When it comes to shipping, the main goal is to get products to your customer in good condition. One of the most practical means of achieving this is with stretch wrapping. Unfortunately, estimates show that nearly billions dollars of goods are lost each year due to poor stretch wrapping practices and constant jarring and vibrating of shipments in transportation.

There are many characteristics that influence the effectiveness of stretch wrapping such as the containment force, prestretch levels, film gauge, film width, the number of revolutions, etc. The best way to reduce much of the unnecessary damage is by managing these variables and making the adjustments necessary on the machine to ensure that your settings are aligned. However, here are a few simple things you can do to improve your chances of success:

  • Make sure your load has the proper containment force. Loads that don’t have enough containment force won’t be able to endure sharp turns and bumps during transit. To ensure you have the right containment force, double check the amount you’re currently using. Measure your loads with a tool designed to record holding force. If you need help finding the optimal amount of containment force, don’t hesitate to call Best Packaging Inc.
  • Secure your load on to the pallet, to avoid it slipping off. Stretch wrap is also designed to bind together the pallet and the load. The bumps and jostles of shipping can cause loads to come loose and without a tight seal around the load, it could get rattled or vibrated quite easily. Thus, a good stretch wrap ensures that wrap is tightly wound around the load and pallet. This creates a secure pallet and also facilitates the process of being quickly moved and stored. Loads should also be locked to the load with a film cable. Look for stretch wrappers that form a tight film cable. The film cable could mean the difference between having a secure load, or jeopardizing the film’s durability.
  • Double check for  film tails. If a tail end of stretch wrap drags or dangles from the pallet, it could catch and tumble the entire load. It can cause serious risk to those who work around it. Invest in a stretch wrapper that features a film blower specifically designed to contain all loose ends and eliminate film tails. Guarantee there are no long film tails, as this could eventually unravel during  the multiple times it’s handled during transport.

By paying attention to these details, you’ll be giving your loads the best chance to survive transportation damage. To learn more about reducing damage, give us a call at (888) 930 BEST.

What’s your take? We welcome guest bloggers! E-mail socialmedia@bestpackaging.com if you’d ever like to collaborate.