Through the process of thermoforming, we can create all types of custom plastic packaging, including blister packaging, clamshell packaging, thermoform trays, tubs with lids, thermoformed parts, point-of-purchase displays and more. Here’s a quick look at everything we can provide here at Indepak.
How It Works
For our thermoforming projects, we basically design a special custom mold in the shape of your package or product and place it an industrial thermoforming machine. From there, we insert sheets of thin-gauge thermoform plastic into the machine.
The thermoformer heats the plastics a specific temperature where it becomes malleable and is then forced into the mold, either through the use of pressure or with the use of a vacuum force. The plastic is then cooled, and any excess plastic is cut away, and, voila, your item is ready to move on to the next step.
The next step depends on what we have created. For instance, if you needed custom thermoform trays or perhaps custom cups, your items might be ready to package and ship out. If your project was a plastic clamshell, you might need package fulfilment services, including sealing the edges of the package together.
Types Of Thermoformed Packaging
There are several types of thermoformed packaging that we can create at Indepak, including:
Blister Packaging – We can create any type of blister package you might need, including trap blisters, face seal blisters, single-dose medication blister packs and even tri-fold blisters that can stand on their own. Blisters also can be designed to include a punch hole, so that they can be hung on a hook in a retail store.
Clamshell Packaging – A clamshell is basically a blister pack that folds onto itself and includes a hinge on one side. We design clamshells for all types of products, from specialty food items to restaurant takeaway boxes to packaging for a wide range of retail products. We can provide many different sealing options for your clamshell containers, from simple tabs to RF welding and more.
Thermoform Trays – We are thermoformed tray experts. We can design basic trays and business-to-business tote trays as well as trays with multiple cavities to hold food products, medical equipment, toys, tools or whatever product you sell.
We often design thermoform trays that are built to be placed into other types of packaging. For instance, you might need trays to hold cookies or crackers that later will be placed into boxes or bags. You might need thermoform trays to hold individual items that will be placed into a clamshell or blister package.
Point-Of-Purchase Displays – A well-designed point-of-purchase display can attract many new customers and we love the challenge of creating visually appealing displays. We can create an entire display or just parts of a display, depending on your needs.
Parts & Beyond – Do you need a tub with a lid or perhaps a thermoform plastic part? Not everything we create is a package, and we can even make items out of thermoformed foam. If you need any type of custom thermoforming, give us a call and we can discuss your unique project.
Why Plastic?
Plastic has many advantages over other materials. Plastic is lightweight, which reduces shipping and transportation costs. Plastic is also a highly affordable material, which further reduces your costs.
Depending on your needs, we can select plastic with a high level of durability and impact resistance, protecting your product during transport and while it sits on a store shelf. Plastic also can protect your products from moisture, mold and many solvents. Additionally, plastic clamshells and blisters can be sealed tightly to prevent tampering and product damage.
Using clear plastic also allows consumers to truly see your product. Often, if a shopper can view your product, they will select your item over an item that’s packed in a box or other type of non-clear packaging. Of course, many plastics are available in a rainbow of colors, so if you prefer something other than clear plastic, we can accommodate that.
Types Of Thermoform Plastic
At Indepak, our facility includes multiple lines of high-speed thermoforming equipment, which allows us the ability to use many different types of plastic, including ABS, PET, PETG, HDPE, HIPS, OPS, PP and PVC to name a few. We also can use starch-based biomaterials.
Many of these types of plastics are suitable for use with specialty food and beverage products, pharmaceutical and medical packaging and packaging for personal care products. We serve a wide range of industries, including the specialty food industry, the medical & pharmaceutical industry, the agriculture industry, the electronics industry and more.
Thermoforming & Sustainability
Nearly all of the materials we use at Indepak are recyclable, and we’ve been reusing, reducing and recycling long before it was popular or required. In addition to using new recyclable materials, we can use materials with recycled content as well as starch-based biomaterials. All of our materials are compliant with regulations such as REACH, RoHS and EICC.
We also specialize in producing combination design packaging, such as trap blisters, which include a combination of plastic and paperboard or pulp. We also can reduce your package size to use less plastic, while still protecting and displaying your product to its best advantage.
We are ISO 9001:14001 Certified and have received environmental awards from our city, including the Gresham Great Recycler and Great Business awards. We are committed to limiting our effect on the environment and are a low-waste operation in every part of our company.
We’ve been providing quality thermoforming services for our clients since 1967 and look forward to discussing your packaging or plastic product needs. To get started, you can give us a call at (800) 526-6273, email us at sales2@indepak.com or fill out our Contact Us form.
