UV Protection for Pallets and Product

For businesses who store their product outdoors, it is important to make sure your product is protected from the harmful rays of the sun.  UV rays can harm your product and can deteriorate the effectiveness of the stretch wrap or poly bags surrounding your product as well.  The further south you go, the more important UV protection is, but keep in mind that it's not the heat that does the damage, it's the unseen and unfelt UV rays, that are just as harmful in the winters of Minnesota as they are in the summers of Florida.

UVI and UVA
There are two terms to know when looking at UV protection:

• UVI - Ultra Violet Inhibitor
  This is an additive that is used in the production of stretch wrap or other polyethylene plastics, which delays the oxidation (or deterioration) of film stored outside and not sheltered from the sun.  Without a UVI additive in the film, your stretch wrap will markedly deteriorate over time, lose its stretch and cling, and subsequently lose its effectiveness.  UVI protection is rated to be effective for a certain period of time, ranging from 30 days to a year or more, depending upon the application.  In short, UVI slows down the eventual oxidization of a polyethylene product and subsequently extends the life of the product.
• UVA - Ultra Violet Absorber
  Probably the best common example of a UVA would be the sunscreen you use.   It absorbs the harmful UV rays and keeps them from impacting the poly product or its contents.  A UVA additive to the film will have much the same impact as a UVI, but also serves to prevent colors from fading over time.
• Practical Difference between UVI and UVA
  To extend the life and performance of your poly product, UVI is all you need and is the most common additive for plastic products.  As a result, the remainder of this article will deal only with UVI.  Neither UVI or UVA should be used in contact with agricultural chemicals or pesticides.

UVI/UVA and Color
A common misconception with UVI treated products is that they need to be black.  This is not the case.  Most UVI treated products are, however, black or white or some other color.  Color has no impact on the UVI performance but is usually done for purely aesthetic or security reasons, or simply to differentiate it from standard non-UVI wrap.  Black UVI treated stretch wrap, for example, will prevent people from seeing what is on your pallet.  While color alone can affect the heat that is transferred to your product, it has zero impact on the UVI performance, which is where the real damage can occur.  A stretch wrap treated with a UVI additive is just as effective whether the stretch wrap is black, white, or clear.

UVI Treated Products
As a blog geared toward the industrial setting, we will focus on two primary product types that can be treated with UVI.

• Stretch Wrap
  UVI stretch wrap film is rated for as short as 30 days, and can be longer depending upon environmental variables.  It is often black or white but can be clear and be just as effective as a UVI film.  If almost everything you wrap is stored outside, then UVI treated stretch wrap is a good option. 
• Pallet Covers and Poly Bags
  Pallet covers and poly bags can be UVI/UVA treated and are rated in effectiveness for between 1 year and 3 years.  It should not be used in contact with agricultural chemicals or pesticides.  While it is common to find black UVI/UVA bags in stock as pallet covers, you can have any type bag in almost any size or thickness custom made with UVI/UVA additives.  If you have some products that need UVI protection and some that do no, UVI/UVA treated pallet covers can be a good option.  They will allow you to use your regular stretch wrap, but cover it with a UVI/UVA pallet cover.  They can also be re-used, provided you keep an eye on the cumulative sun exposure the bag is subjected to.  There are many stock UVI/UVA treated pallet covers (in 2mil black and 3mil black) and custom bags can be made in any size.  Samples are also available (standard bags, not UVI rated) so you can make sure you have the correct size.  When determining what size bags you need, use the formula below:

Contact us today for quotes on UVI treated stretch wrap (in any size), pallet covers, and poly bags.  We'll be happy to help you determine what will work best for your needs.

How to Select Stretch Wrap - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between stretch wrap and shrink wrap? 

• Shrink wrap is a poly plastic product that is applied with the use of a heat gun that heat shrinks the film so that it conforms securely around the product to which it is applied.  It's most common application is for storage and protection from the elements.  In short, shrink wrap is used to cover and protect product.
• Stretch wrap is a poly plastic product that is used most commonly to wrap pallets of boxes or other product.  It is stretchy with a strong elastic property and usually has a two-sided cling to is sticks to itself.  It does not need a heat gun or any other special equipment to be successfully applied.  In short, stretch wrap is used to contain product and hold them together.

 What is “gauge” and how do I know what gauge I need?

