Paper Tubes and Cores

Erdie Industries is a US manufacturer of paper tubes and cores since 1983.

Erdie Industries manufactures paper tubes and paper cores for packaging, shipping, converting, manufacturing, and industrial applications. We produce tubes and cores in a wide range of diameters, lengths, wall thicknesses, and strength requirements, with custom printing and secondary operations available.

Not sure whether you need a paper tube or a paper core? The difference usually comes down to how the product will be used.

A paper tube is typically used as a container, spacer, protector, sleeve, or structural component. A paper core is generally designed for material to be wound around it, such as film, tape, labels, paper, foil, textiles, rubber, or other roll materials.

If you know the application but not the industry terminology, start with what you need the tube or core to do. We can help determine the appropriate construction and specifications.

Built for your application

shutterstock_1679599369.jpg__PID:1fc91ae3-bda2-4615-a0be-07466da3d5e4

Film & flexible packaging

Film cores with gradient V2.jpg__PID:85c87705-ff81-4cc8-83f2-2748cbfe536b

Paper Mill Cores

Vibrant mix of fabric rolls in various colors at a textile store, offering a broad selection.

Textiles & nonwovens

shutterstock_2179355139.jpg__PID:090a2e25-b8d4-4091-8481-cb12335cfa6c

Tape and labeling

From above of crop anonymous relocating female packing wrapped items into carton box while preparing for moving to new apartment

Water resistant Mining solutions

Close-up of stacked wooden pallets with barcodes in a warehouse environment.

Shipping Tubes

Not seeing your application? Tell us what you run and we will point you to the right material.

Looking for Paper Tubes?

Paper tubes are used in applications ranging from mailing and shipping to product protection, spacing, storage, and industrial manufacturing. Depending on the application, they can be manufactured for strength, appearance, dimensional consistency, or a combination of all three.

Erdie manufactures custom paper tubes for applications including:

  • Mailing and shipping tubes
  • Protective tubes and sleeves
  • Spacers and separators
  • Poster, blueprint, map, and document tubes
  • Packaging tubes
  • Industrial component protection
  • Concrete and construction applications
  • Custom manufacturing applications

Our tubes can be produced in a variety of dimensions and wall thicknesses and can include custom liners, outer wraps, colors, printing, and secondary operations.

Looking for Paper Cores?

Paper cores are designed to support materials during winding, storage, handling, converting, and unwinding. Core dimensions, wall construction, radial strength, surface characteristics, and dimensional tolerances can all affect how the finished roll performs.

We manufacture paper cores for a broad range of applications, including:

shutterstock_1854382300.jpg__PID:bef30dc6-a09b-4c0d-93fe-f58989138de5
  • Tape and label cores
  • Film and flexible packaging cores
  • Spacers and separators
  • Paper mill and converting cores
  • Metal foil and strapping cores
  • Carpet and vinyl cores
  • Textile and yarn applications
  • Rubber and other wound materials
  • Specialty industrial roll applications

Whether the core is being used on a high-speed converting line or simply to support and protect a wound product, we can manufacture it to the requirements of the application.

Custom Sizes, Printing, and Secondary Operations

Paper tubes and cores are rarely one-size-fits-all. Erdie manufactures products in a wide range of inside diameters, outside diameters, lengths, and wall thicknesses to accommodate different equipment, materials, loads, and end uses.

Our full-color printing capabilities allow us to produce printed outer wraps and liners for identification, branding, instructions, or other product requirements. Different paper colors and finishes are also available.

Paper Tubes and Cores Built Around the Application

Choosing the right paper tube or paper core starts with understanding what happens to it after it leaves our facility. A tube used to protect a machined component has very different requirements from a core carrying a large roll of film on a high-speed converting line.

That is why we look at factors such as:

  • Inside and outside diameter
  • Length
  • Wall thickness
  • Radial crush strength
  • Dimensional tolerances
  • Surface and liner requirements
  • Printing or identification
  • Winding and unwinding conditions
  • Shipping and handling requirements

If you already have a specification, we can manufacture to it. If you only know the application, tell us what the tube or core needs to hold, protect, separate, or support, and we can help determine the appropriate product.

Custom Paper Tubes and Paper Cores From Erdie Industries

Erdie Industries has manufactured paper tubes and cores since 1983. Our capabilities range from conventional industrial cores and protective tubes to specialized packaging products and custom constructions developed for specific production requirements.

Whether you need a paper shipping tube, heavy-duty industrial paper core, protective cardboard tube, winding core, or a custom paper tube made to a specific dimension, contact Erdie Industries to discuss your application.

Paper cores and tubes: the questions buyers ask first

What is the difference between a paper core and a paper tube?

A core is wound paper sized around its inside diameter so a roll of film, tape, paper or textile can be wound onto it and unwound from it. A tube is the same wound paper construction used as the product itself — a container or a structural sleeve. Cores are usually found on converting and winding lines; tubes are usually found holding, protecting or carrying what goes inside them.

What inner diameters and wall thicknesses are available?

Three dimensions decide the part: inside diameter, wall thickness and length. The workable range for each depends on the application — the load it carries, the mandrel it runs on, and the equipment it fits. Send Erdie your requirement and they will confirm the diameters and wall thicknesses that suit it.

What board grades are used, and are they recycled?

Wound paper cores and tubes are made from paperboard grades — recycled paperboard and kraft liner among the ordinary ones. Recycled content is common in this product category. The grade and recycled content for a specific run are confirmed by Erdie against your requirement.

Can tubes and cores be manufactured to custom lengths?

Yes. Cores and tubes are cut to the length you specify, so the finished part matches your equipment or your pack. Give Erdie the length along with the inside diameter and wall thickness and they will confirm it.

What is the minimum order for wholesale or volume purchasing?

Minimums depend on the item and the size of the run, so there is no single number that applies across the range. Tell Erdie what you need and they will confirm the minimum for that specific requirement.

How are paper cores and tubes shipped and stored?

They ship in bundles or on pallets, and they are kept dry, off the floor and stored horizontally so they do not bow. The shipping method and terms for a given order are confirmed by Erdie when you place it.

Which industries use paper cores and paper tubes?

Cores are used wherever material is wound and unwound — film and tape converting, paper and board, textiles, and label stock. Tubes are used as packaging and structural sleeves in shipping, mailing, poster and document handling, and industrial protection. If your application is unusual, Erdie can advise on whether a wound paper part suits it.

Can shipping tubes be printed or branded?

Yes — printing and branding on shipping tubes is a common request. What is possible depends on the design, the run size and the tube itself, so send Erdie a sample of  and quantity and they will confirm the options for that job.