5 Ways The Right Stretch Wrapper Can Save Your Company Money
If you work at a company that ships large amounts of products, you know how important it is to wrap loads securely so they are safe during transportation. A properly-wrapped load will not only prevent the products from being damaged during shipment, but it also makes it safer for employees working around these large loads. What isn't so obvious is that the right stretch wrapping machine can also save your company money. Keep reading to learn how:
1. Contains Labor Costs
If you are looking at containing labor costs, then you really need to take a look at time. This means saving time, like automating simple and repetitive tasks whenever possible. When you use a semi-automatic pallet wrapper, your employees will be able to wrap loads much quicker than if they had to do it by hand. This frees your employees up so they can do other, more productive work.
Do the math to really see the savings: If you have a stretch wrapper that automatically cuts the film at the end of the wrap cycle, you can save about 30 seconds on each load because the employee can stay on the forklift. Over a 5-year period of wrapping 50 loads a day, this one little feature can save your company upwards of $7,000. This is based on a $14-per-hour labor cost. If your wrapper also automatically attaches the film to the load, you are saving a good 2 minutes per load. This equals out to more than a $29,000 savings over the same 5 years at a $14-per-hour labor cost.
2. Saves Space
Whether you own or rent space for your company, you have to pay for every square foot you occupy. If the space in your business isn't being used productively, then you're loosing money. When you have a pallet wrapper with an integrated scale, you have a piece of equipment with a single footprint. Without the need of a separate freestanding platform scale, you now have more space that can be used for something more productive. Better yet, add a second stretch wrapper with an integrated scale to double your load output and increase profits.
3. Improves Safety
Keeping your employees safe isn't only the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do. Work-related injuries can be very costly to employers. When a company switches from hand-wrapping to a semi-automatic stretch wrapper, the physical stress on employees will be less. Also, these machines are designed with safety features to reduce risk even further. Some of these safety features include:
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Fully insulated wires to prevent electric shock
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Fully enclosed motors prevent scrape and burning hazards
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Large turntables keep pallets fully inside
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A film delivery system that sits on the same side of the machine as the controls, so the operator doesn't have to walk between the mast and the load
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Guards around the rollers to prevent hands from getting caught
4. Increases Yields
When wrapper film is applied by hand, there is no pre-stretching involved. But when you use a semi-automatic stretch wrapper, a pre-stretch film delivery system usually comes standard. With this type of system, there are 2 rollers that turn at different speeds to stretch the film. This increases the yield of each roll of film so you buy less. For example, a typical 6,000-foot roll of film that has been 100% pre-stretched becomes a 12,000-foot roll.
5. Prevents Damage
The main purpose of stretch-wrapping loads for delivery is to prevent damage during transit. When items are damaged, your company has to pay to replace the items and re-ship to customers. So, the less damage you incur, the less expenses you'll have. When pallets are shipped with the correct containment force, are locked with a film cable, and don't have any long and/or dragging film tails, then the chances are high that the products will arrive at their destination safely. Implementing standards for your loads that include the use of semi-automatic wrappers and enforcing these standards will ensure the risk of in-transit damage is greatly reduced, thus saving you a lot of money.
As you can see, when you have the right stretch wrapper, you can save a significant amount of money for your business. If you have any questions about these types of machines, contact your local pallet-wrapping machine distributor for more information. They will be happy to help you.