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Reconsidering your pallet wrapping options in the light of new materials and technologies
Pallet wrapping is one of the most foundational processes in logistics, but as demand picks up, it&#;s worth a review. Warehouses today face more pressure than ever to ship goods safely, quickly and often with fewer workers. In light of these rising standards, businesses should consider if they&#;re using the best pallet wrapping techniques.
As with many things, the best wrapping method depends on the warehouse and even the specific shipment at hand. Here is a rundown of the most common approaches and when they might be the best option.
Pallet Wrapping Techniques by Approach
There are a few ways to divide pallet wrapping techniques. The first and most straightforward is by the actual workflow, whether it&#;s manual or automated.
Manual Pallet Wrapping
Manual wrapping &#; also called hand wrapping &#; is the most straightforward approach. While these approaches have fallen out of favor in many circles, they can still provide some advantages. Humans are more flexible than machines, so if a pallet has an unusual shape or size or requires more delicacy, hand wrapping may be ideal.
On the other hand, 73% of employers today cite difficulty finding enough staff. Consequently, some facilities may not have enough employment levels to maintain peak productivity while manually wrapping pallets.
Generally speaking, manual wrapping is sufficient for smaller operations or those with many unusual pallet loads. However, in most cases, automation is the better option.
Machine Pallet Wrapping
Machine wrapping comes in many forms, but they all share a significant advantage &#; they&#;re far faster than manual methods. Because they don&#;t require as many employees, these machines also help mitigate labor shortages. While they don&#;t perform as well with unusually sized or shaped loads, they offer more precision with standardized pallets.
Automated wrapping machines generate data as they work, leading to ongoing improvements. This technology helps validate load wrapping performance by revealing trends over where errors arise, which warehouses can use to adjust the process.
The most considerable downside to machine wrapping is its high upfront costs. The efficiency savings will compensate for that over time, but the return on investment may be too slow for smaller operations to justify it.
Pallet Wrapping Techniques by Material
Another way to divide pallet wrapping techniques is by the material they use. There are more wrapping materials on the market today than many businesses may realize, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few of the most notable.
Cast Film
The unofficial industry standard for pallet wrapping is cast film. This material &#; mostly made from linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) &#; offers uniform thickness throughout the roll, quiet unrolling and high clarity, which is helpful for barcode scanners. Its quick production process also means it&#;s typically inexpensive, which is particularly helpful amid rising industrial rents and other high expenses.
Cast film is technically less stretchable than blown film &#; the other major category &#; but it requires less force to stretch. Consequently, it&#;s often the stretchier material in practice. However, it has lower stretch memory, making it less durable. Wrapping in several layers can help account for that loss, but that incurs higher material costs.
Blown Film
The other of the two largest groups of pallet wrapping materials is blown film. As the name implies, this wrap comes from a process that blows hot resin to stretch and cool it. While the process takes longer and costs more, it gives blown film some unique advantages.
Blown film is more tear and puncture-resistant than cast film. It also clings better and produces less waste in manufacturing, making it a leaner material. However, it&#;s also more expensive and difficult to apply. Many facilities also note it&#;s much louder when unrolling, which can disrupt the workplace.
Engineered Cast Film
As the most popular pallet wrapping technique, cast film is a broad category covering several unique subtypes with specific advantages and disadvantages. One of the most important of these is engineered cast film. Engineered film uses far more layers than standard cast wrap, increasing its strength, even at lower gauges.
Engineered film uses a blend of high-performance materials that conventional wraps may not offer. As a result, it stands up better to tears and punctures and clings to material better. Considering as much as 11% of some loads arrive at distribution centers damaged, that advantage is hard to ignore. However, it&#;s less widely available and may come at a higher cost, making it less accessible for smaller operations.
Pre-Stretched Film
Another essential type of cast film to know is pre-stretched film. As its name implies, manufacturers stretch this material before wrapping it around the roll. This pre-stretching makes it far easier to handle, which can help reduce material consumption and save costs.
Because workers don&#;t have to pull as hard to apply pre-stretched film, it can prevent overexertion injuries. Workplace injuries cost employers $163.9 billion in , so this accident prevention carries cost benefits, too. The only major downside to pre-stretched film is it&#;s only suitable for manual wrapping techniques, so automated processes can&#;t capitalize on it.
Paper Wraps
While LLDPE and similar materials are the most common wrapping materials, some promising alternatives have emerged recently. Paper wraps use flexible, durable paper to keep pallet loads in place while minimizing companies&#; plastic consumption. This provides more strength and durability than conventional alternatives.
Paper wraps also shield shipments from sunlight, which is vital for some more sensitive products. Some vendors may also cite environmental benefits given their recyclability, but businesses should analyze these claims carefully. Paper requires extensive energy to produce and contributes to deforestation. As strategies like closed-loop supply chains become more popular, companies must be careful to avoid &#;greenwashing&#; &#; or claiming to be more sustainable than they are.
Choosing the Best Pallet Wrapping Techniques
Given each material and process&#;s unique characteristics, there&#;s no one answer to the best pallet wrapping techniques. That varies depending on the specific operation at hand.
Generally speaking, machine wrapping is preferable to manual wrapping, as it&#;s far faster and more affordable long term. With freight demand expected to grow by 40% by , that efficiency will become increasingly important. Even lower-volume facilities should consider automation amid this trend, starting by automating a single process before slowly increasing it to offset upfront costs.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Semi Automatic Stretch Wrap Machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Considering this rising demand, high-volume facilities should also consider low-cost, easy-to-implement wrapping materials. Engineered cast film is often one of the best choices, though standard cast film may be sufficient if engineered wrap is too expensive. Contrastingly, blown film may be best for low-volume but high-value shipments, given its reliability.
