Pre Stretch Film: Everything You Need to Know
Pre-stretched film, a game-changer in the world of packaging and logistics, has revolutionised the way businesses secure their products for transit. In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know about pre-stretched film – from its innovative design to its countless benefits and how it can streamline your packaging process, saving you time and resources.
What is Pre Stretch Film: What are the Different Types, Benefits and Features
Pre Stretched film is a highly versatile pallet wrap used to secure products during transportation and warehousing. It is available in range of different forms including machine and hand film rolls, each suited to specific packaging requirements.
The benefits of sing a pre-stretched film over a conventional film are very significant. From over a 50% reduction in material usage and improve sustainability, this film is at the top when it comes to load stability and protecting goods in shipment. Other benefits of pre-stretched film include a reduction in cost due to the overall usage reduction, high puncture and tear resistance and a superior holding force.
The benefits of using pre-stretched film
Hand application made easier
Manually hand wrapping a pallet with pre-stretched film is significantly easier compared to using conventional film. Pre-stretched film is already stretched during the manufacturing process, reducing the physical effort required during application. This results in less strain on the operator, quicker wrapping times, and improved consistency in tension and film thickness. Additionally, pre-stretched film is less prone to tearing or over-stretching, providing better load stability and ensuring that pallets are securely wrapped with minimal effort and maximum effectiveness, making it a preferred choice for manual pallet wrapping tasks.
Reducing the risk of damage
Pre-stretched film significantly reduces the risk of damage to packaged goods by offering enhanced load stability and durability. This specialized packaging material, pre-stretched during manufacturing, conforms tightly to the shape of products, preventing movement and ensuring items stay securely in place during transit and storage. Once the film is unravelled and applied to the pallet, it is constantly trying to shrink back to it’s original state, holding the load tightly together.
Fully recyclable and recycled content
A lot of pre-stretched films are recyclable and today it is much easier to find pre-stretched films that contain recycled materials due to the plastic packaging tax introduced in the UK. The films that contain the recycled content have a slightly hazy look to them, often more grey than virgin films that are more pure white.
Pre Stretch Film Features
Material Strength
Pre-stretched films are engineered with exceptional tensile strength, which means they can withstand significant stretching without breaking or tearing. The stretching process during manufacturing aligns polymer molecules, reinforcing the film’s structural integrity. This results in a packaging material that provides excellent load stability, puncture resistance, and tear resistance. Pre-stretched films are capable of withstanding harsh transportation conditions and storage, ensuring that packaged products remain well-protected and secure throughout their journey, arriving in the condition they left in!
Load Stability
Well known for its load stability capabilities, pre-stretched film conforms tightly to the shape of palletized goods or products keeping them completely stable in transit. Conventional films, when left to manual wrapping, often have a lot of stretch left in them even after being applied to the pallet so goods can easily move and stretch the film when in shipment. Due to pre-stretched films being stretched almost to breaking point during manufacturing they have minimal to no stretch left meaning to goods stay secure.
Reduced Thickness
As already mentioned, the manufacturing process involves stretching the film close to its maximum capacity before it’s wound onto rolls. This stretching imparts the film with improved strength and elasticity, allowing it to perform effectively with less material. As a result, pre-stretched films maintain their load-stabilizing properties while at much thinner microns than conventional film.
What is the Pre Stretch Film Used For
Pre-stretch film is commonly used across many industries but is very common in the shipping and logistics sectors. With its primary function being to protect goods from external factors and ensure they stay stable during transport, the film is widely employed in warehouses, distribution centres and manufacturing facilities and logistics operations.
Price Efficiencies of Using Stretch Film Pre-Stretched.
Using pre-stretched stretch film offers notable price efficiencies for businesses. Its pre-stretched state requires less material to achieve the same load stability, resulting in reduced film consumption and lower material costs. Moreover, the lower thicknesses of pre-stretched film not only conserves resources but also reduces waste disposal expenses. Additionally, its efficient application process saves labour time and reduces the overall packaging labour costs. While pre-stretched film may have a slightly higher upfront cost than traditional stretch film, these cost-saving benefits, combined with improved load stability and reduced material usage, make it a cost-effective choice for businesses seeking to optimize their packaging processes and budgetary constraints.
Where to Buy Pre Stretch Film
https://grip-systems.com/where-to-buy/ our range of Grip stockists are trained and ready to recommend the best pre-stretched film for your operation.
