Question from Jonathan: We tried a new stretch film expecting significant savings, but after tracking our film spend, we found it actually increased. To make matters worse, load failures also went up. What would cause that?
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for sending in your question. Unfortunately, you are not alone!
We regularly test and characterize the performance of competitive films, and the data we collect gives us unique insight, allowing us to provide an objective answer.
Stretch films are typically priced by the roll, but that can be a misleading way to compare cost. Here’s why.
First, we have seen that the film’s gauge, width, or even the length does not match what was advertised. This means you will wrap fewer pallets per roll using that film. Second, the film may require additional wraps to meet your load containment standard, which further increases usage. Third, the film may not tolerate the same stretch levels before web breaks occur during the wrap cycle.
When web breaks become frequent, operators normally reduce tension until the film no longer breaks. While that may solve the immediate issue, it creates another. The film is no longer stretched as far, so it remains thicker. That added thickness means more film weight is being applied to the load with every revolution, increasing your cost.
As stretch film is stretched, its elastic properties are reduced, which is beneficial because it provides resistance to continued stretch when forces are applied to the load during transit. The challenge occurs when stretching to the level where the film’s performance (resistance to stretch) is maximized, because at higher levels of stretch, it becomes brittle and prone to web breaks as the load is being wrapped. Conversely, if too much elasticity remains in the film, it will continue stretching in transit and fail to provide sufficient load containment. A classic Catch 22!
Getting back to your question, there is a far more effective method to use to compare stretch film cost than by looking at roll price alone.
Think about the true purpose stretch film serves. You are not really buying plastic; You are buying load containment. More specifically, you are buying the prevention of load failures. To accurately compare films, consider what it costs to wrap a load to your required containment standard.
Using the cost per pallet metric creates a level playing field and is the only reliable way to compare films while accurately forecasting long term usage and spend.
As you discovered, the cheapest film per roll can end up costing significantly more per pallet. Worse yet, the reduced load containment can lead to expensive load failures. Even a small increase in film cost per pallet adds up quickly when you’re wrapping hundreds or thousands of loads per day.
Now that we’ve established why purchasing less expensive rolls of stretch film doesn’t mean lower total spend, let’s talk about an option that you might want to consider to reduce your stretch film cost per pallet.
We have studied the physics of load containment and through that, developed a technology that allows us to stretch our film much farther than conventional films, including high-performance films. By incorporating reinforcement filaments into the full web, our film can be stretched to the point where virtually all the elasticity in the film has been removed.
These filaments also prevent web breaks, so you can wrap with much higher levels of pre-stretch and applied tension. The result is up to three times the load containment performance while using about half the amount of film per pallet. In most cases, the number of wraps needed is reduced substantially as well, giving you more line throughput.
At the end of the day, you may pay a little more per roll, but you will see substantial savings per pallet with each one you wrap! After reviewing your load configuration and current load containment standard, we can provide you with a detailed Value Analysis that quantifies exactly what benefits you can expect.
Thanks for asking!
