Pallet Bands or stretchbands are used to secure loads stacked on Pallets.
The pallets are used for the storage, distribution, and movement of goods. Stacking boxes of individual items onto a Pallet prepares your product for future movements.
Prior to pallets being moved their load needs to be secured so it does not fall or shift during movement. Depending on the mode of transport for the pallet and the distance to be travelled along with the expected “roughness” of the journey, different methods of securing the load can be employed.
The most common form of securing loads to pallets is stretch-film which is like a huge version of house-hold clear cling wrap. It can take up to 50 meters of this film to secure the load.
While there are some biodegradable stretch films about, the bulk of stretch film used will become an environmental problem. Whether biodegradable, or not, the applying of stretch film and its removal all takes quite a lot of time.
The cost of stretch film for an average size pallet can be around USD $1.80 per Pallet.
The added bonus for Stretch-film is that it can also provide some degree of protection from dust and water.
Sanstrap® is the world leader for the supply of stretchbands for warehousing. These are loops of thin polyethylene stretch-film. When Pallets are to be handled within a warehouse these become an ideal temporary pallet securing method. The application and removal is fast and the cost per pallet is far less than a complete stretch wrap option.
Often the top layer of cartons on a pallet is all that needs to be secured to stabilise a pallet where friction of cartons between layers does the rest. Where the friction between the layers is not enough then the use of Sangrip® non-slip strips will help. The strip fits and sits perfectly wherever grip is required: between smooth surfaces and uneven edges.
Pallet Bands are also useful for securing protective corner board to pallets prior to the pallet being stretch wrapped.
There are some alternatives to pallet bands like adhesive tape or string but none are as elegant or as fast to apply and remove. Further the application and removal of Sanstrap® stretch bands does damage cartons like string or self-adhesive tape.
Many larger distribution and warehousing facilities have multiple areas where pallets are loaded. These companies are then faced with the problem of securing the pallets before moving them. The use of Stretch-Film could mean a separate operation or separate dedicated space to allow for the operation of applying the stretch-film. Pallet bands come in rolls and can be manually applied in a few seconds without a dedicated area for application. This saves space and time for warehouses where the goods need to be moved many times internally picked and unpicked.
One other option should be mentioned and that is the use of rubber stretch bands. These are a neat solution especially when you can re-use the product. They are relatively expensive and not without their faults though they should also be considered when the environment, time ,space and money are logistic concerns of your pallet stabilising operations.
