Choosing between the different types of stretch wrap is one of the most cost-sensitive decisions in a warehouse. Get it right and you cut film consumption, reduce in-transit damage and wrap faster. Get it wrong and you pay for that mistake on every single pallet that leaves your dock.
Through cutting-edge innovation and product development, Omni Group has released a comprehensive range of pallet stretch wrap to suit every application. But the most cost-effective result never comes from the roll alone. It comes from matching the film to the pallet wrapper. This is what we refer to as The Perfect Pallet Wrapping Solution: Omni Stretch Film paired with an Omni Pallet Wrapper.
This stretch wrap guide takes Australian warehouse, manufacturing and distribution teams through ten questions that settle how to choose stretch wrap for any load. Work through them and you will know exactly which type of pallet wrap your operation needs, and why it matters.
Types of stretch wrap at a glance
Before working through the questions, here is how the main stretch film types compare and where each one earns its place.
|
Stretch film type |
Best suited to |
Key benefit |
|
Hand stretch wrap |
Low volumes, irregular loads, satellite sites |
Low entry cost, no machine required |
|
Machine stretch wrap |
Consistent daily pallet volumes |
Higher yield, consistent containment force |
|
Coloured stretch wrap |
Pallet identification, QA, branding |
Colour-codes loads at a glance |
|
Black or white opaque wrap |
High-value or temperature-sensitive loads |
Conceals contents, tamper evident |
|
Ventilated stretch wrap |
Fresh produce, chilling and freezing, hot fill |
Lets the load breathe, cuts cooling time |
|
UV resistant stretch wrap |
Pallets stored outdoors |
Stops the film going brittle in sunlight |
|
Bundling wrap |
Bundling loose items, not palletised loads |
Narrow film, no pallet required |
One clarification before we start: bundling wrap is a narrow film used to bundle loose items such as timber, pipe, doors or extrusions together. It is not a pallet wrap, so if your task is holding a group of products together rather than securing a load to a pallet, that is the range you want. Everything below deals with palletised loads.
1. Do you wrap your pallets by machine or by hand?
When selecting what type of stretch wrap you require, the first thing to identify is whether you wrap your pallets with a machine or manually by hand. Stretch wrap comes in different core sizes and roll lengths to suit each method. Hand stretch wrap rolls usually weigh around 3 kg, while machine stretch wrap rolls are about 14 kg.
The options do not stop there. There are multiple types of hand and machine stretch wrap designed for different load types, which the questions below will help you narrow down.
Just because you currently hand wrap your pallets does not mean you have to continue with that method. Hand wrapping can look like a cheaper alternative to buying a pallet wrapping machine, but it is a false economy. An Omni pallet wrapping machine will pay for itself through savings in wrapping time and film reduction.
To avoid the capital outlay of purchasing a pallet wrapper, we offer alternative payment options including a free machine based on consumable supply, machine rental, and Pay Per Pallet Wrapped.
2. What is your pallet load type and size?
Stretch wrap and pallet machine manufacturers divide pallet loads into three categories, based on load stability, difficulty in wrapping and protrusions. Identifying yours is the single biggest factor in choosing the right film.
|
Load type |
Profile |
Wrapping implication |
|
A-Type |
Straight sides, no protrusions, slightly inboard, stable |
Standard film performs well |
|
B-Type |
Relatively straight sides, protrusions under 50 mm, relatively stable |
Needs better puncture resistance |
|
C-Type |
Odd shapes, severe protrusions, unstable |
Needs high-performance film and higher containment force |
3. What stretch film thickness do you need?
Film thickness is measured in microns, and thicker is not automatically better. A high-performance film at a lower micron can outperform a heavier conventional film, because modern resin technology delivers puncture resistance and load containment that older films needed bulk to achieve.
As a general rule, thickness should be driven by load type rather than habit:
-
Light, stable A-type loads: the lowest micron your containment testing allows
-
Standard B-type loads: a mid-range film, balancing cost per pallet against puncture resistance
-
Sharp-edged or unstable C-type loads: a heavier or reinforced film, or a high-performance film run at higher pre-stretch
Through cutting-edge resin advancements, Omni has developed high-performance films at a fraction of the thickness of conventional films, with superior puncture resistance and load containment. The right question is never "how thick is this film" but "how many pallets does this roll wrap, and do they arrive intact".
4. Do you need to identify or brand your pallet loads?
The Omni Coloured Stretch Wrap range is known as the Perfect Pallet Identification Solution, offering the transport and distribution industry a simple way to distinguish palletised products. Omni Coloured Wrap is available in black, white, clear, red, blue, green and yellow.
