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Santa Claus LLC reveals packaging secrets
December 20, 2007
As the world's largest consumer of packaging materials, Santa Claus LLC (North Pole) knows a thing or two about what works and what doesn't in printed, converted packaging materials. Despite the last-minute holiday rush, I reached company president Kris Kringle, who generously spent some time with "The Converting Curmudgeon" by satellite phone.
Kris Kringle and sidekick Rudolph
CC: What trends do you see in Christmas-product packaging and gift-wrapping materials?
KK: For centuries, of course, it was paper and only paper. But lately, we’re starting to order millions of printed polyethylene bags. A lot of those are coextruded, multilayer types for added strength. Kristina [Mrs. Claus] even suggested I trade in the old cloth bag I use for deliveries for one of these stretchable plastic bags. I think she’s just tired of sewing it back together every Dec. 26.
CC: Has the sustainability concept affected your business yet?
KK: It’s starting to, yes. There’s the pro-paper vs. the pro-plastic arguments, and we are down-gauging our paperboard and film structures for source reduction. But, I’m seriously thinking about returning to the time when we just put the bare toys into "stockings hung by the chimney with care." That would certainly save on materials costs.
CC: That would also pretty much kill any future business for converters with you, though, wouldn’t it?
KK: But not for label converters. Each and every toy still needs a tag. In fact, I’m especially grateful to the world’s labelmakers for innovations such as pressure-sensitive tags. Our insurance costs went through the roof years ago from elves getting carpal tunnel syndrome by hand-tying all those old-fashioned stringed tags to the toys.
CC: Have printed electronics impacted your operations?
KK: We switched over completely to active RFID-tagging of everything in the warehouse. And I mean item-level, not just the pallets, otherwise how can you properly track the exact order for each specific child. I’m most proud to say we did it all years before Wal-Mart ever will.
CC: Lastly, any advice for converters thinking about doing business with Santa Claus LLC?
KK: We’ll always be “the world’s greatest packager.” Bring us new ideas, new concepts, new samples. We’re making toys for about two billion boys and girls annually; we don’t have time to figure out the packaging materials, too. Oh, and a cut-rate price wouldn’t hurt either…after all, it’s for the children.
Posted by Mark Spaulding on December 20, 2007 | Comments (1)
In response to: Santa Claus LLC reveals packaging secrets
Reader Bill commented:
Reports says the item-level RFID tagging has greatly diminished elven thievery. It's an open secret: they've been fencing high-end goods falling off the back of Santa's sleigh for years. Loss prevention managers have been asleep at the workshop doors for years. Managing North Pole inventories is now a 24/7 occupation, and they need to put on a little hustle if they don't want to see the business move to warmer geographies that don't shut down for holiday cheer. :(