Stretch Wrap, the Smart Way to Ship

A multitude of packaging supplies can be used to transport materials across the country, however one reigns supreme when used in bulk shipping. This packaging supply is stretch wrap, which is commonly used to transport a wide variety of products. Often used to transport multiple products at the same time, stretch wrapping offers a safe, economic solution to many companies shipping problems. The five most commonly stretch wrapped products are boxes, bottles and cans, barrels, wood, and furniture.

The most commonly stretch wrapped product are groups of boxes. Typically stretch wrapped and placed on top of a pallet, boxes can carry nearly anything a company desires. A commonly used stretch wrap is made of a high-performance resin. This high-performance resin allows companies to wrap boxes in a thinner stretch wrap, allowing more room for transportation. A pre-stretched film is often used, as it is easy to wrap boxes in and requires very little stretching to apply.

Another commonly stretch wrapped product is bottles and cans. Bottles and cans full of liquids and foods often weigh up to 2800 pounds when stacked on a pallet. This requires the use of a stronger, high-performance resin based stretch wrap in order to ensure the safety of the contents of the bottles and cans. Especially with a susceptible product, such as bottles of water, a high-grade stretch wrap is needed in order to assure their safety in transport.

Barrels are often placed on a pallet and stretch wrapped to ensure their safety. One of the heaviest products commonly shipped, barrels usually require a thick stretch wrap in order to assure safety. The most used width of stretch wrap is 80 gauge. However, fifty-five-gallon barrels often require a much thicker stretch wrap, up to 150 gauge thickness. While the increased thickness often comes at an increased cost, the price is worth it as thinner stretch wrap will often be ripped in transport, potentially costing companies thousands.

Wood is commonly stretch wrapped for transportation. Vented stretch wrap is often used in order to allow the wood to breathe and cure during shipping. It takes a few months before the wood is ready to burn after being cut, and the vented stretch wrap allows the wood to cure during transportation. Wood is often stored outside before being wrapped and placed on pallets for transportation.

One of the least known stretch wrapped products is furniture. Often dressers and desks are wrapped in order to protect their finish during transportation. These products are usually shipped individually, as they are large enough that they do not fit together. Unlike many other products, the stretch wrap is often removed from furniture as soon as shipping is completed. This is to allow the products to shown in retail stores and sold commercially.

There are many other products which can, and are transported after being stretch wrapped. Using the right gauge and type of stretch wrap is important when transporting products, as the incorrect packaging supplies will cause unnecessary expenditures and cost companies money. As a result, it is often important to double check before you order in order to be certain the right stretch wrap is being used to increase profits and ensure product safety.