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The Top Strapping Trends in 2023

You cannot discuss industries like manufacturing, logistics, construction, e-commerce, or others without mentioning strapping systems in the same breath. Strapping systems are simply too integral and vital to the materials and equipment used to secure and transport goods safely.

You need no more evidence than picturing how dysfunctional our world would be without strapping systems and supplies. Think of how inefficient our already overwhelmed supply chains would be without straps, bands, and belts holding together packages, pallets, boxes, or materials, ensuring the safety and integrity of products during transportation and storage. Damage and loss of goods and products or ineffective logistics would be a foregone conclusion. 

As the global economy changes at a breakneck pace, the strapping industry constantly evolves alongside it by developing new and innovative products and technologies to meet skyrocketing demand. In fact, a January 24, 2023 report from Digital Journal reveals that the strapping systems market, worth $3.785 billion in 2021, is projected to reach $5.119 billion by 2028 and grow at a CAGR of 4.41% from 2022 to 2030.

For over 50 years, strapping companies like EAM-Mosca have innovated, grown, and evolved alongside the global economy. In 2023, as trends like sustainability and automation drive the market forward, EAM-Mosca continues developing several critical products and customized solutions to enable customers to improve productivity, reduce time and costs associated with maintenance, increase sustainability, and reduce carbon footprints. Particularly with its proprietary SoniXs sealing technology

 

Strapping Systems: Past, Present, and Future 

The history of strapping systems is one of continual innovation and improvement alongside industry and commerce. New technologies and materials have always focused on making the strapping process faster, more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable.

One can trace the history of strapping systems back to the birth of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century. These primitive strapping machines used metal straps tightened around packages by hand-cranked tensioners. Of course, this was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Moreover, the application and removal process was often problematic.

By the 1930s, roughly 20 years before the mass production of plastic, plastic straps began to replace metal straps in strapping systems. Plastic straps were lighter, more flexible, more customizable, and easier to tighten than metal straps. Moreover, they made the strapping process faster and more efficient. However, there was no consideration for sustainability and pollution.

The first fully automatic strapping machines arrived in the 1960s. They used electric motors to power the tensioners and feed the straps and could strap packages at much higher speeds than the earlier manual and semi-automatic machines; however, they were far from perfect. 

In the 1980s and 1990s, technological advances led to more advanced strapping systems, such as battery-operated portable strapping machines and systems that used ultrasonic welding to create a secure seal on the strap.

Now, in 2023, we’re at a pivotal year for strapping systems. As strapping focuses on sustainability and automation, strapping systems have continued evolving and look poised to continue developing by using more eco-friendly recyclable materials and integrating smart technology, artificial intelligence, and automation. 

Strapping systems have become more efficient, accurate, and safer to use, and it’s exciting to discover what trends are shaping the industry.

 

Upcoming Trend Predictions in 2023

As the strapping industry continues to expand thanks to increased demand from many business sectors, EAM-Mosca has a unique opportunity to leverage its products and offer businesses innovative strapping solutions at the forefront of what should be the two biggest strapping trends in 2023 — sustainability and automation.

 

Sustainability

As more manufacturers look for ways to become more sustainable, the strapping supplies market is also looking to evolve with this trend and become more sustainable. Particularly with the increased demand for sustainable packaging with a ban on single-use packaging in many parts of the world.

Recycling of strapping materials and more reusable packaging options have become more prevalent through eco-friendly and biodegradable materials.

For example, there is an increasing demand for biodegradable polyester strapping. Polyester is straighter coming off the coil and doesn’t require as much cleaning or frequent maintenance as other types of strapping material like polypropylene (PP).

Paper and cotton strapping are also more environmentally friendly than traditional materials such as steel and plastic. In addition, paper strapping is notably 100% recyclable and works well with automatic and semi-automatic machines.

Lastly, you have ultrasonic sealing, such as SoniXs, that’s increasing in popularity for its versatility and intelligent design.

 

Advanced Automation

Not only is there a growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly strapping systems. There’s also an increasing demand for automated strapping systems to help confront a historically significant labor shortage that’s persisted for roughly two years.

