What is nano wrapping film? Go for thin and strong!
4min read
17/07/2020
The thicker wrapping film is, the stronger it will be. Sounds logical, yet this is not quite true…. And nanofilm proves that! This variant is extra thin and is used for reinforcing pallets just like ‘regular’ wrapping film. It is thus an indispensable tool for stable transport. Despite its slim appearance, nano wrapping film is stronger and more durable. You can read how it manages to do this in this article.
1. What is nano wrap film?
Nano refers to the ancient Greek word nanos meaning ‘dwarf’. In the production of nanofoils, one therefore works at an extremely small level: that of nanometres. A modified technique allows one to arrange the molecular chains of the raw material more closely together and more effectively. The result is a film with more layers (= as many as 33!) that is nevertheless remarkably thinner.
More layers means the film will be much stronger. That gives you less risk of perforations or tears. Moreover, because it is so much thinner, the micron value of the nanofilm is a lot lower. Just to clarify: a micron is one millionth part of a metre. If you look around your own warehouse, chances are you are still using a standard film with a thickness of around 20 microns – the most common variant. With nanofilm, the average thickness is only about 10 microns.
2. What are the advantages of nano wrap film?
]Cost-saving, strong and environmentally friendly: three advantages in which nanofilm clearly excels. Below, we take a look at why this type of wrapping film can be an asset in your warehouse.
► Cost-saving
The thinner the film, the more compact the overall thickness of your roll. And the more compact that roll is, the less storage space it will take up. This leaves more valuable space in your warehouse. Secondly, you can also save on the quantity and weight of film per roll. On average, you save around 25% with nano compared to standard film. And finally, nano foil is very strong which means there is significantly less risk of (costly) damage to your goods. And nothing beats a delivery that gets to its final destination in fine condition!
► Strong and tear-resistant
The nanofilm owes its sturdiness to the many layers it is composed of. This sturdiness makes the film more resistant to punctures and tears. In addition, nano foil remains very flexible, so it easily takes the shape of your goods. Result of all this? Your pallet load is more securely wrapped and better protected during transport.
► Environmentally friendly
For the last benefit, we take a diversion to the recycling park. In fact, by using nano wrapping film, you reduce the amount of plastic waste. Logical, because the thinner (yet stronger) film means you need less plastic to wrap the same pallet.
]3. How do you apply film around a pallet?
Before you get excited about wrapping, make sure your goods are firmly and stably on a pallet. Hence these tips:
- Use an ISPM15-compliant pallet as a basis. This way you can ship with peace of mind, even abroad.
- Always place your heaviest boxes at the bottom. Are there no big differences in weight? Then place your smallest boxes at the bottom and the largest at the top.
- Never place your boxes over the edge of the pallet.
- Use intermediate sheets and corner profiles to make the load even more stable.
- Use cover sheets to protect your pallet from rain, dust or dirt.
After this, it’s time to bring the wrapping film into the picture. This can be a transparent film, or a coloured variant (e.g. black) where you can shield the contents more discreetly. Whether you wrap your pallet manually or mechanically, these tips will always come in handy:
- Make sure the sticky side of the sheet sticks to your load (otherwise your pallets will stick together).
- Cover the top and bottom of your pallet with about 3 layers of wrapping film.
- Finally, make sure the layers of film overlap each other for best 20 cm.
