Are you thinking about buying a stretch wrapper? Before you do, you will want to answer a few questions first. Granted, I know you probably want to get to the fun part, buying your new stretch wrapper.
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However, there are various items of consideration that you need to think about before pulling the trigger and hitting that buy button.
It may seem like a simple decision, but there are vital considerations that you should take some time to meditate upon.
For example, do you have enough space for a new stretch wrapper? How can a stretch wrapper improve your warehouse's safety?
These are but a few of the inquiries you need to mull over before confirming purchasing a new stretch wrapping machine for your business.
This article will answer the top 5 questions about stretch wrappers. Once you have read and answered these questions, you will understand the benefits of using a stretch wrapper to wrap your pallets.
The Top 5 Questions About Stretch Wrappers
When getting ready to buy a new piece of packaging machinery, there is a lot to think about. And this is also true for stretch wrappers.
Depending on your business, products, and related items, a stretch wrapper may or may not be a good choice for your business.
In order to figure out if a stretch wrapper is the right piece of packaging machinery for your company, products, and packaging line, some questions must be answered first.
Below are the top 5 questions that should be answered before making a stretch wrapper purchase. With the answers to these questions, you will be ready to chat with a packaging machinery specialist about your needs.
1. Why Would You Want Or Need A Stretch Wrapper?
This is an important question to answer, especially before trying to buy a stretch wrapper. If you don't need a stretch wrapper, why would you buy one?
It may seem trivial; however, buying a stretch wrapper just because you want one may cost your company time, money, and related assets that could be better spent elsewhere.
So, why would you need a stretch wrapper?
First and foremost, stretch wrappers are the safer option when compared to using human laborers to wrap your pallets.
Wrapping a pallet by hand requires a human being to walk briskly in circles. If you are shipping out many products, your laborers may be doing this for hours on end.
Occasional unwanted injuries due to dizziness and fatigue are not uncommon for laborers who spend 8 hours a day or more wrapping pallets by hand.
When you upgrade to a stretch wrapper, the laborers will no longer be spinning in circles all day, resulting in a safer work environment.
And a stretch wrapper maximizes both your load containment and stretch percentage, which means you will use less film resulting in less waste and more dollars saved.
Stretch wrappers also wrap much faster than human laborers, and using one will save you a great deal of time as well.
Finally, depending on how many laborers you have wrapping for how many hours each week, a stretch wrapper will often save you a ton of money.
The return on investment for a stretch wrapper is a colossal incentive in and of itself. And you can use this free stretch wrapper investment calculator to calculate your return on investment from upgrading to a new stretch wrapper!
How much money can you save with an automated stretch wrapper?
2. Do You Have The Required Space For A New Stretch Wrapper?
At first glance, this may seem like a silly question. But it's not. In fact, over the years, more than a few people have ordered a stretch wrapper only to realize upon delivery that they need more space to house it.
This is not a problem you want to have, as returning a large piece of machinery, such as a stretch wrapper, can be a time-consuming headache.
And if I had to guess, I would bet that you have many more important things to do than navigating the paperwork, calls, and correspondence required to return an unusable piece of packaging machinery.
So, before you order a stretch wrapper, take a look at the machine's spec sheets and see how much physical space you will require in your warehouse to house this machinery properly.
3. What Type Of Stretch Film Do You Use On A Stretch Wrapper?
Suppose you have never bought or used a stretch wrapper before. In that case, there are a few essential items of consideration regarding what type of stretch film you can use on your machinery.
There are two main types of stretch films on the market today. These are hand stretch film and machine stretch film.
If you currently use human laborers to wrap your pallets, you are (or should be) using hand stretch wrap for this application.
One of the common questions we get from first-time stretch wrapper buyers is, "can we use the film our laborers are using to wrap our pallets on our stretch wrapper?"
The answer is no.
When you upgrade from hand wrapping pallets to an automated stretch wrapper, you cannot use your old hand film on your new stretch wrapping machine.
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If you were to do so, this could lead to problems with your machinery, including jams, mechanical failure, and safety hazards.
4. How Can A Stretch Wrapper Improve The Safety Of Your Warehouse?
While we touched upon this in question one, the safety benefits of upgrading from hand-wrapping your pallets to a stretch wrapper cannot be overstated.
Safety should always be first. Am I right?
And so it is with stretch wrapping machinery. Stretch wrappers can help your business be a safer place to work. They do this by eliminating the need for human actions that may result in an injury.