• Gauge is the most common measure of the thickness of stretch film (sometimes also measured in microns)
  100 gauge = 25.4 microns = .0254mm = .001in
• The higher the number, the thicker the film (100ga > 80ga > 60ga, etc)
• 80 gauge is the most common film, the “average” or “standard”
• Heavier gauge films are typically required for:

• Heavy loads, such as fasteners, machine parts, bags of mortar or mulch, etc.
• Uneven loads with more corners and angles (also known as B- or C-loads)
• Greater puncture potential
• Lighter gauge films are typically required for:
• Lighter loads, such as foam products, or light food products (snack foods like chips, etc)
• Even, square loads (also known as A-loads)
• Little to no puncture potential
• Film is typically available in gauges ranging from 40ga - 150ga
• Ultimately, the thickness needed is subjective.  Samples film, when available, is ideal to determine what works best for your needs.

What is the difference between bundling film, hand wrap and machine film?

• Bundling film has a smaller width (2”, 3” or 5”) and is hand applied
  
  
• Applications
• Securing long lengths of product, such as extruded metal, wood molding, PVC lengths, pipe, rebar, etc
• Bundling together multiple small boxes so they ship as a single unit
• Advantages
• Small width
• Similar application as tape but with no sticky residue
• Easy to apply and clean to remove
• Means of Application
• Standard Bundler – the most common bundling film, it comes on a 3” core and often ships with one plastic plug-in handle per case
• Extended Core– Comes on a 1” core which extends almost 5” beyond the film, creating a built-in handle for each roll.  Some ship with a rubber grip to fit over the extended core.
• QuikWrap – The most efficient and most ergonomic option, ships on a 1¾” core and with one black plug-in handle per case.  The handle end features a black rubber grip that rotates freely around a core, allowing for easy application and a secure fit into the core of the stretch wrap.

• Hand Wrap comes in 12”, 15”, 18”, 20” and 30” widths and is hand applied
• Applications
• Wrapping small pallets of average weight and evenly stacked product
• Large pallet wrapping, but not in large quantities per day
• Advantages
• Can wrap a full pallet without the large capital investment required by a stretch wrap machine
• Portable and can be used anywhere
• Means of Application
• Standard Hand Wrap – ships on a 3” core and is applied by hand or with hand dispenser such as the Nelson Better Wrapper  (12”, 15” and 18” widths)
• Extended Core Hand Wrap – ships on a 1” extended core (looks like a rolling pin) and is applied by hand (20” and 30” widths)

• Machine Stretch Film or Pallet Wrap most frequently comes in 20” or 30” widths, but is also available in 40”, 50” and 60” widths
• Applications
• Standard size skids but of heavy-weight product which require a high degree of stretch
• Environments that require multiple skids to be wrapped per hour throughout the day
• Semi-automated environments
• Advantages

• Machine wrap can obtain a stretch of over 250%, depending upon the film and the machine
• Saves time
• Greater efficiency and safety
• Saves money on stretch wrap by getting more stretch out of each roll
• Means of Application
• Semi-AutomaticStretch Wrap Machines range in price from $3900 and upward and offer a variety of options to best fit your production and budget needs
• Stretch Wrap Machines are generally not mobile and are restricted to a specific location within your warehouse

What is the difference between cast and blown film?

• Cast Film
• By far, the most commonly used film, particularly with stretch wrap machines and bundling film
• Easy, quiet release
• High Clarity
• Tear resistant
• Limited puncture resistance
• Best for even loads of average, near-average, or below average weight
• Blown Film
• Most often used with hand wraps
• Noisy unwind
• Hazy, low clarity
• High puncture resistance and toughness
• Best used for heavy, uneven loads, or those with high puncture potential

What other options are available with stretch film?
The most common non-stock options are:

• UVI – for long term outdoor storage
• One-Side Cling – Good for loads that deliver on flatbed trucks (such as mulch) so that the skids of product do not stick together and risk being torn
• Color – Stretch film can be made in various primary colors, both in tint and opaque

What is “gauge equivalent” or “replacement gauge” film?

• Up until a decade or two ago, the only real measure for stretch film was its gauge, or thickness.  As a result, certain gauges became associated with certain strengths and performance characteristics
• More recently, with the advances in technology, we are able to make thinner films that have the equivalent strength of thicker (higher gauge) films.  This enables us to provide you with a high quality film at a lower price because less material is used in the production of the film.  Our Extreme films are an example of this type of film.
• Gauge equivalent or replacement gauge films are best suited for even loads of average or below average weight.
• Despite the advances in production technology, the most common way of referring to film strength and performance is still the gauge.  80ga, however, now, may not necessarily refer to the actual thickness of the film, but to the relative performance – it will perform comparably to an actual 80ga film.