PakLab, LLC operates from their Batavia, OH facility, where they've carved out a specialized niche designing and delivering flexible packaging products alongside comprehensive contract manufacturing solutions and co-packing services.
Their work spans an impressive range of industrial and consumer packaging applications, each presenting unique challenges and requirements.
Why Flexible Packaging Requires Permanent Marking Solutions
The packaging industry demands rigorous traceability standards, which means virtually every application requires permanent direct part marking with date codes. This isn't just about compliance—it's about establishing a reliable chain of identification that tracks products from manufacturing through to end use.
The marking process becomes crucial for quality control, inventory management, and compliance with regulatory requirements across various market sectors.
At PakLab, the direct part marking equipment varies considerably depending on the specific materials being processed and the application requirements. However, there's one consistent element across their operations: they rely on metal inserts known as package date coding type to create the precise text and numerical marks their customers demand. These specialized components must deliver consistent, clear impressions that remain legible throughout the product's lifecycle.
The partnership between PakLab and Durable Technologies exemplifies how critical supplier relationships can make or break operational efficiency. Much of PakLab's marked product involves poly blend flexible packaging used for sample mailer packs—applications where precision marking directly impacts customer satisfaction.
Their marking approach utilizes both steel type and rubber type components, with the selection depending on the specific marking equipment in use and the substrate characteristics.
Joan Cornell, PakLab's Buyer, shares an experience that highlights the reliability of their partnership: "Durable has always been there when we need them. Everyone at Durable is very helpful and responsive and bends over backwards to help us in any way they can. A few Fridays ago I was on my way out the door when I received a call that we urgently needed some new package date coding type. I tried calling Durable but it was after normal business hours so I left a message. I didn't expect to hear back from them until Monday but they called me right back just a few minutes later. Turns out Durable had the coding type that we needed in inventory and sent it to us the very same night to arrive Monday morning - just when we needed it!"
This level of responsiveness becomes particularly important in packaging operations where downtime can cascade through production schedules, affecting multiple customer commitments simultaneously. The ability to source critical components outside normal business hours demonstrates the kind of partnership that supports uninterrupted operations.
Durable Technologies has established itself as the premier marking type supplier nationwide, thanks to decades of specialized manufacturing expertise.
Our capabilities extend across brass and steel packaging type production, along with dies used for coding, imprinting, labeling, embossing, and debossing applications.
This comprehensive approach allows us to serve as a single-source solution for manufacturers with diverse marking requirements.
Replacement Date Coding Type: Compatibility Across Equipment Lines
The company's position as the largest manufacturer of replacement metal date coding type gives them unique insights into OEM equipment compatibility.
Our replacement components work seamlessly with popular equipment lines including Norwood® Imprinters, Markem® Touch Dry Coders, Jones® Cartoners, Open Date® Labelers, and Norden® Tube Fillers, among many others. This broad compatibility ensures that manufacturers aren't locked into proprietary replacement part systems that can drive up operational costs.
Manufacturing environments utilize these replacement packaging type and steel stamp dies across various applications—from cartoners and sealers to tube fillers, labelers, wrappers, and thermoform equipment. The versatility extends to both hot and cold marking processes, accommodating different substrate requirements whether marking labels, tags, packages, cartons, tubes, boxes, or plastic and metal surfaces.
The relationship between PakLab and Durable Technologies illustrates how specialized suppliers can become integral to manufacturing success. When urgent needs arise—as they inevitably do in high-volume packaging operations—having a partner who understands both the technical requirements and the operational urgency makes the difference between minor disruptions and major production delays.
This kind of partnership becomes even more valuable as packaging applications continue evolving, with new materials and marking requirements constantly emerging. Companies like PakLab benefit from working with suppliers who not only manufacture quality components but also understand the broader operational context in which those components must perform consistently, day after day.
This post was originally published in 2012.
