When you think of a lumberjack, you may think of the romanticized and exaggerated folklore character, Paul Bunyan. You may picture him as a strong, unusually skilled man…hacking away at trees and eating flapjacks in his down time. Unfortunately, the lumber business is not all fun and games. It can be a dangerous industry.
A large lumber mill customer that turns trees into dimensional lumber had been using ¾ x .023 regular duty steel strapping at a cost of 5.6 cents per foot, spending over $71,000 annually on steel strap. When cutting steel bands, many people suggest always wearing gloves and eye protection. Injuries due to steel strapping occur far too often because sharp edges can easily cut and puncture human skin. The lumber mill was interested both in saving money on their strapping and also in finding a safer material to use.
After speaking to one of IPS Packaging’s specialists, they decided on a viable substitution to steel strapping. The alternative was 5/8 x .035 polyester strapping. This material had a cost of just 1.6 cents per foot, a savings of over 71% per year. The customer needed a total of five sets of strapping tools in order to run the polyester strap. IPS Packaging recommended an assortment of battery and pneumatically operated tools.
Implementing the use of polyester strapping provided the lumber company more than just one benefit. Even after paying for the start-up tool cost, the company still saved 71% in the first year alone! In addition, the lumber company knew that they were affording a much safer work environment for their employees.
The Problem: The lumber mill was interested in both saving money on their strapping and also in finding a safer packaging material.
- Expensive costs of steel strapping
- Dangers of handling steel strapping
The Solution: IPS Packaging suggested the use of polyester strapping and polyester strapping tools.
- Use of polyester strapping
- Battery and pneumatically operated tools
- Saved 71% in their first year of using polyester strapping
- Provided a safer environment for their employees
