Tips for Reducing Shrink Wrapping Costs

Before delving into the details of the shrink film available to you, it is important to determine some details about the product to be packaged. Without a doubt, the packaging supplier is the key to selecting the right film for your needs. Their industry experience and ability to understand your needs provides them with the expertise to determine which types of films are suitable for your product. HYF shows you some tips to reduce shrink packaging costs.

Negotiate costs

Talk to your packaging supplier to see if there is a way to get a better price per roll for your shrink film needs. (Buy in bulk to get volume discounts). Doing so will also save on shipping and freight costs.

Adjusting width

Many companies don't realize that PVC shrink film and other shrink packaging films come in a variety of sizes, not just full-inch increments. Reducing the film width from 12 inches to 11 inches can save 4.2 percent in material costs alone.

It's important to note that custom sizes will cost more, but when using large volumes and packaging millions of products per year, you'll see savings anyway.

Reduced Sizing

In the past, the shrink film used was only available in 100, 75, 60 and 45 gauges. The new technology achieves the same integrity as the 38 gauge. It's important to know which gauge (thickness) of shrink film is best for your product. This is not only for cost, but also to provide protection throughout its life cycle.

Conduct a film audit

Perform an advanced audit of your packaging line. Take the type of product being sent as an example. Run it 100 times as a test and check how many failures there are from the 100 times. Create a spreadsheet with different failure criteria (e.g., poor shrinkage, damaged lateral seal, damaged end seal, overheat burnout, etc.) . Perform equipment-specific evaluations with the goal of finding your weak points so you can fix them.

Packaging Considerations

What type of product you are packaging

The weight, shape and size of the product

Your color and labeling goals

Whether film can be printed to meet your needs

How the product will be packaged into the flexible film (manually or by machine, and what type of machine)

The entire process of creating the product from creation to shipping to the shelf

Whether it will be handled frequently and/or roughly

The type of climate/environment it will experience

Whether specific film additives are needed to keep it fresh (e.g., oxygen or a moisture barrier)

These are just a few of the many ways to save on your shrink film packaging line. Talk to your packaging supplier, conduct research and test new materials. You may be surprised at how much you can save with the slightest adjustment. Contact us to get a conversation and we'll get you a great price.