Automatic Mechanical Pallet Wrapping Is More Economical Than Manual Wrapping

Do you stretch wrap pallets by hand? In the long run, relying on manual labour to continuously protect products in transit can lead to your company losing money. You can solve this problem by automating your packaging. Hand-packed pallets are less cost-effective in some respects, while automated stretch-packing machinery can save time and costs.

Has the idea of saving money caught your attention? Find out in detail when you should switch from manual pallet wrapping to automatic pallet wrapping machinery.

Horizontal Pallet Stretch Wrapping Machine

Limitations of manual pallet wrapping

Lower productivity

For high-volume manufacturers, manual packaging on your production line is not efficient. While the rest of your line may be pumping out finished goods ready for pallets, workers at the end of the line are actually running in circles to reach their targets.  

Automation of end-of-line packaging solutions can significantly improve productivity, with even a small upgrade to a semi-automatic pallet wrapping machine having the potential to increase by 100% or more.

Load damage

If not packed properly by hand, your pallets can move during transit, eventually damaging and increasing the total cost of producing the product. The true cost of transport damage due to improper loading is not always fully realised, as many of the actual costs are not calculated into the final figure.

Automating your palletised packaging can significantly reduce the load damage you face due to its consistency and reliability in securing loads.

Less protection

It has been proven that manual packaging does not offer as much protection as packaging machinery due to the ability of automatic pallet wrappers to securely and consistently protect products compared to people. Human error inevitably has an impact on balancing loads. The human body cannot consistently apply uniform stretching forces and provide proper load control.

Although you are not spending a lot of money on automation, you are spending more than you can afford on stretch wrapping and labour. Automated machines will provide consistent packaging capacity, less film use and a lower likelihood of work-related injuries on the factory floor.

High Quality Super Stretch Film

Determining when to automate

After reviewing the above, automating your end of line may already seem like a breeze for your production line. If not, here are some questions to help you determine when you are ready.

1. Consider the number of pallets you pack each week. If you have more than 50 pallets going out each week, then you may see a return on your investment within a year, both in terms of giving and receiving.

2. Consider how much you spend on stretch film. Knowing that you can achieve an average of 250% or more pre-stretch on film with an automatic wrapper, see how much you can save on film costs by upgrading.

3. You're spending on damaged goods. Find out which irregular loads of packaging are really costing your business.

4, Pallets from warehouse to truck. Don't forget to add the cost of any packaging-related injuries. Does manual packaging slow down your overall production?

Taking all these factors into account, how much does manual packaging actually cost? If you could automate, how long would it take you to see a return on your investment? If you would like to learn more about automated packaging options, contact us and discuss your operation with one of our packaging experts.