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.

Should I Use Pallet Covers/How to Measure for Pallet Covers?

If you're shipping pallets of product, boxed or otherwise, you may want to give serious consideration to using pallet covers. Essentially, all a pallet cover is is an inverted bag that goes over your pallet load, covering it from top to bottom, but it affords a level of protection that stretch wrap alone cannot provide.

Why Should I Use Pallet Covers?
Stretch wrap is a great and necessary product to use on your skids, but its purpose is to preserve the integrity of your load, keeping it together and keeping it on the skid.  It is not impervious to moisture, contaminants, UV light, is more expensive to order in a solid color for security purposes, is very expensive to print, and cannot be reused.  Pallet covers, on the other hand, offer the following benefits (particularly as it relates to the top of your skid):

• Protects against moisture
• Protects from exposure to contaminants
• Protection from UV rays
• Available in different opaque colors for security purposes
  (in smaller quantities than colored stretch wrap can typically come)
• Can be custom printed more cost-effectively than can stretch wrap
  (can be used over or under the stretch wrap and is not susceptible to the distortion and overlap that you will encounter with printed stretch wrap)
• Has the potential to be reusable

How Do I Know What Size Pallet Cover I Need?
Pallet covers come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses and can be custom run in whatever size you need.  When determining what size pallet cover you need, use the following guideline:

It is very important that you measure correctly - with Step 4 in particular.  And it's always best to be too big than too small.  We have sample pallet covers available that we can send you for your evaluation at no charge, particularly when determining what thickness to use, which is very subjective and depends upon the application.

Pallet Top Sheets
If all you need is a top sheet, those are an option as well.  Top sheets are designed to simply cover the top of your pallet, and do not offer any additional protection to the sides of the load.  When measuring pallet sheets, it is recommended to use the following formula when ordering:

Width+24" x Depth+24"

This will give you approximately one foot overhang on all sides.  Top sheets are stocked in clear or white rolls only, but can be custom ordered in colors or with UVI protection.

Let us know how we can help you best protect your product, and your investment, during the shipping process.  We will be happy to assist you in determining the best size and answer any other questions you may have.