MATERIALS | STRETCH AND SHRINK FILM
He said that hand film accounts for just over 40%
of total tonnage in stretch film. Because it is used to wrap pallets by hand, loads are generally inconsist- ent. However, DuoPlast worked with ProStretch in Gemany to initiate a recommendation for a consistent load unitisation with hand film. ProS- tretch comprises 21 members, including polymer producers, stretch film producers and distributors. It developed recommendations for hand
Above: KHS says its shrink packers can now handle film made completely from recyclate
ment force from 6.8 to 9kg across the product – and 10kg at the pallet. This raised load stability by 78%. Additional testing was done at 11.7 and 15.8kg – leading to load stability decreasing by 21% and 32% respectively, due to product crushing. Overall, 0.3kg of CO2 was used to stretch wrap
an average load, while the film used to wrap a truckload of water bottles creates around 8.84kg. However, while a successfully delivered truckload produced around 7,000kg of CO2, an unsuccessful one produced around 17,000 kg – due to the need for factors such as remanufacturing and redelivery. They recommended using 10% more stretch
film, rather than 10% less. This is because both the cost and carbon footprint are minimal compared to those of the product and the delivery.
Hand wrapping Erich Steiner, CEO of DuoPlast, told delegates that hand stretched film can also deliver consistent load stability.
stretching, including: making at least two or three top windings – and four or five bottom windings; cross-wrapping the entire load; using at least a 50% overlap when wrapping; and covering at least half of the pallet base with film. In a comparison of machine and hand film
stretching, they found that the machine film tended to give higher load stability and process security, plus better reproducibility. However, it required a minimum number of pallets – while hand stretching was more flexible for smaller numbers of pallets. DuoPlast has created a film called Duo Earth 4,
made from 25% PCR. It was found to have compara- ble strength and transparency to conventional films. “The difference in safe load performance between machine- and hand film is obvious,” said Steiner. “Correct wrapping with hand film will improve and support a consistent, stable load unitisation.”
Recycled content Spanish recycling specialist Saica has produced a number of polyolefin grades that help film convert- ers to incorporate recyclate into their stretch and shrink films. Luis Pellejer, director of Saica Natur Cycle Plus, said that the company produces around 25,000
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IMAGE: KHS
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