*Updated 8/30/17*

What exactly does a properly contained pallet look like?

How can you ensure that your pallets wrapped in stretch film are properly packaged? How do you consistently wrap pallets to ensure their stability? All of these questions are critical to understanding basic pallet containment.

Key containment questions:

  • What does a properly contained/unitized pallet look like?
  • How can you ensure that your pallets are properly packaged?
  • How do you consistently wrap pallets to ensure they are stable?
  • How can we help to reduce your total costs (including labor, utilization of capital, damage reduction and film usage)?

Containment force must be consistent from the top of the pallet to the bottom, creating a single package or unit. Inconsistent wrapping leads to inconsistent containment force. That leads to shifted pallets.

How do you ensure consistency?

By developing and adhering to a set of standards that include a consistent containment force from top to bottom and a consistent number of wrap revolutions, your facility can measure and repeat these standards with all of the pallets that leave your dock.

OK, that makes sense. But, now how do you consistently wrap pallets to ensure their stability?

First and foremost, publish the standard and then regularly measure against it. Train operators on those standards and how to follow them. In addition, test the containment force of all the top, middle, and bottom of the pallet, making sure that it is within the standard. Monitor the number of revolutions and measure the film's weight: are these also within the standard that you set forward?

Looking for more basics? Head over to our Hand Stretch Wrap 101 post for more.