In the co-packing industry, I have heard the generic term “shrink wrapping” being used in a multitude of ways.
If you’ve heard this term as well, you may have formed a picture in your mind as to what shrink wrapping is. It is applied to many different situations, so let’s explore two potential references.
Shrink film is very clear and thin, typically used to encase a product or products for retail. You might see an example of this in a Costco multipack, where the retail pack consists of two or more items encased in the clear film to make it one single selling unit.
The shrink film process consists of film folded in half on rolls. The items are placed between the two layers of film which is cut down to the correct length. The whole thing then travels through a heat tunnel to shrink down and securely wrap around the items.
Bundle wrapping is another form of plastic shrink wrapping.
Because the process of shrinking the bundle film through a heat tunnel has similar aspects, it is sometimes confused with shrink film which is a different material for a different purpose.
The film used for bundle wrapping is thicker, stronger and more opaque or it can even be pre-printed. The process of bundle wrapping requires two rolls used simultaneously.
Packs that sell in large count volume will often have printed film. Beyond branding, the film’s purpose is to keep the contents of a tray secure and clean during transportation. With bundle wrap, there is no need to spend the additional cost on corrugate cartons.
Typical applications include wrapping trays of heavier consumer goods such as bottles or cans or jars of product. Think of bottled water, variety packs of beer, canned pumpkin, jarred tomato sauce, even bottles of motor oil.
Next time you are grocery shopping, take note of items that are wrapped in trays. Are they wrapped in clear film or printed film? If the trays are waiting to be opened by a stock clerk to refill shelves, they will likely be in unprinted film. However, if the store is selling the entire tray full of goods as one entire selling unit, it will likely have printed film with branding and a UPC code.
Bullseye Packaging Services is your bundle wrapping specialist for clear or printed bundle film applications. Contact Bullseye today for a free quote.