Establishing a Successful Business with a Square Tin Container

Over the past 30 years, I have been working in the packaging business and have witnessed various types of packaging trends arise and fall. A lot of people are creating new shapes and materials that create a lot of excitement within the industry; however, there has always been one segment of packaging that has continued to create value for its customers without any of these new products, and this is square tin container lids and square tin containers themselves. While square tin container lids may not be the most attractive options available, they represent the most stable foundation for building a successful packaging business. If you want to create a successful packaging company, I want to share a little secret with you, which is that square tin container lids and the square tin containers that match them, are the least expensive and the easiest "way to succeed" in the packaging business.

Revamping Efficiency Through Square Tin Containers

To demonstrate the value of square tin containers, let's consider a warehouse. Consider this: Round cans leave naturally occurring gaps that can waste an estimated 25% of the total square footage of a warehouse since it is impossible to stack every round can on one another. Conversely, square cans can be stacked much more skillfully in a smaller area, allowing for up to 95% utilization of the space available for warehousing supplies.The square shape of tins offers a lower cost for storing and shipping and improves stabilization benefit while in transport (a square tin does not tip over). An example of a company that has been using millions of square tin containers annually for the lubricant industry decreased their overall costs associated with integrated logistics and warehousing by 18% by simply changing to square containers instead of round containers. No other marketing strategy provides as much of a cost-saving benefit, nor does it yield improved efficiencies as compared to this switch in square tin containers.

This test is designed to evaluate a manufacturer of Tin Can Components based on its ability to produce a tin can component accurately with consistent curls as well. In order to accomplish this, the manufacturer must build a mold for the tin can component with great precision. To illustrate this process, it took three months for our engineering department to create a flatness tolerance of .15mm for the lid of a 20-liter square chemical can. Even though the dimension we were working with was very small, it has a direct impact on productivity in the automated filling lines of manufacturers. If any of the lids are not flat, it will cause problems with the seal and halt production.

Part Two: The Watershed: The Exact Point Where Chemicals Separate from Foods

There are several challenges to accomplish during the course of being successful but one of the key challenges is selecting the appropriate materials. The application of square tins has been broken down into two groups: chemical and food. If one chooses the wrong material, the outcome could result in catastrophic consequences. The following are examples of uses of square tins that are classified as either chemical or food uses.Lubricants, Paints/solvents and Cleaning Products This area tests for strength of the lids, i.e., ability to resist internal pressure, impacts during transit, and corrosion from solvents (i.e., the "vegetable oil'). Typically, heavy gauge materials are used, while the interior coating must be formulated with a chemical resistant, high-performance type specifically for that use. A recent analysis conducted on a "thin" food can lid, designed for use with industrial sealant, failed within 6 months after solvent permeation. The coating was blistered and the body of the can rusted entirely due to the porous nature of its coating. This led to numerous customer complaints about the product. A quality tin can component manufacturer in China should possess its own independent materials laboratory capable of generating a compatibility report for a range of chemicals.

Food Applications (includes edible oils, honey, premium foods and condiments, etc.) The key focus area of application is food safety; all aspects of this application directly correlate to food safety for the consumer. The interior of the lid must be composed of non-toxic and odourless materials that meet or exceed FDA/EU national and international organization's standards to eliminate the potential of migrating metal ions contaminating the food product. Also, if a consumer cannot actually open and reseal (re-close) the same lid easily enough, then chances are slim they will return to purchase again. The long term success of any brand with an Oil-based product is driven solely by how completely the master manufacturer can master the food grade resin-coating process and how thoroughly they understand and meet consumer needs.It is a serious error to think that these two categories are equivalent since both processes begin from entirely different technical directions at the beginning of their design.

The third part of this Silent Cornerstone will discuss how the Square Tin Can Lid contributes to a "premium" brand perception within the consumer space. The physical shape of the square can itself allows for more consistent and higher-quality printability than traditional rounded can shapes; thus providing brands with additional opportunities to be creative and tell stories. The overall presence of a square can lid with its smooth surface finish, vibrant color palette, and refined curl are all indicators of the brand's and product's value.

One edible oil client developed from a small local business into a broader regional brand. One of the major milestones was their decision to produce a custom square tin lid with an original easy-open pull-tab and precise pour spouts. Although there was a minor increase of 8% to a per-unit purchase price for the custom packaging as compared to prior retail pricing, the biggest impact was the dramatic improvements in repurchase rates. The packaging solution elevated the customer experience based on its avoidance of leaks and ability to better manage servings. The lid is ultimately what created a large difference in product and brand for the client and was a pivotal moment in creating differentiation from competitors.The product was created through many iterations of modifications to the mold by the tin can component supplier working with an established tinsmith; both suppliers collaborated to drive for excellence in their products.

Part 4: The Role of Prefabricated Products in Developing Sustainable Business

Sustainability is becoming integral to business success; therefore, Square Cans' method of design will help substantially decrease their carbon footprint because of its space-efficient use of material. As a Tin Can Component Manufacturer, we will be responsible for creating sustainable products through the design of reusable Tin Can Lids, for example:

•   Using Mono Material Design (the use of one type of material, such as rubber gaskets, will improve recycleability by reducing the variety of rubber materials that must be recycled).
•   Designing lids that allow for the consumer to easily disassemble them (the consumer can easily remove the plastic spout and recycle it separately from the metal lid).
•   Designing lids with materials that are lighter in weight but very strong (reduced use of steel in the production of lids reduces the amount of raw materials consumed).

These types of designs require that Tin Can Component Manufacturers specialize in developing and creating these products, through the use of custom molds. If you are a forward-thinking Tin Can Component Manufacturer in China, creating Sustainable or Eco-friendly Designs should be one of the primary focuses in your Research & Development (R&D) operations.

Final Thoughts: The Importance of Partnerships in Achieving Success

The success of Square Tin Can Lids will not come from a single source of technology, but from a coordinated supply chain network and the collaboration of multiple strategic partners. To be successful, it is necessary to create partnerships with:

•   A tin can component manufacturer who is knowledgeable about the differences between Chemical Use and Food Use, and how to create and deliver the most Optimal Solution based on these differences.
•   A tin can component factory that has a high level of Custom Tin Can Component Mold Capability, which can deliver accurately produced metal components.
•   A manufacturer who maintains the highest level of standard quality in their products, and is willing to collaborate with you to optimize all aspects of your product, i.e., Flattness, Opening Force, Type of Coating, Recyclability.

The success of your business in the Packaging Industry will depend on your Company's Initiatives to Develop and Create Simple, Yet Complete Projects (Square Tin Can Lids) that will Make the Biggest Impact on the Industry. In other words, the Success of a Product will be Based Upon the Duration of a Project, and the Number of Consumers Who Use Your Product in Their Daily Lives. As More Companies Enter the Packaging Industry With New Products, the Successful Companies Will Rise Above the Rest by continuing to Develop and Improve the Most Fundamental and Basic Items, as this is Where a Business Will Continue to Achieve Success.

If you would like to discuss or investigate other areas of Tin Can Components, please feel free to reach me via WhatsApp at: +86-187-7305-5275.