Pallet wrap is widely used to hold cartons and products together during storage, handling and transportation.
However, securing a palletised load involves more than simply applying additional layers of stretch film.
A stable transport package should consider the complete load, including the pallet or load base, product arrangement, corners, stacking requirements, wrapping material and any strapping used.
For suitable applications, Eltete Edgeboard can be combined with stretch film to provide additional corner protection, load stability and stacking support.
Q – What Is Pallet Wrap?
A – Pallet wrap generally refers to stretch film applied around products arranged on a pallet or another suitable load base.
The film helps keep individual cartons or products together as one unit during handling and transportation.
Eltete includes stretch film as one of the materials that can be combined with Edgeboard, Paper Pallets, Slip Sheets and other transport packaging components within its Transport Packaging Solutions concept.
The important point is that pallet wrap is one component of the packaging system rather than the complete packaging solution.
Q – Is Pallet Wrap Alone Enough?
A – Not necessarily.
The suitability of pallet wrapping depends on the product, carton strength, pallet configuration, load height, weight distribution, transportation method and handling conditions.
Eltete states that stretch film should be treated as part of a complete transport packaging system rather than the only method used to create load stability.
For example, stretch film can help hold cartons together, but the load may still have exposed or vulnerable corners.
This is where additional protective components can become important.
Q – Why Are Pallet Corners Important?
A – The corners of a palletised load are often important structural areas.
They may be exposed to pressure from wrapping, strapping, stacking or contact during handling.
Damaged corners can also affect the shape of the overall load.
Eltete Edgeboard is manufactured from laminated paper board and is designed to provide protection, stability and stacking strength. It can be used together with stretch film, shrink wrap or strapping according to the packaging application.
Instead of relying entirely on wrapping material, Edgeboard creates defined vertical protection around selected corners of the shipment.
Q – How Does Edgeboard Work with Pallet Wrap?
A – Edgeboard can be positioned around the external corners of a palletised load before the stretch film is applied.
The stretch film then helps hold the Edgeboards and the products together as part of the complete unit.
This combination can help protect package corners while creating a more structured outer shape for the palletised load.
Eltete identifies Edgeboard as suitable for palletisation, stabilisation, unitisation and stacking support.
For the correct result, the profile dimensions and strength should be selected according to the actual product and load requirements.
Pallet Wrap Does Not Replace Structural Protection
One common mistake in transport packaging is attempting to solve every load-stability problem by adding more wrapping material.
More stretch film does not automatically solve issues such as weak carton corners, incorrect stacking, uneven weight distribution or insufficient load support.
Eltete’s approach considers the complete packaging system rather than simply increasing material use.
Depending on the application, this may involve a suitable load base, Edgeboard, product arrangement, stretch film and strapping working together.
The objective is to use the packaging components required for the individual shipment.
Edgeboard Can Support Stacking
Palletised goods may also need to support other packages during warehousing or transportation.
Eltete identifies stacking strength as one of the functions of Edgeboard.
Profiles can be positioned around the vertical corners of a load or used within suitable packaging structures to provide additional support.
The required Edgeboard quality should still be determined from the actual product dimensions, load weight, stacking arrangement and transportation requirements.
Q – What About Strapped Pallets?
A – Some palletised loads use plastic or steel strapping in addition to stretch film.
Strapping places concentrated pressure around the areas where it contacts the package.
Eltete Edgeboard can be positioned beneath suitable strapping to protect the packaging corners and help distribute the pressure across a larger area.
Therefore, a transport packaging configuration may use both stretch film and strapping together with Edgeboard when required.
Each component performs a different function.
Stretch film helps unitise the load.
Strapping can provide additional securing force.
Edgeboard helps protect and reinforce vulnerable edges and corners.
Pallet Wrapping Starts with the Load Base
The effectiveness of pallet wrapping also depends on what is underneath the products.
Eltete’s transport packaging range includes Paper Pallets and Slip Sheets as well as other paper-based pallet components.
For suitable logistics systems, these load bases can be combined with Edgeboard, stretch film or strapping to create a complete transport unit.
The appropriate solution depends on factors including product weight, dimensions, load distribution, handling equipment, transport method and destination.
Q – How Much Pallet Wrap Should Be Used?
A – There is no single amount of stretch film that is suitable for every pallet.
Using too little wrapping may provide insufficient load control.
At the same time, simply adding more film should not be treated as a substitute for correcting problems with the pallet configuration, carton arrangement or structural protection.
Eltete’s export-packaging guidance recommends applying stretch film correctly, maintaining consistent tension and assessing load stability according to the actual shipment.
The packaging system should therefore be evaluated as a whole.
Q – When Should Edge Protection Be Considered?
A – Edge protection should be evaluated when palletised products have exposed corners, cartons are affected by wrapping or strapping pressure, stacking support is required, several cartons need to behave as one load, or additional stability is required during handling and transportation.
The appropriate Edgeboard size, quality and positioning depend on the individual application.
Eltete can select protective profiles according to the strength and other requirements of the packaging configuration.
Pallet Wrap as Part of a Complete Transport Packaging Solution
Pallet wrap is useful for securing palletised products, but effective transport packaging should not rely on wrapping material alone.
The complete load should be designed around the product and its logistics requirements.
Eltete Malaysia’s Transport Packaging Solutions concept combines products such as Edgeboard, Paper Pallets, Slip Sheets and Wrap Around with stretch film, plastic strapping or steel strapping according to individual packaging requirements.
This allows different components to perform specific functions within one transport packaging system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – What is pallet wrap used for?
A – Pallet wrap or stretch film is used to help hold cartons or products together as a unit during storage, handling and transportation.
Q – Can Edgeboard be used with pallet wrap?
A – Yes. Eltete Edgeboard can be combined with stretch film as part of a complete transport packaging system.
Q – Does Edgeboard improve pallet stability?
A – Eltete identifies stabilisation and unitisation among the applications for Edgeboard. The actual performance depends on the complete pallet configuration and product requirements.
Q – Can Edgeboard be used underneath strapping?
A – Yes. Edgeboard can be positioned beneath plastic or steel strapping to protect package corners and distribute concentrated strapping pressure.
Q – Is more stretch film always better?
A – No. The amount and application of stretch film should be matched to the actual shipment. Load arrangement, carton strength, edge protection, pallet design and other securing materials should also be considered.
Build a Better Palletised Load
If your current pallet packaging relies heavily on pallet wrap, consider whether wrapping material is being used to compensate for problems elsewhere in the load.
The correct combination of load base, Edgeboard, product arrangement, stretch film and strapping can create a more complete transport packaging system.
Contact Eltete Malaysia to discuss Edgeboard and customised transport packaging solutions based on your product, load and shipping requirements.