According to a January 19, 2023 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. We’re roughly three years past February 2020, and still, 3 million fewer Americans are out of work today compared to back then. 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce even released a subsequent report on January 19, 2023, detailing the most impacted industries by the labor shortage. It was quick to single out industries directly affected by strapping systems, like durable goods manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade.  

Thus, these large labor shortages prompt more companies to adopt advanced technology and automation for increased output compared to manual production lines.

By using automatic strapping systems, companies can have more efficient and consistent strapping of products, increased productivity, and reduced labor costs. Reduced labor costs also result in reduced training, less employee turnover, and a lower risk of injuries.

Various infeed and conveyor options exist to capitalize on this trend and can be tailor-made to a product’s size, shape, type, and overall layout and design.

Additionally, expect advanced technologies like RFID tracking, smart sensors, and IoT integration in strapping equipment to contribute to automation. These technologies can enhance automated strapping systems by enabling more efficient tracking and monitoring of strapping supplies and reducing the need for manual labor and human error.

 

SoniXs Sealing Technology

EAM-Mosca’s focus on strapping products and machinery has enabled it to be an industry leader for over five decades. Moreover, its agility and adaptiveness to meet ever-changing packaging markets quickly have positioned it as the consensus lowest-total-cost supplier.

The company is well-known for products like strapping machines, strapping materials, and conveyors and turners. It’s also renowned for its engineers’ technical expertise that contributes to customized solutions tailored to specific and unique requirements.

However, its SoniXs sealing technology might be its most groundbreaking product yet and shape the future of strapping systems and solutions.

SoniXs ultrasonic sealing heads offer valuable and proven advantages over the old guard of conventional heat-seal technologies. Moreover, they have unique qualities tailor-made to spearhead the most important trends shaping the strapping systems industry in 2023 as a more economical, sustainable, efficient, and long-lasting alternative. 

 

Economic Benefits 

Economically, SoniXs simultaneously provides a reliably stronger and longer-lasting seal while enabling the use of thinner, narrower, and less expensive strapping materials without losing any performance or product quality. 

Thanks to the power of SoniXs, it can help cut costs in two ways.

One, it reduces the cost and amount of straps needed per package without negatively impacting package quality or security. 

Two, it conserves electricity and saves money on energy expenses. SoniXs only uses power during the strapping cycle compared to a heat-sealing system which uses constant resources and wattage. 

 

Sustainable Benefits 

If you’re looking for sustainability, SoniXs provides that too. With SoniXs, due to the lack of heat, you have no smoke, toxic fumes, odors, emissions, or dust generation as it operates. SoniXs also has low noise levels primarily due to energy usage only occurring during sealing. Moreover, it seals 100% recyclable PET (polyethylene terephthalate) straps made from recycled material. Sealing with 100% recyclable material provides customers with a more cost-effective and eco-friendly strapping option.   

 

Efficiency Benefits 

Lastly is the efficiency of SoniXs. It ​​seals PP (polypropylene) and PET strapping with broad tension ranges and ensures tight straps and security no matter the conditions. Sealing in this way is superior to heat sealing, which was exclusively the industry standard in the past. SoniXs’ optimized design also caters to greater flexibility, maximum durability, and minimal maintenance, as it creates no residues during sealing.

 

Widespread Adoption of New Technologies

You can point to many drivers influencing trends for strapping systems in 2023, such as economic conditions, the labor shortage, technological advancements, demand for logistics and transportation, and eco-friendly regulations. 

Without strapping systems that continue to innovate and evolve with these types of drivers, business activity will never keep up.

In 2023, the most significant expectations for strapping system trends are an increased emphasis on sustainability and automation.

As strapping system suppliers continue to adapt to the overall economy and business climate, widespread adoption of these trends will likely lead to a more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable strapping industry.

EAM-Mosca is a company at the forefront of these trends. Especially with its groundbreaking SoniXs sealing technology providing a more economical, sustainable, efficient, and long-lasting alternative to strapping systems of yesteryear. 

If you’re looking to capitalize on 2023’s strapping trends, look no further than EAM-Mosca and SoniXs. Click here to learn more about how to stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of the leading technology available in the industry.

 

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