Pallet identification
Coloured wrapping films are ideal for colour coding pallets for distribution categorising, QA, stocktake and quarantine purposes, so loads do not get mistaken for one another.
Corporate branding
Coloured stretch film lets you wrap pallets in your company colour for brand recognition and to make your loads stand out on a crowded dock.
Read more on the advantages of colour coding your pallets for QA, stocktake and distribution.
5. Do your pallet loads need security and privacy?
Our white and black stretch wrap are both opaque films. Wrapping pallets in opaque stretch wrap is ideal where security and theft are a concern, because the contents of the load are not visible. If your pallet loads are high value and travel long distances outside your company’s care, black pallet wrap is a strong solution. Stretch film is also tamper evident, so you can tell if a load has been broken into.
White stretch wrap has a second benefit: it is ideal for temperature-sensitive pallet loads, because the white film does not attract heat the way darker films do.
6. Are you wrapping pallet loads that need ventilation?
The Omni VentX is a reinforced ventilated stretch wrap, the right solution for products likely to be damaged by ripening gases, humidity, rust, mould or condensation. Ventilated stretch wrap is also ideal for pallets that need to chill or freeze quickly. This breathable load containment film is available in both hand and machine rolls.
Avoid fresh produce damage
Ventilated film is well suited to loads of fresh produce that are vulnerable to ripening gases, humidity and mould. VentX prolongs shelf life by allowing produce to breathe in storage and transit.
Reduce freezing time
Vented film also suits loads requiring fast cooling. Conventional stretch wrap acts as insulation, increasing cooling time. Wrapping with a non-insulating ventilated film means the freezer does not need to run as cold, reducing electricity costs.
Avoid damaged hot loads
Wrapping pallets of hot fill products with ventilated film lets the load breathe, preventing rust and condensation, and reduces cooling time for the same reason.
The VentX ventilated stretch wrap release was covered by industry news site Food Processing, which featured our stretch wrap innovations.
7. What type of stretch wrapper suits your operation?
Choosing the film is only half the decision. The types of stretch wrappers available differ in throughput, footprint and the load shapes they handle, so the machine should be matched to your pallet volume.
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Turntable wrappers: the most common choice for steady daily volumes on stable loads
-
Rotary arm wrappers: for very light, very heavy or unstable loads that should not be spun
-
Semi-automatic wrappers: operator attaches the film and starts the cycle; strong fit for mid-volume sites
-
Fully automatic wrappers: inline wrapping with no operator intervention, for high-throughput lines
If you are working out how to choose a pallet wrapper, browse our pallet wrapping machines and start with pallets per day, then load stability, then available floor space. Talk to our team and we will match a machine and a film together rather than selling you one in isolation.
8. Does your pallet wrapping machine have power pre-stretch?
The power pre-stretch carriage is a defining feature of Omni Pallet Wrappers, increasing the yield of stretch wrap to 400%. Pre-stretch is where the real saving sits: the film is stretched before it reaches the load, so every roll wraps dramaticallymore pallets.
Used in conjunction with Omni Wrappers’ power pre-stretch technology, our high-performance films achieve a stretch yield over 400%. That is why these two elements combined are The Perfect Pallet Wrapping Solution.
9. What containment force do your pallet loads require?
Different pallet loads require different amounts of containment force. To ensure a stable and secure load, the right containment force level has to be applied. A pallet of water bottles and a pallet of paper towel need very different holding forces.
Containment force recommendations are set according to the weight and stability of the load, and they are worth measuring rather than guessing. Under-wrapping causes transit damage, and over-wrapping wastes film on every pallet. Our team can test your loads on site and give you a figure to wrap to.
10. What distance, time and environment are your pallets shipped in?
Your pallet loads may seem secure when they leave your warehouse, but what condition do they arrive in? A pallet undergoes considerable stress in transit, so distance and mode of shipment matter when choosing your wrap.
A vehicle is continually starting, stopping and vibrating. If the load is not correctly contained, there is a high risk of damage. Over 50% of in-transit damage is caused by ineffective pallet wrapping, so it is not worth the risk.
If your pallets travel on an open tray truck, consider the environmental factors too. A consistently wrapped pallet with a plastic top sheet protects against water damage. For loads stored outdoors, UV resistant stretch wrap contains a UV additive that prevents the film from becoming brittle in direct sunlight.
How to choose stretch wrap for your operation
There is no single best film. The right choice comes from stacking your answers: how you wrap, what your load type is, what thickness that load justifies, whether you need identification, security, ventilation or UV protection, and what containment force gets it there intact.
Omni Packaging stocks every one of these types of pallet wrap in hand and machine rolls, shipped Australia-wide. Browse the full pallet stretch wrap range, or talk to our team about testing your loads and matching a film and wrapper together.
