You may have seen products wrapped in a clear plastic coating with no visible cuts or folds and without using any adhesive on the product. This kind of packaging is called shrink wrapping. Of all the packaging solutions available to the companies to choose from, shrink wrapping services have gained a lot of popularity.
What Is Shrink Wrapping?
Shrink wrapping is a simple process of wrapping a single product or a group of products together in a shrinkable plastic film. It doesn’t have a fixed size or shape and can be wrapped around any product no matter its shape or size. This flexibility makes shrink wrapping a preferred choice for small and medium-sized businesses and large corporations as well. Shrink wrapping is so easy that even standalone mom-and-pop stores can also wrap their products with this.
The Shrink Wrapping Process
The shrink wrapping process consists of 3 steps:
- Product Grouping
This is an important step as it determines which products you want to pack together for shipping or storage purposes. There are single lane and multi-lane machines for this purpose but it can be done manually as well if there aren’t too many products.
- Creating Bundles
Next up is to make bundles of the products in the shape or arrangement you want to shrink wrap them. A sheet of film is wrapped around the products to form the bundle.
- Heat Shrinking
Now that the bundles are created, it is time for its heat treatment. Heating the bundle causes the plastic film to shrink and wrap around the object as per its shape and size. The air outside is cooled by air to tighten the wrapping.
Advantages Of Shrink Wrapping
Shrink wrapping is used in a number of different applications across industries and provides a number of benefits to the organization using it to wrap products as well as the customers receiving the product. Some of the benefits of shrink wrapping services are:
- Durability
Shrink wrap is made to last for a long time. It is made from a sturdy and durable plastic material that is difficult to puncture or tear. It has the ability to stay under the sun or in extreme weather conditions without losing its integrity and durability. It doesn’t become brittle or weak even after being in the sun and once it is heated to seal the objects, shrink wrap doesn’t become saggy or loose for a long time.
- Protection
While durability is the measure of how long-lasting a shrink wrap is, it doesn’t mean that it is not capable of protecting objects. Shrink wrap creates a tight seal over the object it is wrapped and the seal becomes even tighter when exposed to sunlight. The packaging protects the objects from external damages like dust, dirt, moisture, rain, or snow. Modern shrink wraps come with UV protection as well in order to protect the products from harmful rays of the sun.
- Branding
Packaging is not just important for protecting a product while it is being transported through different distribution channels. It is also a great way of showcasing your brand to the end consumers. Shrink wrap packaging works well in this as it has an added feature of customization. Organizations can colour the packaging, write words on it, showcase the brand logo, pictures and a lot more. This can be used as a great marketing tool to increase brand awareness and enhance the buying experience for the consumer.
- Affordability
One of the biggest challenges companies face during packaging is the cost of packaging. Companies with a low budget would love shrink wrap packaging as it not only provides durability and protection to their products but it is quite affordable as well when compared to other packaging solutions. It is designed to consume less space inside a warehouse as well. You can just use shrink wrap to bundle products together and there’ll be no need for additional bulky packaging materials like cardboard boxes. This translates to space and money saved for your company.
- Tampering
Shrink wrap is a thin plastic film wrapped tightly around a product or bunch of products. It covers the product entirely and is then sealed so that product holds its shape. This makes it harder for package thieves to tamper with the product and if they do, it will be instantly noticeable. This is the reason why a number of pharmaceutical companies, food wrapping companies, and e-commerce companies are opting to use shrink wrapping services for their products. Not only does it protect the products from external damages, but it also prevents any theft or tampering from happening as well.
- Convenience
Shrink wrap packaging is completely flexible and free size. This makes it easier to use for any kind of product no matter its shape or size. Not a lot of other packaging materials can say this about themselves. Companies use shrink wrapping for protecting small electrical wires from exposure to moisture. It is also used to pack smaller items like candies, game pieces, hardware and more. On the other hand, shrink wrap kits are used by greenhouses and weathering boats as well. Freights on trains or trailers are also shrink wrapped to prevent any damage and for easier transportation. Shrink wrapping is even used to wrap an entire building in order to protect it from moisture, chemical leaks, mould buildup, exposure to hazardous materials and more.
- Preservation
A lot of food items nowadays come packed in shrink wrapping. No matter if the food is fresh and ready to eat or if it needs to be stored on the shelf for a long time. This is because shrink wraps have excellent preservation capabilities and can keep a cooked meal fresh for long or prevent a packed food item from rotting. Several food production companies are using food-grade shrink wrap as a regular choice for packaging.
Shrink wrapping services are being used for a number of products across the globe. From crayons to beer cans to automobile parts, all are wrapped in shrink wrapping because of its ease of use, affordability, durability, and the protection it provides to the products.
