Most tape is built to hold something together. Tamper-evident tape has a different job: telling you if something's happened that shouldn't have.

At Stikon, we spend a lot of time helping businesses choose the right adhesive for the job. This month, we're looking at a category that often goes unnoticed until it's needed: tamper-evident VOID tape.

The Problem: Trust Over Distance

Once a box or pallet leaves your premises, you lose direct sight of it. It might travel by road, sea or air, pass through third-party storage, or sit in a warehouse for weeks before it reaches its destination.

Along the way, there's no way to know for certain whether it's been opened, unless the packaging itself tells you.

For industries handling pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics, fashion or beverages, that gap in visibility isn't a small thing. A broken seal that goes unnoticed can mean lost stock, safety risk or a serious dent in customer trust.

How Tamper-Evident VOID Tape Works

The concept behind VOID tape is straightforward: peel it, and a message appears that wasn't there before.

• The words “OPENED VOID” are engineered into the adhesive layer itself, not printed on the surface.
• Once revealed, it can't be disguised, painted over, or hidden by sticking the tape back down.
• It works two ways at once: as a visible deterrent to anyone considering tampering, and as instant confirmation for you that a seal is still intact.

Not every job calls for the same VOID tape, though. At Stikon, we generally point customers towards one of three types.

Residue VOID

Leaves the “OPENED VOID” message behind on the surface as well as on the tape itself. Well suited to cardboard, laminated board and paper packaging, where a permanent mark reinforces the message.

No-Residue VOID

Reveals the message without leaving any sticky residue behind. This makes it the better option for smooth or sensitive surfaces such as glass, powder-coated metal, painted wood, and vehicle or aircraft access doors.

Total Transfer

Splits the message so it appears on both the surface and the tape when peeled, and stays visible whether the tape is removed completely or pressed back down. That means tampering is obvious either way.

Where Tamper-Evident Tape Actually Gets Used

It's easy to think of security tape as just something for cardboard boxes, but it turns up in more places than most people expect:

• Pharmaceutical and chemical packaging, where a broken seal has to be caught immediately.
• Electronics and fashion shipments, where high-value stock benefits from a visible theft deterrent.
• Aircraft and vehicle access doors, secured with no-residue labels that won't mark the surface underneath.
• Pallets and cartons passing through third-party storage or long-distance transport, where nobody can watch the whole journey.

Spotlight: S-VOID Premium Security Tape

Our S-VOID Premium is built with a strong PET backing and an acrylic adhesive system, giving it solid resistance to both high and low temperatures. It sticks securely to cardboard, most plastics and pallet wrap film, which makes it a practical choice for road, sea and air cargo alike.

It's available in blue or red for a clear, visible theft deterrent, buff if a more covert solution suits your application better, or our new black finish for dark or premium packaging where a coloured tape would stand out. Either way, the "OPENED VOID" message only ever appears once, and only if the seal has actually been broken.

The Stikon Advantage

We don't just supply tamper-evident tape. We help you work out which type of VOID technology actually matches your packaging, your surface, and the way your goods move through the supply chain.

If you've got stock moving through hands you can't always see, we can help you make sure you'd know about it.

New product announcement 

One Tape, Two Jobs: How to Hold Temporary Displays Tight and Peel Clean

Introducing the S-FIX Removable Mounting Tape

A frustrating puzzle when you work with temporary signage is how to keep it fixed securely, keep its quality appearance and then be able to remove it cleanly afterwards. 

Engineered so you don't have to compromise 

We don’t believe you should have to choose between tape that is either too weak and falls down, or stays up so well you need to spend afternoons scraping off crusty tape residue.  Which is why Stikon is bringing to you a tape is a genuine problem solver. 

The S-FIX removable mounting tape is what we call a perm/peel tape. It has two completely different adhesive personalities on either side of its tough PET film carrier. 

The permanent side (open side) uses a strong tape adhesive system designed to lock onto material like paper, card, board and high energy plastics. You stick this side directly to your sign or plastic panel. The removable side (closed side) has a lower grip engineered to hold tightly to surfaces like glass, ABS and PVC. When the job is done, it peels away with absolutely zero residue left behind – even when it’s been in direct sunlight.

