It’s amazing how many people are now reigning in once outsourced packaging operations to in-house. Why is this? A huge part of it is because it isn’t difficult for a business to package their own products. It is also a great way to save money during a recession.

Shrink wrap machines have become smaller, easier to use and far more affordable. Minipack has been on the forefront of this revolution. Two of their most popular machines are the Minipack Galaxy and Galileo machines. You can find them here.

The Galaxy and the Galileo shrink wrap machines replaced the Mini-Plus and the Mini-Mini shrink wrap machines. The Galaxy and Galileo are essentially the same machine, but with different chamber dimensions. Both the Galaxy and Galileo are available in different setups. These have been broken down into systems. The system you use depends entirely on what you need.

Both of these machines have an integrated heat tunnel. This means that when the hood is brought down, it will cut the film around the package and shrink it in one single pass. This is very quick and very convenient. Packaging a DVD, software box, pizza or soap bar can be done in just a few seconds. You can use these to package food by using polyolefin film.

The Galaxy and Galileo are very easy to use and set up. There is no special training required. Maintenance is also easy.

Both of these machines are very efficient and emit very little odor. This is especially nice when being used in poorly ventilated rooms. These machines can use both PVC and Polyolefin film. You can learn more about the two different types of film by going here.

We have had customers ask if the heat will damage products. While there may be some heat-sensitive products you will not want to package, we have had customers send in chocolate samples for testing and haven’t had a problem with the heat melting anything.

If you are interested in the Minipack Galaxy or Galileo, send a sample into us and we will test it out on these machines. We can then send the sample back to you for your approval.

We are also able to offer live video demonstrations of these machines through the Internet. If you are interested in having one of these machines demonstrated for you, simply one of these forms:

• Galaxy Live Video Demo Request
• Galileo Live Video Demo Request

For answers to additional shrink wrap questions, feel free to call one of our shrink wrap experts at 1-800-658-8788.

Whether you’re a sci-fi geek and want to preserve your Wrath of Kahn poster or you’ve just gotten back from a memorable Depeche Mode concert and want to laminate your poster souvenir, roll laminators (aka poster laminators) are just what you need. They’re inexpensive to use, are very quick, and can also be used to laminate maps, menus and so much more.

As the rabid fan, or a concert junkie, you will more than likely seek out a business or copy shop that can laminate these posters. If you’re a copy shop, these are the people you want visiting your establishment.

If your roll laminator is going to be used frequently, you definitely want to make sure you get the right roll laminator. A broken laminator not only costs money to fix, but also costs you in lost customers / revenue.

We have compiled a list of the top 5 poster laminators in the 25-27-inch range. These laminators have proven themselves over time and have an excellent track record.

Top 7 Rated Poster Laminators (Listed in alphabetical order):

1. ARL2700 27″ Roll Laminator
2. Banner American EasyLam II 27″ Roll Laminator
3. Banner American MightyLam 2700 Roll Laminator
4. GBC Pinnacle 27″ & 27″ EZLoad Roll Laminators
5. Ledco HD 25 Workhorse Heavy Duty 25″ Roll Laminator
6. Ledco Premier 4 25″ Roll Laminator
7. Tahsin TCC2700 Roll Laminator

Destroyit paper shredders are known as some of the best paper shredders available today. They are known for their durability, quality construction and hassle-free operation. Our Service Department likes the Destroyit shredders as well because they rarely have to deal with repairs on them.

Destroyit shredders are made by parent company MBM and sometimes go under the label Ideal. They are German in origin and feature the latest in shredder technology. Thermally protected motors are designed to be run for hours on end without overheating. Many of our customers, especially those in Government and business organizations, love the Destroyit line.

Here are a few models our customers like to purchase:

Destroyit 2602 SMC Shredder – This paper shredder is ideal for top secret and the shredding of highly sensitive material. It utilizes security level 6 standards, which are the highest used today. The SMC in the model stands for Super Micro Cut. The end result almost resembles dust.

Destroyit 4002 Heavy Duty – This shredder is perfect departmental shredding in an office. It is quiet and able to be used throughout the day. You can purchase this model in a strip cut or cross cut variation.

Destroyit 2501 Office Shredder – This model is great for us in a small office. It features a 10 ¼-inch mouth capable of accepting most sizes of paper. It is compact and can sit next to a desk. The motor can be used for continuous shredding.

These are just a few of our Destroyit paper shredders. You can find our entire selection of Destroyit paper shredders by going here.

I can still remember a few years ago when Formax, well known for their line of folder inserters, stepped into the paper shredder market. In all honesty I was initially pretty skeptical. They did have a few things going for them. The company itself has been around for some time, since 1987, and their line of folder inserters has stood the test of time.

I’ve seen dozens of makes and models, from other manufacturers, come into existence and land with a big thud. A big part of why a new line of paper shredders fails is the quality factor. Many new models, especially foreign imports, are made out of cheap components and don’t last long. I certainly never expected Formax to compete with the well-known quality brands, such as Destroyit, Intimus and HSM.

Formax was kind enough to send several models to us for testing. My first impression was, “Hey, this thing is made out of a lot of metal,” which is usually a good sign. They were also pretty heavy, which is another good sign for an office shredder. Upon looking over the Model 8600 shredder, I found control panel easy to use and it seemed to feature a lot of information.