When wrapping pallets by hand, human laborers can become dizzy and disoriented. This altered state of mind may result in poor wrapping and injury.
By switching to a pallet wrapper, you can help to ensure the safety of your employees while getting a superior wrap in a fraction of the time.
5. How Can A Stretch Wrapper Reduce Labor Costs?
It only takes one to two minutes to place a pallet on and then remove it from a stretch wrapper. This is a notably faster process to wrap a pallet.
On average, a human being spinning around a pallet of products using hand wrap takes five to ten minutes to complete the same action.
You can save a lot of time by switching from hand-wrapping pallets to using a stretch wrapper. And as the old saying goes, time is money.
Should You Upgrade To A Stretch Wrapper?
After reading this article, you should have a good idea about the potential benefits of upgrading to a stretch wrapper from hand wrapping your pallets.
But there is a lot to consider when deciding if this is the right decision for your business. Would you like to know if upgrading to a stretch wrapper from using physical labor is the right choice for your company?
If you answered yes, you will want to read this companion article Upgrading To A Semi-Automatic Stretch Wrapper.
After reading this article, you will know for sure if utilizing a stretch wrapper for your product palletizing and securing needs is the best choice for your business.
Since the s, stretch film has been used by companies of all sizes to secure packaging loads and prevent accidental damage, scuffs, weather deterioration, and more. Present-day technological advances mean we can now tailor our stretch film to the user, as well as make it more environmentally friendly - all of our stretch films are part of our 100% recyclable range.
With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know which type of hand film or machine film is most suitable for your business. This is why we have put together this helpful guide to get you started with KwikFilm and ensure you are using the ideal stretch film for your needs: from our multi-layer premium machine stretch film, KwikFilm Secure, to our Bondmark certified mini hand films - Kwikpac will provide your company with the ultimate wrapping solutions!
What is stretch film?
Stretch film (also referred to simply as 'pallet or stretch wrap') is a highly elastic and flexible plastic film, commonly made from LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene), e.g. KwikFilm Plus range or a blend of LLDPE and LDPE (low-density polyethylene), e.g. our KwikFilm Robust products. Our most premium-quality power pre-stretched machine film, KwikFilm Secure, is manufactured with more than 6 times the number of nanolayers compared to standard films on the market- making it much stronger than conventional alternatives. It is highly puncture-resistant, which helps reduce packaging waste through the use of less film.
Due to its stretchable properties, pallet wrap can secure even the most irregularly shaped loads and prepare them for shipment or storage. Stretch film can also provide support and a moisture-proof and dirt-resistant protective barrier for goods of any size. This highly economical way of protecting pallets is also a lightweight solution for banding together large or heavy loads.
Using a high-quality stretch film can provide aesthetic benefits as well as functional advantages including a reduced risk of items falling, and less chance of damage or loss. Additionally, there are various business-related advantages of using the correct stretch film including improved health and safety of workers as there is a reduced likelihood of muscle injury and a decreased strenuous workload - see grip film, it offers financial benefits through requiring less film as well as the environmental benefits of using less film (without forfeiting load security), helping our planet and allowing you meet your sustainability goals.
The most common stretch films are either clear or black in colour, though custom options are available. Wrapping pallets in opaque stretch film, such as our black KwikFilm (available as hand film or machine film), is an ideal way to colour co-ordinate shipments or conceal contents and deter vandalism or theft. Clear film, however, can similarly aid visual recognition of shipments and may have a high-gloss sheen (ideal for load security) or a more matte to opaque texture (ideal for UV protection).
How to recycle stretch film:
Due to being made from LLDPE and/or LDPE (linear low-density polyethylene and/or low-density polyethylene), stretch film is widely recyclable and the materials can be reused to make a number of different every-day items such as compost bins, plastic lumber, and postage packaging. Many LDPE-based plastics may be recycled through local collections or designated recycling centres in your area. (Always check with your council or collection centre.)
What is the difference between cling film and stretch film?
While there are visual similarities between household clingfilm and industrial stretch film, it should be noted they are not interchangeable products! Although some clingfilms are made from LDPE, these and their PVC counterparts are certified food safe due to being manufactured without additives and plasticisers. These chemicals are used in industrial stretch film to improve the flexibility of the plastic and increase its elasticity and durability. Clingfilm is also a very thin type of film (usually 8-10 microns) due to the lower strength requirements of household and catering usage. However, the thickness of the film is not always an indicator of strength as some low-micron films can be manufactured to match the strength of higher-micron films due to the additional steps taken during the manufacturing process.