Built for businesses who don’t want the hassle

Specifically built for shop windows and sun, the S-FIX removable mounting tape is your no-compromise tape. It won't degrade, discolour or bake onto the glass under UV light. Its weather hardiness is reliable in temperatures ranging from 20°C all the way up to +100°C. It uses a premium PE-coated paper back lining that keeps the tape perfectly flat and easy to handle. 

Cut, Slit, and sized for your workflow

As with all our products, we make sure your tape fits your set up perfectly and tailor them into whatever format saves you the most time. 

• Custom-Cut Widths: Precision slit to the exact millimetre you need for a clean fit.
• Die-Cut Pads: Pre-cut shapes on a continuous roll so your assembly team can just peel, stick, and move to the next one.
• Spooled Rolls: Built long for high-speed automated processes.

The everyday expert tip for a perfect bond

To get the absolute best out of the S-FIX removable tape system, always start with a surface that is clear of dust and grease. Give it a quick wipe down with a 50% or 70% alcohol solution before you stick it down, and the tape will do exactly what it says on the tin.

👉 Check it out at stikon.co.uk

If you’ve ever picked up a "general purpose" roll only to have it fail under pressure, you know that the right tape isn't just about sticking – it’s about reliability, efficiency and performance.

We don’t start by pointing you toward a product catalogue. We start by asking about the specific challenge you’re trying to solve. In the world of industrial adhesives, the "why" and the "how" are just as important as the tape itself.

Solving, Not Just Selling:

The Advisory Approach

Different surfaces, environmental conditions and performance requirements all dictate how a tape will behave. A solution that works perfectly on a smooth, cold-rolled metal sheet may fail completely on a textured plastic or a porous wooden frame.

This is why we take an advisory approach. Before making a recommendation, we look at the full picture of your project:

• Surface Type & Compatibility: Is the material high or low surface energy? Is it perfectly smooth, or does it have a texture that requires a thicker adhesive?
• Environmental Exposure: Will the bond need to survive constant UV rays, extreme manufacturing heat, or heavy outdoor rain?
• Application Method: How is the tape being applied? We look for ways to make your workflow faster and more consistent.
• Long-term Expectations: Are you looking for a temporary mask during production, or a permanent industrial bond that needs to last for years?

From there, we guide you to the right technical adhesive tape or self-adhesive material for the job. This might be a standard roll, or a customised solution created through our converting capabilities – like precision slitting or die-cutting to your exact dimensions.

Spotlight: Stikon High-Performance PE Foam Tape

A great example of the right tool for the right job is our PE Foam Tape. If you are dealing with uneven surfaces or need a bond that can handle a bit of "give," this tape is an everyday expert’s best friend.

It doesn't just stick – it compensates. Because real-world surfaces are rarely perfectly flat, the "squidgy" foam core fills the gaps that thin tapes simply can’t reach.

Why it works:

• Gap Filling: Ideal for bonding materials with slight undulations, such as wood or textured plastics.
• Vibration Dampening: It absorbs shock and noise, making it a favourite in automotive and manufacturing assembly.
• Weather Resistance: The closed-cell foam structure creates a seal that keeps out dust and moisture.

The "Secret Weapon" for Signage and Point of Sale (the displays and branding you see in retail environments) – this tape is a game-changer. It provides a slight "lift" from the mounting surface, creating a clean, professional 3D look while ensuring a permanent bond on both high and low-energy surfaces.

The Stikon Advantage

We’ve learned everything about tape so you don’t have to. We don’t just supply rolls; we guide you to the right solution for your surface, your workflow and your project goals.

Whether you are a small business or a large-scale manufacturer, everyday experts rely on Stikon products to work as hard as they do.

When it comes to tape, performance isn’t optional. It’s essential.

At Stikon, we supply technical adhesive tapes and self-adhesive materials used across a wide range of industries – from manufacturing and signage to construction and DIY. But what really matters is how those products perform in the real world.

Because at the end of the day, tape isn’t judged in theory.
It’s judged on whether it holds, lasts and delivers when it needs to.

Real Applications. Real Results.

Across different industries and projects, our customers rely on tape solutions that work on a wide range of surfaces and in varying conditions.

For example, mounting plastic to metal can be challenging due to differences in surface properties. As one customer put it, “really good tape… the best stuff going for mounting plastic to a metal surface.” That kind of feedback reflects the importance of choosing a tape system that can handle material compatibility and long-term performance.

