week is #MadeInAmerica week!

As a family owned and operated company, we’re joining the rest of this nation’s manufacturers! Since 1949, the Hibard family has been manufacturing paper packaging products in Los Angeles.

We take pride in our products and are proud to say we make everything here in Los Angeles.

Here are a few of our most popular products:

  • Mailing Tubes
  • Poster Tubes
  • Paper Cores
  • Edge Protectors
  • Corner Protectors
  • Fiber Cans & Telescope Tubes
  • Concrete Form Tubes
  • Custom Paper Tubes
  • Litho Display Poles

Learn more about Spiral Paper Tube & Core’s history here:

 

#MadeInAmerica

Mailing Tubes, Poster Tubes, Shipping Tubes – Where do you order?

After numerous conversations with long-term, short-term and potential customers, we decided to launch an online store.

Just over four years ago, for the first time in our company’s history, we made ninety different tape and label cores available for purchase online. For customers who order by 11am, their orders ship that same day. Online customers even have the ability to choose between standard and expedited shipping.

3″ ID x .125″ Thick Tape & Label Cores

Throughout the United States, many customers transitioned from traditional, slower methods of ordering (email, fax, etc.) to online ordering. Online orders received by 11am ship via UPS that very same day. This is significantly quicker than our typical turnaround time of 10 business days and helps ensure our customers are able to process their orders faster.

E-Commerce is the Way of the Future

Like many businesses with e-commerce stores, we’re no different. E-commerce is the way of the future, and online ordering is here to stay. Just ask Amazon.

Consumers and customers want to receive their order pretty much as soon as the “Place Order” button is clicked.

Mailing Tubes, Shipping Tubes, Poster Tubes

We know our tape and label core customers prefer to order online so they can then process and ship their orders the following day. But what about mailing tubes, shipping tubes and poster tubes?

Where do you purchase your mailing tubes, shipping tubes or poster tubes?

If you use any of these products and are looking for an online retailer to make them available quicker than you’re currently able to find them, we would like to ask you to let us know. Our team is waiting to hear from you.

Comment below with the most common size(s) you use and we will take this into consideration as we move forward with our e-commerce store.

Paper Tubes and Plastic Plugs Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

blog_paper_tubes_plastic_plugs_600x200

Some things are just meant to be together…

What would peanut butter be without jelly? Who would Batman be without Robin? How lonely would salt feel without pepper?

Paper tubes are no different. Without friction-fit plastic plugs, banners, posters and prints would simply slide right out of our mailing and shipping tubes. An end closure is needed, and there are a few different ways to secure the ends of paper tubes. White plastic plugs are the go-to option.

Friction-fit plastic plugs are made with virgin plastic.

This is important because plastic plugs made with virgin content are stronger and more durable than plugs made with recycled material. It also ensures a clean, white looking plug. White plastic plugs made with highly recycled content are easily noticed because they appear spotted and “dirty.”

Plastic plugs have 2 prominent features:

  • pull tab
  • ribbed-sides

The pull tab allows the plastic plug to be easily removed while the ribbed sides push against the paper tube’s inside walls and help keep it in place. These two features, and economical pricing, make it the most commonly used end closure.