Upon further review, I found the Model 8600 had indicators to let you know if the door was open, if the bag was full, if it was on manual or automatic mode and even had a level indicator to tell you if the shredder was under too much of a load (too much paper). We shot a video demo of the Model 8600 that day, which you can find here.

It has been several years now and Formax Paper Shredders are now synonymous with high quality and reliability. They are now purchased, with confidence, by many government entities. One thing we really like, here at ABC Office, is that we don’t have to deal with servicing issues because they seem to hold up so well.

You can view our entire line of Formax Paper Shredders here. I would highly recommend at least considering them prior to purchasing a high-end, high-quality paper shredder. Right now they even have free shipping!

Paper folders are an important part of any business, copy shop, church or school that folds paper on a regular basis. Even an entry-level paper folder can fold faster than a human by a factor of five. Finding the right paper folder can be a difficult task, and choosing the wrong paper folder can be a nightmare.

We have come up with a list of the top 10 best paper folders in existence. This list focuses on paper folders that use friction to pull paper into the machine and paper folders that use folding plates. This list is based on customer popularity and customers satisfaction. Be aware that the paper folder you choose should be tailored around the volume of paper you will be folding, which means the number one paper folder may not work for you.

Top Ten Best Paper Folders (Friction Feed Edition):

1. MBM 207M Paper Folder
2. Intelli-Fold 102AF Paper Folder
3. Intelli-Fold 202AF Paper Folder
4. Duplo DF-755 Paper Folder
5. MBM 307A Paper Folder
6. Intimus 2051 SmartFold Paper Folder
7. Techko LF283B Paper Folder
8. Formax FD 320 Paper Folder
9. Duplo DF-915 Paper Folder
10. Martin Yale 1217A Paper Folder

Finding a good binding machine can sometimes be difficult. A lot of the binding machines out there are now made from plastic components and just don’t stand the test of time. We have compiled a list of the best comb, wire and coil binding machines. This list is based off of customer satisfaction, volume sold and customer service record. Enjoy!

Top 10 Best Binding Machines:

1. Akiles WireMac Wire Binding Machine

2. Akiles CoilMac-ECI Coil Binding Machine

3. Tahsin 210 PB Comb Binder

4. Renz RW Wire Binding Machine

5. Akiles Megabind Comb Binder

6. Akiles WireMac Duo Wire Binding Machine

7. Akiles WireMac Combo Comb & Wire Binding Machine

8. Akiles CoilMac-M Coil Binding Machine

9. Renz Combi-S Comb Binding Machine

10. EB-32 Wire Binding Machine

In case you haven’t been around the past decade, scrapbooking is huge. It is a multi-million dollar business and is popular in both hard and computer formats. Although scrapbooking by means of a computer has its benefits, most of the people I know use traditional stamps, custom-printed cardstock, scissors, glue and printed photographs.

I have been asked on several occasions, by customers, family and friends, which paper cutter is the best for scrapbooking. A lot of it depends on what you plan on doing, but I have personally purchased the Carl RT-200 paper cutter for my wife and she loves it. I’ll explain.

The RT-200, although a low-volume cutter, is inexpensive and is packed with features. It uses a rotary blade, which ensures a straight cut every time. Not only that, but about 11 different blades are available depending on the cut you desire. This varies from a perforating blade and a deckle blade to scallop or Victorian blade. It cuts through cardstock and photographs without a problem.

You can find the Carl RT-200 cutter here. For the price you really can’t go wrong, especially considering the cost of ink stamps, thermography powder and other scrapbooking equipment. Good luck with your scrapbooking!

A few days ago I set up the Duplo V-350 in our show room to shoot an online video demo. I have used the Martin Yale 970A burster in the past. I used this to help gauge the performance of the V-350. I was surprised how easy it was to set up the V-350 for operation. Setting up the machine required a few simple adjustments. Once the adjustments were made, I fed the paper through the machine. This was easy to do thanks to a jog button.

After feeding paper through the machine I was able to see the paper being burst apart. Using the jog button I was able to run the machine with the protective cover open as I made sure things were operating properly. Once I let up on the jog button, the machine ceased to operate. Pressing the button forward allowed the machine to operate in continuously without having to keep the jog button pressed in. The machine cannot operate continuous mode unless the protective cover is down. This helps prevent personal injury.

I ended up running three different sizes of paper through the machine. The first stack I ran through the machine didn’t have tractor feed on the sides. The paper was perforated every four inches. I set the machine up for four-inch burst intervals. The V-350 ran flawlessly. The second stack of paper had tractor feed on the sides that was slit off using the V-350’s side slitters. It was burst every 11-inches along the perforations. The last stack of paper I ran through the machine was some billing forms that a customer had sent in for testing. The billing forms were burst every four-inches and had the side tractor feed slit off.

The machine created little mess and the papers came out the other side of the machine in order and organized, thanks to a conveyor-style exit tray. This was especially nice in comparison to bursters that throw bursted paper into a catch bin, leaving the paper unorganized.

To sum things up, I would rate the V-350 a solid five out of five stars. The components that are used to make the machine are high quality and the rubber rollers used to pull paper through the machine are very solid and should last a long time. You can find the Duplo V-350 here. The demo we shot should be available in a couple of weeks.