What are the different types of stretch film?
The properties of the film will depend on the manufacturing process resulting in multiple types of stretch film, including: standard, cast, blown, pre-stretched, and power pre-stretched (PPS). These will all be suitable for different industries and will have different chemical compositions which give them specific benefits depending on intended application. As the name suggests, the film is stretched - this may occur during the manufacturing process, during application, or both.
Cast stretch film (e.g. KwikFilm Plus High-Performance Hand Film - Standard Core)
This type of film is manufactured for great strength and strong &#;cling&#; (adhesion to itself). It is recognised by its smooth outer texture and high-shine surface when applied to a pallet, as well as its quiet application. The film is created by melting thermoplastic materials and extruding through a specialised machine which stretches the film over a cooling roll. This solidification process happens quickly, giving the film its glossy look. Multiple co-extrusions help create additional layers, giving the film increased strength and improving its puncture resistance while maintaining uniform thickness.
Ideal for: securing light to medium-weight loads or uniformly-stacked pallets
Blown stretch film (e.g. KwikFilm High-Performance Hand Film - Extended Core)
Securing sharp objects can be tricky due to the edges piercing through the stretch film on application. By using blown stretch film you can benefit from excellent puncture resistance: reducing tearing and ripping even if less film is used. During the manufacturing process, thermoplastic materials are melted together with additives to improve cling and film strength which aid overall load stabilisation. The melted plastic is extruded as a &#;tube&#; with uniformly thin walls and air is passed through, expanding the tube like a balloon and simultaneously cooling it to a solid state (this process gives this type of film its name!) before folding it back onto itself and cutting to size. By introducing stretch during the manufacturing process, the film becomes firmer and stronger even before it&#;s been placed on the roll. Blown stretch film can be easily recognised by its matte finish and more audible application.
Ideal for: heavier, irregularly-shaped and sharp loads
Standard stretch film (e.g. KwikFilm Plus Standard Machine Film)
This film is manufactured and supplied in its non-stretched form - requiring the end consumer to ensure it is sufficiently stretched on application. Due to this, you will often see standard stretch film as a machine film option as it would be very difficult for a person to stretch the film sufficiently well to ensure a secure fit around a pallet! Many pallet wrapping machines will include a pre-stretch carriage (or even a power pre-stretch carriage which uses two carriages instead of one) to achieve a sufficiently high level of stretch (examples include our KwikFilm B Semi-Automatic Pallet Wrap Machine). For this reason, standard film can cost more per roll, however, it will last a very long time!
Ideal for: machine use
Available as both machine film and hand film, our collection of pre-stretched films are suitable for a range of industries due to their versatility and strength. Stretching the film during the manufacturing process gives it a stronger hold on the palletised goods and improves load stability. This is because the film has already been stretched part of its full capacity, meaning there is less &#;give&#; should products shift during transportation and are held more firmly in place. If applied by hand, workers will not need to apply as much pressure to stretch the film by hand. This also reduces the &#;neckdown effect&#; caused by stretching the film by hand, whereby the middle of the film stretches the most, with the sides stretching the least: creating uneven pallet coverage.
Our Bondmark accredited range is able to securely wrap one pallet using only 76g of film, compared to 237g of a competitor&#;s product with the same micron thickness - proving the thickness of the film is not the deciding factor in product efficiency! By switching to our product range, customers have seen massive savings per year and have also reduced their waste.
Ideal for: light to heavy-duty applications
Power Pre-Stretch (PPS) Film (e.g. KwikFilm Elite Power Pre-Stretch Machine Film)
Much like pre-stretch film this type of pallet wrap is stretched during the manufacturing process, allowing you to save on film costs and notice a considerable reduction in the amount of film you require per pallet. This film can only be used with a with a power pre-stretch machine, which stretches the film even further on application. This results in an overall stretch of between 200-300%, giving you up to 3m of applied film for every 1m of film on the roll. By stretching the film twice through the machine&#;s carriages, it achieves excellent pallet hold and load stabilisation as the film is stretched almost to full capacity, which prevents the items from shifting or ripping through the film due to its flexible properties.
Ideal for: machine use
Shop our full range of stretch film and pallet wrapping machines online. You can contact us any time to find out more and book your complimentary packaging audit with one of our specialists.
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