Stretch wrap, also known as stretch film, is a plastic film that may be stretched over objects to keep them firmly in place. Pallet stretch wrap is most frequently used to secure boxes and products during transportation and storage by wrapping them around shipping pallets.
Despite the apparent simplicity of its function, the stretch film comes in a wide variety nowadays, making it often challenging to choose the right kind for you and your products. This blog will discuss various stretch wrap varieties and provide examples of when each can be the ideal option for you and your company.
Different Types of Pallet Stretch Wrap
First, there are two ways to apply the stretch wrap, each with a specific type. Let’s discuss hand wrapping versus machine wrapping.
Hand Wrap
The term “hand wrap” refers to a film intended to be applied manually or by hand, as the name might imply. Other words include manual pallet wrap, hand film, hand stretch wrap, and hand stretch. This kind of wrapping works best in low-volume operations where it is impractical to invest in a machine applicator because it is manual and time-consuming.
Machine Wrap
On the other hand, machines stretch wrap refers to a film used mechanically. There are many advantages to using these machines for your pallet wrap stretch film, even though they can be expensive. It is superior to hand wrapping in terms of efficiency and worker safety, making it perfect for high-volume applications requiring consistent quality wrapping.
Machine pallet wrap provides quicker and more time-effective packing, safer application, more secure loading, and lower prices because the machine uses materials more effectively.
Following your choice of hand or machine wrapping, you must now think about the kind of stretch wrap you will apply. The strength, stretch, transparency, and other properties of plastic films vary depending on how they are made. In light of this, let’s look at three of the most typical varieties of stretch film:
Blown Wrap
The blown wrap is formed via blown extrusion, which gives it its name. Air is blown into the freshly stretched film during this operation. The plastic is then progressively cooled by the air as it is released. This produces a wrap that is incredibly strong and rip-resistant. The blown wrap typically has a higher price tag because its manufacture is more complicated and time-consuming. The blown wrap also requires more effort to stretch since it is denser and has a high stretch memory.
Cast Wrap
How each is chilled during production determines the fundamental distinction between blown and cast wrap. Blown wrap cools gradually as the air is expelled, as we explained previously. While being extruded, cast wrap cools significantly more quickly because it is dragged out on lower-temperature rollers. As a result, the production process is more effective and economical, which benefits the consumer. The lesser density of this form of stretch wrap, however, means that it does not satisfy the quality standards of blown wrap in terms of holding power and tear resistance, making it unsuitable for the heaviest of applications, even though it is more widely used on the market due to its lower cost.
Pre-Stretch Wrap
Pre-stretch wrap, as its name implies, is a variety of pallet stretch wrap that has been wound onto rolls at the factory and pre-stretched before being sold. As a result, the application is simplified, and worker effort is reduced because the film is already stretched before application. Pre-stretch wrap uses less material overall since each roll is already used, allowing the user to squeeze the most material possible from each one.
Stretch wrapping is one of the most popular techniques for holding the products on your pallet. Stretch film, often constructed of polyethylene, is a thin, elastic-plastic sheet used to connect and secure cased goods to a pallet.
This tension creates a constriction force around the load that holds it in place as you stretch and wrap the pallet. This can prevent product damage during transportation from improper handling, unforeseen movements, or problems brought on by the weather.
The top 3 advantages of covering pallets with the stretch film are listed below.
Pallet Stretch Wrap Offers Protection
The safety it provides is among the perks of adopting stretch film for your pallets. Keeping the products tightly linked helps avoid product tampering, injuries, and other problems.
Stretch film offers several protection advantages, including:
- Stretch film shields items and products from moisture, dust, and other contaminants.
- You can hide the contents of the load and lower theft by using opaque stretch material.
- UVI stretch sheets can shield your products from UV rays if you store them outdoors.
- Stretch wrapping helps in making your pallet load safer, allowing you to minimize the risk of shipping damages.
Pallet Stretch Wrap Offers Efficiency
Stretch film will save you a ton of money if your company regularly wraps pallets because it will make employees more productive and reduce the risk of damage.
How pallet stretch wrap film can help?
- Stretch film boosts worker productivity and packaging effectiveness.
- By enabling inspections, it enhances inventory control and is more energy-efficient than shrink-wrap systems.
- Generally speaking, stretch film is less expensive than alternatives like strapping and pallet wrapping.
Pallet Stretch Wrap Films are Recyclable
In essence, most businesses are moving in the direction of sustainability. Unlike most other plastics, stretch film wrap for pallets is recyclable and is categorized as a category 4 item in most programs. Stretch films are both affordable and practical.
Top stretch film recycling advantages include:
- It can be reused and recycled; thus, going green can make a significant impact.
- You may get out of tipping costs and helps get some money back by recycling.
Buy Pallet Stretch and Shrink Wrap at Safe Packaging
Although the cost-effectiveness of each form of stretch film can initially seem to be identical, there are key distinctions. Tensile and tear strengths, application time, and material quality are a few examples. It would help if you considered these variations while choosing and employing the best wrap for your jobs.
Safe Packaging offers a wide range of pallet wrap, pallet wrap dispensers, stretch wrap dispensers, flush core, cardboard core, wrap mini stretch wrap, shrink wrap, and a lot of other packaging materials and products for the packaging of your goods.
If you are looking for high-quality, cost-effective, high-performance, high-volume pallet or security pallet wrap, look no further than Safe Packaging.