In another application, involving an outdoor canopy, performance depended on both strength and adaptability. The customer noted the bond was “squidgy enough to compensate for small undulations in the wooden frame and was “super strong”.  This highlights how foam-based tapes don’t just bond surfaces – they also adapt, seal, and absorb variation, which is critical in real-world environments.

Why the Right Tape Makes the Difference

Across every industry, the same principle applies:
The right tape solution depends on the surface, the environment, and the application.

A tape that performs well in one situation may not be suitable for another. Factors such as surface compatibility, exposure to weather, and application method all influence long-term performance.

That’s why choosing the correct adhesive tape or self-adhesive material is about more than just specification – it’s about understanding how it will perform in real conditions.

Built for Everyday Expert

From industrial mounting to outdoor construction projects, Stikon products are used by people who need reliable results.

Whether it’s:

• bonding different materials together
• compensating for uneven surfaces
• delivering clean, durable finishes
• or ensuring long-term performance in challenging environments

The expectation is the same – it needs to work first time, and keep working.

The Stikon Advantage

We don’t just supply adhesive tapes – we guide you to the right solution for your surface, your workflow and your project goals.

Everyday experts rely on Stikon for tape and self-adhesive materials that work as hard as they do.

If you’ve ever had a tape fail at the worst possible moment – or wondered why one roll works perfectly on metal but slides right off plastic – you’re not alone.

At Stikon, we live for the details that make a project stick. We aren’t just selling rolls of tape; we’re here to help you navigate the world of self-adhesive materials, from custom-cut gaskets to industrial-grade mounting solutions. In this guide, we’re looking at why "off-the-shelf" isn’t always the answer and how a few millimetres can make or break your workflow.

Understanding Performance: Precision & Surface Compatibility

Whether you're working on a small project or managing large-scale production, one thing is consistently true – tape is rarely just tape. Behind every reliable bond is a combination of surface compatibility, precision converting and technical understanding.

To get the best results, it is vital to explore the two areas that often make the difference between a tape system that performs and one that causes problems: surface compatibility and precision converting.

When Tape Doesn’t Hold (The Surface is Often the Reason)

Bond failure is often blamed on the tape itself. In reality, the surface is frequently the deciding factor. Some materials, particularly low surface energy plastics such as Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE), can be notoriously challenging to bond.

A standard tape may appear to hold initially, but without the right tape system for that specific surface, long-term performance can suffer. Choosing the right adhesive tape or self-adhesive material requires looking at several factors:

• Surface Compatibility: Some materials require specific tape systems to achieve a reliable bond.
• Environmental Exposure: UV rays, moisture, and temperature changes all affect how the material behaves over time.
• Application Method: Surface preparation, pressure, and installation conditions all influence the final result.

At Stikon, we start by understanding the application and the surface first. This ensures the tape solution works as reliably as the project requires.

Millimetres Matter: Precision in Tape Converting

In many industrial environments, precision directly affects your bottom line. A few millimetres of difference in tape width can lead to poor alignment, visible edges, or reduced bonding areas. In production environments, this often means slower processes, wasted material, or inconsistent results.

This is where tape converting becomes essential. Our converting capabilities allow adhesive tapes and materials to be prepared exactly for your specific application:

• Precision Slitting: Delivering exact widths for consistent application and automated processes.
• Die-Cutting: Producing accurate, repeatable shapes for faster assembly.
• Specialised Formats: Spooling, laminating, and cut-to-size materials for specialised workflows.

When tapes are prepared to the correct dimensions, businesses benefit from better efficiency and cleaner results. In our world, millimetres really do matter.

Real-World Applications

We regularly see how our tape systems perform across different industries. From construction to industrial manufacturing, matching the right technical adhesive tape to the application is what creates a successful outcome.

Outdoor Construction: One recent project used a 2mm gel tape to compensate for small undulations in a wooden frame. The result was a super-strong bond capable of withstanding all weather conditions.

Industrial Mounting: For customers mounting plastic to metal surfaces, using an industrial-grade double-sided mounting tape ensures a permanent bond where standard tapes might slip.

The Stikon Advantage

At Stikon, we don’t just supply adhesive tapes – we guide you to the right solution for your surface, your workflow, and your project requirements. Whatever you’re sticking, mounting, or masking, we’re here to make sure it stays put.

If you’ve got a tricky surface or a project that needs a custom-cut solution, let us know at stikon.co.uk. We’ve learnt everything about tape, so you don’t have to.