Pallet wrap plays an important role in the packaging world. Wrapping pallets is a cost-effective and fast way to protect your goods through transit. In this guide, we’ll take you through exactly what pallet wrap is and how to wrap a pallet correctly.
Pallet wrap is a highly stretchable film, which is also often referred to as ‘stretch film’ or ‘stretch wrap’. It is most commonly used for wrapping around items on a pallet. The elastic recovery ensures the items are tightly bound and fully secured for transit.
By securing the load, product loss and tampering are reduced. Goods can also be protected against certain weather conditions, dust and light debris. Black or tinted stretch films are ideal for transporting goods that cannot be exposed to an excessive amount of sunlight, such as electronic items.
Versatile and highly durable, pallet wrap is primarily used in factories, manufacturing and storage. It can also be used for many everyday items such as furniture, windows and food packaging.
Pallet wrap is a plastic film most commonly made from linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). The manufacturing process involves heating and compressing resin (the small pellets of plastic material) at the specific temperature according to the viscosity required. It is then pushed through an annular die to create a continuous layer of plastic. Other resins and additives can be included such as pigment, tackifier and UV resistance.
Knowing how to wrap a pallet properly will greatly reduce the risk of damage during transit or in storage. To ensure your pallet is wrapped correctly, simply follow our tips:
To wrap a pallet correctly, you can either use a pallet wrapping machine or do it by hand. A pallet wrapping machine will automate the process, resulting in a perfectly wrapped pallet in just a matter of moments. Doing it by hand is a very manual process more suited to smaller operations.
Robopac provide leading pallet wrapping machines and you can see how to use one of their machines in the video below:
For more Robopac videos, take a look at our playlist on Youtube.
Wrapping a pallet by hand follows a very similar process but is a very manual process. Whether you’re wrapping pallets using a machine or by hand, you can follow the simple steps below as a guide to wrapping pallets:
Take a look at this video which shows how to wrap a pallet correctly:
There are three main types of pallet wrap to look out for:
Note: for extra protection from sharp edges, you can use edge guards and corner protectors.
You can buy pallet wrap online from packaging specialists such as ourselves. At Springpack, we sell an extensive range of pallet wrap, from heavy duty and pre-stretched pallet wrap, to tinted wrap.
By choosing the right gauge of film, you can securely wrap almost any weight, shape, or size of a pallet. All of our pallet wrap is sold in boxes of six, and next working day delivery is also available.
Because pallet wrap is made from LLDPE, it can be recycled. This is classed as category four in recycling programmes, meaning you can reduce your business’ packaging wastage. However, it can’t currently by collected and recycled with hard plastics. This is because the pallet wrap could get stuck in the equipment. Instead, pallet wrap is accepted at collection points located in most major supermarkets if you are unable to re-use it.
To successfully recycle pallet wrap you must ensure it is clean, with no sticky labels present. You can find your closest recycling facility by entering your postcode in the Recycle Now website.
Yes, Simply Eco pallet wrap is made up of 30% recycled materials, making it one of the most eco-friendly pallet wraps available.
As well as choosing an eco-friendly pallet wrap, you can also reduce your usage of plastic by wrapping your pallets as efficiently as possible.
When it comes to finding the right solution to protect products while in transit, stretch and shrink wraps are the most popular choices. Despite these types of wrapping having many differences, they are regularly confused.
If you’re unsure on which type of product is right for you, our helpful team will be able to advise you on the best solutions. Simply give us a call on 01905 457 000 or send an e-mail to [email protected].
We get asked this a lot. And it all depends on what you are wrapping – the size of the pallet, and the goods being wrapped. If the pallet height is short, you will use less wrap. If you happen to be wrapping a pallet that is already incredibly sturdy, again, you will use less wrap. We generally recommend conducting a free Packaging Audit, so we offer some hints and tips on reducing the amount of wrap you are using.
If you have any questions or need more information about any of our products, give our friendly and knowledgeable team a call on 01905 457 000 or send an email to [email protected], we’re always happy to help! Why not register for an account with us today, to receive regular e-mails about our products, services and latest offers!
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