What Products are Right for Film
You have unlimited options when it comes to selecting packaging to protect your products. Stretch film is great when your goal is to wrap products together and secure them safely and tightly, often to a pallet. This is ideal when you want to wrap a collection of products together to keep them contained and organized.
Stretch film is utilized through the whole distribution process: from the time the boxes are placed on the palette, storage and sorting in the distribution center, and through transportation.
Benefits & Types of Stretch Film
There are many vulnerabilities that packages are subject to during transit. Stretch film helps to reduce problems during transit, such as product damage, loss, and tampering. Your customers care about the condition of the package and its contents upon arrival, and stretch film is often the saving grace for keeping packages clean and dry.
Packages often get mixed up or are disorganized in distribution centers and on trucks. Stretch film minimizes the chances that boxes are contaminated or interfered with since they securely contain packages. It also prevents worker injuries that can occur when products are not securely fastened together to a pallet.
Stretch film comes in a variety of thicknesses, widths, colors, and formulations to suit the needs of your packages. At Hughes, we offer different types of stretch films: blown stretch film, hand film, colored and printed film, cast film, and machine film.
Automation and Equipment
To properly adhere stretch film, you will need stretch wrapping machinery. Wrapping by hand is possible but often cumbersome for your workers. It can create safety risks and reduce output quantity and speed. If you are looking for a more professional way to package your products, reduce your film usage and improve your operations, start using stretch wrapping equipment. Stretch wrapping machinery will ensure your boxes are tightly wrapped together to create more stable loads and palettes.
Our packaging experts are versed at selecting the right equipment depending on your needs. At Hughes, we offer a comprehensive selection of stretch wrappers:
- Semi-automatic turntable stretch wrappers: save on warehouse space and labor; a variety of output levels with professional results
- Automatic turntable stretch wrappers: you change the film, the machine does the rest; conveyor belt design to optimize output; intuitive, innovative and efficient
- Semi-automatic rotary arm straddle wrappers: offers the flexibility necessary for wrapping unique products without weight restrictions
- Automatic rotary arm straddle stretch wrappers: the rotary arm moves around product keeping products stable; ideal for fragile or unstable loads; high outputs, reduced labor costs
Additional Resources for Stretch Film
Protect your bottom line and your products by following our best practices:
- Stack boxes evenly and protect corners to avoid film damage
- Make sure film is stored and handled properly so that it is not damaged prior to use
- People often use more film than is necessary for the product. Use packaging machinery and contact a Hughes packaging expert to determine the necessary amount of film
- Use the correct amount of force to ensure products are safe but not crushed or twisted
- Buy double length rolls to reduce your changeover time
Here is some important terminology for you to remember when talking about stretch film:
- Stretch film: Film used to collect products, often to a palette
- Hand wrapping: adhering stretch wrap film by hand
- Pre-stretch film: film that is elongated to enhance the yield, commonly used with stretch film equipment
- Semi-automatic stretch film machinery: machinery that is operated by human labor to optimize the stretch film wrapping process
- Automatic stretch film machinery: stretch film machinery that functions without human labor to produce professional packages and high output
Related posts about stretch film:
- How to stop repetitive work when stretch wrapping: tips to reduce worker injuries related to repetitive motions that come from hand wrapping stretch film
- Prevent stretch film mistakes: more on how to properly contain your product with stretch film
- Film break frustration? 2 common reasons for stretch film breaks: load profile hazards and stretch wrapping machine settings
- Benefits of stretch film: top of the line protection, increased efficiency, improved warehouse space, and more
- Shrink wrap and stretch film defined for commercial packaging: learn about the differences and when to use shrink wrap vs. stretch film
Contact the experienced team at Hughes Enterprises to find the right packaging line solution for you.