Making the switch from applying stretch wrap by hand to using a machine can be an expensive upfront cost, but in the long run can save companies thousands of dollars in cost. There are a variety of options to choose from when considering a stretch wrap machine as well as many other options to choose from when choosing a machine stretch film.
In this post we are going to cover a variety of machine stretch wrap options. We will detail which options are best for different load types and which industries commonly use each type of film. The best way to begin would be to define what machine stretch wrap is and how to identify a machine stretch wrap roll vs. a hand stretch wrap roll.
Machine Stretch Wrap – Cast or blown Extruded LLDPE film on rolls commonly ranging from 20 inches to 80 inches wide. Roll lengths are often between 3,000 ft – 9,000 ft in length. Thicknesses of machine stretch wrap range from 35 gauge thicknesses up to 150 gauge thicknesses. The most common core size used for most machine stretch wrap is 3 inches.
There are a large variety of film options to choose from when considering a machine stretch film. One of the most important factors to consider when using a machine stretch wrap is the thickness of the film and the resin mixture. The thickness of the film is self-explanatory. One issue many people struggle with when considering a machine stretch wrap is the resin mixture.
In the past, all stretch film was measured in gauge thickness and had a 150% to 250% stretch rate. Machine stretch wrap is a petroleum-based product and the increase of petroleum prices has encouraged advancements within the stretch film industry. Extruders have began offering different resin mixtures that offer comparable load retention at less cost. These new resin mixtures often produce a stiffer, thinner film that is commonly measured in micron thickness. Our blog post titled Stretch Wrap Savings details what different resin mixtures offer and how they can save companies money in film cost. For this post we are going to go over the different machine stretch film we offer and what each thickness and resin mixture is commonly used for.
True Gauged Machine Stretch Wrap – This is the top-of-the-line stretch wrap we offer. A true gauged stretch film offers a 150% stretch rate. The use of a thick machine stretch wrap with a high stretch rate offers excellent puncture resistance for non-uniform loads.
Our true gauged machine stretch wrap is available in widths from 20 inches to 80 inches. Thicknesses are available from a 70 gauge thickness up to 150 gauge thickness. We recommend true gauged stretch wrap to anyone wrapping heavy uniform pallet loads or non-uniform pallet loads.
Many companies wrapping heavy pallet loads full of boxes choose to use a 70 or 80 gauge machine stretch film for extra load production opposed to other resin mixtures. Most companies using a true gauged film in excess of 80 gauge are typically wrapping non-uniform loads or loads other than boxes.
The 90 gauge machine stretch wrap is a popular item with our wood and forestry companies. The 90 gauge often provides enough puncture resistance to effectively wrap full wood pallet loads. The 100 gauge up to 150 gauge machine stretch film is used by a wide variety of companies wrapping everything from 55 gallon drums, railroad ties, and even palletized scrap metal.
Performance Machine Stretch Wrap – Performance machine stretch wrap is a different resin mixture to make the machine stretch film thinner and stiffer. The stiffer film promotes better load retention, but not comparable puncture resistance to a true gauged stretch film. Companies wrapping uniform pallet loads can reduce cost and maintain load retention with performance machine stretch film.
The performance machine stretch film offers the ability to down gauge. Companies wrapping uniform loads with a true gauged machine stretch wrap can often down gauge from a true 80 gauge to a 63 gauge performance film. The 63 gauge film offers the same load retention as the true gauged 80 gauge stretch film. Because of this, a performance stretch film is often referred to as an equivalent stretch film.
We offer performance machine stretch wrap in thicknesses from a 45 gauge to a 115 gauge. Equivalent machine stretch wrap thickness is often measured in microns. View our gauge conversion chart to convert micron to gauge. The chart will help to clear confusion on actual film thickness. We do have some customers using the thicker stiffer film for non-uniform loads. It does not have the same puncture resistance as a true gauged film, but for the price it often accomplishes the task at hand.
Pre-Stretched Machine Stretch Wrap – Pre-stretched machine stretch wrap is a true gauged machine stretch wrap stretched to 90% stretchability and placed back on a roll. We recommend a pre-stretched machine stretch wrap for companies wrapping lite uniform loads.
A pre-stretched machine stretch wrap can be an excellent option because it requires a machine to use less energy and the film cost is considerably cheaper. We recommend the pre-stretched machine stretch wrap for uniform pallet loads less than 1000 lbs.
A real popular industry we sell our pre-stretched machine stretch wrap too is nurseries. Many nurseries often ship light pallet loads of potted plants. Another common industry that uses pre-stretched machine stretch wrap is the medical industry. Pallet loads are often light and uniform and a pre-stretched film is more than adequate to secure products.
If you have any questions about machine stretch film or would like a quote, call us at 1-800-441-5090. You can also view all of our machine stretch wrap products by clicking on the link. All pallet orders of machine stretch film ship free with substantial discounts!
Packaging Blog 