Has your stretch film passed its use-by date? Four pallet wrap ponderings
First, let’s be clear, there is no need to hurry about looking for little best before dates on your boxes of pallet wrap. Pallet wrap isn’t like yoghurt or whisky* – it doesn’t have a physical use-by date.
However, there are a few wrap products out in the market that are definitely worth leaving in the past. That’s why we’ve provided some criteria to check to ensure your wrap is up to date and up to standard.
1. Noise.
Wrapping pallets by hand can be ear destroying if you are using traditional blown film because the tackifier in this wrap (what makes it stick) can make a considerable noise when the film is being unwound. This is compounded by the fact that many working in a DC won’t wear ear protection so as to listen for any hazards nearby – like reversing forklifts for instance.
We have written an article here about the dangers of noisy pallet wrap. This article includes a handy decibel guide that covers the complete range of noise, from Godzilla to the world’s smallest violin. You may be surprised just where blown pallet hand wrap is on this list!
2. Breakage
How often is your stretch film breaking while wrapping pallets? These incidents can be the result of incorrect machine settings. Or sometimes it’s simply a matter of the wrap not being up to standard.
That’s why it’s not just product damage and returned goods that are worth considering when assessing stretch film suitability. The ability of a stretch film to consistently wrap pallets without tears or breakage is vital.
3. Stretch
How much wrap are you actually getting from each roll of film? Older pallet film may only stretch 100% before reaching its limit. When used in stretch wrapping equipment our Clearwrap is guaranteed up to 200% yield per roll.
Nanowrap stretches up to 300% without compromising its incredible strength and durability. This means that, despite a higher price per roll, it can actually wrap far more cost-effectively than older wrap. It’s not just this cost to consider – with more pallets wrapped per roll there’s less downtime with roll changeover.
4. Weight
Let’s face it – hand-wrapping pallets can be difficult. It can be a technique issue or an application tool that requires walking backwards around the pallet or, often the weight of the roll can cause problems. Older stretch film can weigh approximately 4kgs to 5kgs. Innovative new hand film will weigh half of this, making wrapping far easier.
If a distribution centre can foresee issues with repetitive strain injuries down the track, then it’s quite likely time to move on to a better, safer alternative.
Getting the right wrap for your needs can make a big difference across a number of key metrics in a distribution centre.
If you’re unsure of whether your company should be using blown film or cast film for pallet wrapping have a read of this article. Otherwise get in touch with one of our team for a pallet wrap audit. We’ll get you up to speed and up to date.
