Why More UK Businesses are Choosing Pallet Wrappers to Improve Warehouse Efficiency

Manual pallet wrapping may only be a small part of the working day. However for many warehouse and logistics centres, it can quietly add significant costs through stretch film waste, inconsistent load security, lost productivity, labour time and product damage. Any one of these issues can cause businesses to spend unnecessarily and waste valuable time. Many of these costs can be avoided with one simple move to automated pallet wrapping machines.

Why more UK warehouses are switching to pallet wrappers?

Warehouses and logistics companies across the UK are realising that wrapping pallets by hand is causing them more problems than they thought. At first glance many businesses think it is the simpler, cheaper way to wrap pallets without needing an upfront investment. This one of the biggest misconceptions about wrapping pallets by hand. Especially as businesses grows and pallet volumes increase, so do all the hidden costs.

The hidden costs and issues with hand wrapping pallets can include:

• Stretch film wastage from inconsistent application by hand
• Poor load stability increasing safety risks
• Rejected deliveries creating more transport charges and disrupting supply chain
• Product damage during transport or storage
• Staff fatigue from repetitive manual handling
• Lost productivity in busy environments
• Labour costs and time spent on each pallet

For growing business, these small daily issues can quickly add up. Hand wrapping pallets every day is a time-consuming, inconsistent process that can become hard to control. That is why many warehouses, manufacturers, and logistic operations are now looking for a more reliable way to secure pallets before storage and transport.

Work smarter, not harder with pallet wrappers

Robot pallet wrappers are speeding up operations for a better flow in the supply chain

Robotic pallet wrappers can help speed up the wrapping process by reducing the time and effort needed to wrap each pallet by hand. Taking away the manual task of wrapping can reduce worker labour, rejected deliveries and delays, and lost productivity. Paving the way for more productivity in busy warehouses, by freeing up teams to spend time on picking, packaging, loading, dispatch and other daily tasks. One of our best machines on the market for high-speed output is the PowerWrapper™ robot, and is on high demand by many warehouse managers across England.

They also create a more consistent wrap. A pallet wrapping machine applies film in a controlled way so each pallet has the right containment force applied. This can help improve load stability, reduce rewrapping and support a more reliable dispatch flow. For example a warehouse team in the North West got a delivery in June for two Robot PowerWrapper™ machines. This is helping them not only speed up their pallet wrapping, but to improve load consistency, and make day-to-day operations easier.

Benefits of pallet wrapping efficiency can outweigh costs

Over time, pallet wrappers can have a relatively quick return on investment, due to the reduction in cost per pallet. Savings can come from reduced labour time, better film usage, and fewer damaged or unstable loads. For businesses wrapping pallets daily, these small differences can add up to a long-term practical investment.

There is also a sustainability benefit. By using film more consistently, and stretching it to the correct percentage, unnecessary plastic stretch film waste that using hand wrap can cause, is reduced. This is done while still ensuring goods are secure during storage and transport. At Wessex Packaging we offer pallet wrap audits to asses your pallet wrap film usage and find a stretch wrap and/or machine that will help you reduce your plastic consumption.

Of course, every warehouse works differently, so finding the right pallet wrapping machine is important. (We have a guide here that might help you). And that’s why our range of PowerWrapper™ machines are designed to fit many different warehouses and distribution centres, and help overcome their palletisation and dispatch challenges.

Solutions built around your warehouse

Across the UK, we are working with many businesses to help them install pallet wrapping machines into their operations to improve their efficiency in the supply chain. For all of us here at Wessex Packaging its not just a packaging product, a pallet wrapping machine is a long-term solution.

With over five decades of packaging expertise our team can support you with the right packaging machines and materials. It starts with a collaboration to understand the issue, and we will conduct a walk-the-floor exercise with you to see your working environment. This means we have a better understanding of what packaging solutions will fit and work well in your warehouse.

Whether its a robot or a turntable pallet wrapping machine, we will advise on all the options available to help you make the right decision for your operation. Robotic mobile pallet wrappers gives more flexibly to wrap awkward, unstable pallets and can be moved easily in warehouse layouts that change regularly.

However a robot is not always the best solution for everyone.

That’s why we also have a range of turntable pallet wrapping machines available. These have to be in a fixed wrapping station and they are proven to deliver steady and reliable throughput. One of our pallet wrapping experts can come and demo one of these machines, so you can see a PowerWrapper™ turntable wrapper in your own location, wrapping your own products.

Our service to you doesn’t stop there. As a national packaging company we have engineers across the UK that can install and extend the lifespan of your machine with ongoing servicing.

If you are considering a pallet wrapping machine to keep your goods moving quickly in the supply chain, free teams up for higher value work, avoid damages, or reduce cost per pallet, do contact Wessex Packaging.

We’re here to help with any advice on packaging materials and packaging machines. Our friendly team of pallet wrapping machine experts would be happy to have a chat.

sales@wessexpkg.co.uk | 01935 474 217