Companies with unique needs should consider unorthodox alternatives like paper wraps. These may come with higher upfront costs but can provide valuable benefits that other solutions don&#;t, like protection from sunlight.
Find the Best Technique for Your Business
Finding the best pallet wrapping techniques means understanding what&#;s available and what different shipments need. When you know your budget, all available options and goals, you can make a more informed decision.
Are you using the most suitable wrapping materials and processes to optimize your operations?
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18 October
Wrapping a pallet efficiently and securely in the world of modern logistics and warehousing is a task that must be completed properly. A pallet-wrapping machine can be an excellent investment and an absolute game changer, particularly if you have many pallets to wrap. Using a machine, known for its ability to wrap pallets with precision and accuracy, will ensure that your pallets are wrapped correctly and quickly, saving valuable time and manpower. In fact, a pallet wrap machine will wrap the same amount of pallets in one hour as three people could by hand. This is a huge time saver.
We understand that before you invest in a big piece of machinery, there are several key factors that you need to consider. In this article, we will delve into the essential elements that should guide your decision-making process and help you make a choice that is aligned with your needs, objectives and budget.
What is a pallet wrapping machine?
There are different types of pallet wrapping machines to choose from depending on your needs but each one ensures a fast, efficient service to ensure that pallets are wrapped securely and with complete uniformity. Not only does this ensure that your loads reach their destination in excellent condition, but it also gives a good impression of your company when your pallets are wrapped securely and neatly.
Selecting a pallet wrapping machine for your needs
There are two main types of stretch wrap machines available to suit your needs and each one has its advantages. These include:
Speed turntable wrapping machine
This works by positioning the loaded pallet on top of the turntable provided. The turntable then rotates to dispense the stretch film, attached to a vertical mast which can move up and down if required. This is an ideal machine for standard pallet loads and accounts for 8 out of 10 pallet wrap machines sold.
Rotary arm wrapping machine
This pallet wrap machine does not require the pallet to be moved before it is wrapped and is designed for demanding applications. If you regularly wrap awkwardly sized or fragile loads that are difficult to move before the load has been secured, a rotary arm wrapping machine may be the right choice for you. It utilises an overhead arm that rotates around the load to apply the stretch film.
Read about the differences between blown and cast stretch wrap and its uses.
Key features
There are some key features that either come as standard or can be added to your pallet wrapping machine. These include:
- Easy-to-use control panel
- Film dispensers with dust and rain protection
- Ramp to load pallets
- Electric pre-stretching functions
Automatic or semi-automatic?
Both are similar but there are some differences that could sway your decision depending on your working conditions.
Semi-automatic stretch wrapping machines
Most semi-automatic stretch wrapping machines will require an operator to ensure their proper and safe operation. Such tasks might include initiating the wrapping cycle by pressing a start button or cutting the film at the end of the process.
This type of stretch wrapping machine is particularly well-suited for warehouses with lower output volumes.
Automatic stretch wrapping machines
Automatic stretch wrapping machines are ideally suited for packaging operations with high volumes, in warehouses that operate at high speeds. Fully automatic stretch wrapping machines handle the entire wrapping process from beginning to end with no intervention needed.
Benefits of using a pallet wrapping machine
If you are considering purchasing a pallet wrapping machine, you may be wondering what the benefits of using one are. They include:
- Reduction in costs - Cut down on human resources and use less film than you would if you were wrapping by hand.
- Security - Ensure that your pallets are wrapped as tightly and securely as possible with the use of a machine. Guarantee that the tension and stretch will be correct on every pallet.
- Efficiency - Eliminate the risk of human error and potential work-based accidents, thus improving work conditions for staff.
- Speed of wrapping - Consider the number of pallets your business will wrap in a day. Pallet wrap machines are capable of wrapping between 25 and 180 pallets in one hour depending on which model you choose.
Other things to consider
As well as the features of your pallet wrapping machine, you also need to consider factors surrounding your business and budget to decide whether a pallet wrapping machine is right for you. Some things to consider include:
- Space - Ensure you have the measurements of the pallet wrapping machine before you purchase it. Will it fit comfortably in the space you have? Will you still have room to manoeuvre around it and have the space you need for other essentials and people?
- Budget - Make sure that your budget allows for the additional cost of purchasing and operating a pallet wrapping machine. This may not affect your budget at all as you will be able to cut down the time taken to wrap pallets and the human resources required to wrap the pallet.
- What you are wrapping - Consider what products you are wrapping. Would your company benefit from a pallet wrapping machine?
- Business growth - Estimate how much your business will have grown in the next five years and choose a wrapping system that can meet future demands, not just provide a service for the present moment.
What is the cost of a pallet wrapping machine?
The cost of pallet wrapping machines varies depending on which one you are looking to purchase. A semi-automatic pallet wrapping machine varies from approximately £4,000 to £6,000, whilst a fully automatic one ranges from approximately £6,000-£9,000.
Buy a high-quality machine pallet wrap from Industrial Polythene
Industrial Polythene stands as a leading supplier of polythene packaging solutions. Our dedicated team brings together over five decades of unrivalled expertise in the industry. We cater to a wide array of diverse business sectors, consistently delivering solutions to meet specific requirements.
If you would like to talk to us about your polythene packaging requirements, contact us today.
The company is the world’s best stretch film machine use factory supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
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