7 easy steps to ensure your pallets are wrapped securely.
Select a pallet
Use a pallet that is in good shape. Ensure that it is sturdy without any broken boards or splitting edges, and that it is close to the right size to accommodate your items.
Stack your goods
Stack the items on your pallet as close together as possible. If they have space to shift after being wrapped, it will loosen the pallet wrap, making the load unstable and increasing the risk of damaged goods. If you are unable to remove gaps between items then use anti-slip layer sheets between the layers to prevent movement. Consider how you will layer your products &#; an interlocking brick stack pattern may increase pallet stability but will damage the boxes more than a column stack pattern.
Place larger, heavier items at the bottom and stack smaller, lighter items on top. Try to ensure that the goods are within the boundaries of the pallet to reduce the risk of damage in transit.
Attach the wrap
Select your pallet wrap &#; a pre-stretched film like Carewrap is best as it requires less effort to wrap and give greater holding force. You may also need a perforated wrap like Ventiwrap if your product needs to &#;breath&#;. Peel a couple of feet of pallet wrap film off the roll. Squeeze about eight inches of the end of the wrap into a loose rope and thread it through and around a corner of your pallet. Tie to secure.
Wrap from the base
Wrap around the base of the pallet keeping a consistent firm stretch on the film. Make sure you wrap it securely enough to ensure stability and to avoid anything falling off. We suggest wrapping at least 4 times around the base, keeping the wrap especially tight around the corners.
Work your way up
For more information, please visit Eopac Machinery.
Work your way up from the base, ensuring each layer overlaps the previous one. When you reach the top, start working your way back down again if required to make the load stable.
Secure the wrap
Once complete, tear the wrap and stick the end to the pallet or tuck it under one of the pallet&#;s edges.
Test the load stability
Finally, check the load stability to ensure that it is sturdy and the goods won&#;t shift in transit. You know you are done if you push the upper items and they are not loose.
Unsure what your load retention needs to be or whether the force you&#;re applying is sufficient? Contact us today to speak to one of our packaging experts or book your FREE Packaging Audit .
Properly securing your items on a pallet is essential. Typically, this is accomplished with bands or shrink wrap. In this video, our expert explains how to perform proper packaging using both banding and stretch wrapping methods.
Here are some quick tips covered in the video that can help you properly package your freight for shipment:
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Sarah Thompson: I'm Sarah Thompson with Freightquote, and I'm joined with Ryan Baldi, terminal manager for Dayton Freight. He's here to go through the dos and don'ts of proper freight packing. Ready to go Ryan?
Ryan Baldi: Let's go!
[Onscreen text: Banding and Stretch Wrapping]
Thompson: Today we're going to go through the importance of banding, stretch wrapping and load protection for your freight. These are all important items to make sure that your freight delivers properly. Ryan, can you show us exactly what correct banding looks like?
Baldi: Yes, this pallet right here is very tight. The banding is metal banding, it's crimped up and it's tightened down with a machine. And then you have the banding on the side [which] keeps the product from moving in and out. You also have this nice, sturdy wood that's on top. It keeps everything secure and tight.
Thompson: Alright, can you show us an example of one that doesn't work?
Baldi: Yes. We have this pallet here. They did a good job of separating out the levels. The problem is the banding isn't tight, everything can be moved. The product can be moved, the levels can be moved underneath it. So, this creates a big problem. Then you also have all the weight over on one side and the other side is a little empty. When it goes down the road, everything's going to shift and move and eventually the whole thing is just going to fall on the floor.
Thompson: What do you recommend they do on something like this instead?
Baldi: First of all, they used some plastic banding, nylon banding, with metal product. They should have used some metal banding. That will keep it down secure longer. Really they should have a pallet that is the same width as their product. That way you can take the banding and you can go on both sides to keep it tied down and secure. Keeping everything secure within the confines of the pallet is going to keep it safe.
Thompson: Can you show us a couple of examples of how stretch wrapping works?
Baldi: Yeah, this is a great example. They took the stretch wrap and it's very tight all the way around the pallet. They spun the wrap around to make a banding effect. They came over the top in a crisscross pattern to keep everything secure on top, and it's also attached to the pallet. That keeps it stable and it won't move anywhere.
This one here, the shrink wrap is really really loose. It doesn&#;t come all the way down to the pallet. Then you've got a pallet that's got some nails protruding from it. It doesn't go around the pallet on all sides, so what will happen if the truck stops too fast everything could slide right off.
Thompson: Ryan, thank you for your time today, we really appreciate it.
Baldi: My pleasure.
Thompson: For more Freightquote videos, visit Freightquote.com.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of pallet wrapper with scale. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.