Manufacturing plants handle tons of products every single day. Since people depend on warehouses to do a tremendous amount of work, warehouse workers aren’t necessarily concerned with waste; however, this important issue must be addressed. Stretch film accounts for 12.2 percent of all plastic in the waste stream every year. Companies are so focused on packaging products properly that they often overlook the materials they’re losing. This article will overview three actionable ways to reduce stretch film waste. Not only will film stretch waste reduction save you money in the long run, but it’s also better for the environment.

Invest in the Right Machinery

The right packaging machinery will help reduce stretch film waste. This process begins with ample research. Only use packaging machinery that’s proven its efficiency and has top-rated reviews. Our goal at ROBOPAC USA is to help businesses work as efficiently as possible. That’s why we offer top-of-the-line packaging machinery that’s proven to increase productivity and reduce film waste. Our semi-automatic stretch wrappers, such as the Robot S6 with Cube Technology, has proven to reduce film waste by 30 to 55 percent. This machine is a wise investment that’ll help increase efficiency and save companies money in the long run.

Not only is this eco-friendly, but the reduced waste saves companies significant money. The Robot S6 is portable and incredibly convenient. Finally, not only will stretch wrapping machines such as the Robot S6 help reduce waste, but they are also proven to increase productivity by 25 percent while reducing product damage by 40 percent. That’s why it’s so important to ensure you invest in the proper packaging machinery. Research shows that companies that use improper machinery waste thousands of dollars on stretch wrap each year—that’s money that could be utilized in other parts of your company. For example, companies that invest in the right machinery could instead use the funds they save on marketing other areas on their business. Increased marketing results in more customers and, thus, increased profits.

Train Your Employees

Another actionable way to reduce stretch film waste is to properly train your employees. Employees should understand how to operate this equipment so a package isn’t wrapped with more film than necessary. Warehouse workers tend to believe that it’s better for a package to be overly wrapped than not wrapped enough. There’s a right way and a wrong way to stretch wrap a pallet load. Too much film is wasted stretch film—that equals wasted money. The stretch wrapping experts at Robopac USA will work with you to ensure your machine is optimized properly based on your applications. You can set the machine to run wrap patterns based on the loads you wrap most often to save on film costs.

You must also train warehouse employees on packaging weight and its effect on the machinery. People can’t simply place any given package on the machine without thinking about how much stretch film will be used. They must think about the size and the weight of the packages and how that impacts waste costs, as well. Talk to your employees about reducing stretch film waste so that the objective is at the forefront of their minds. Make sure employees know this is an important goal to reach. One thing to consider is starting an incentive program for employees who are dedicated to reducing waste.

Start a Stretch Wrap Recycling Program

Everyone should do their part to help the environment. A simple way you can lead an eco-friendlier lifestyle is by recycling. Recycling is an extremely simple task that has a massive impact. However, recycling doesn’t have to be confined to households. In fact, employers should start a recycling program in their manufacturing plants to reduce stretch film waste. First, employers need to conduct research and find local companies that’ll take excess stretch film. Once you locate a corporation that recycles stretch film waste, you can begin a recycling program within the warehouse itself.

Make it known how much your company is dedicated to this recycling program. Set a company-wide goal. Print out the numbers before you begin the recycling program. Evaluate how much stretch film is wasted prior to the recycling initiative. Then, you can track the numbers as the months go by and see how much your company improves. Consider providing your employers with certain incentives if they follow the recycling program correctly. Also, make things easier for your workers. Warehouse employees must handle multiple tasks at once; they likely don’t want to worry about reducing stretch film waste, as well. So, make things easy for them and put recycling bins throughout the entire warehouse. Hang posters around the manufacturing plant, too, so that people know how important it is to reach the company’s goal.

So much stretch wrap is wasted every year. Not only does this waste companies thousands of dollars annually but it also brings unnecessary waste to the environment. This includes limiting dangerous chemical usage, increasing efficiency, and of course, reducing stretch film waste. In the world we live in, companies are understanding the need to make sure their practices don’t harm the environment. Moreover, these actionable ways to reduce stretch film waste have proven that the process is, in actuality, fairly simple. Contact ROBOPAC USA to help you with all your packaging needs. Our high-quality machinery will not only help make your warehouse more productive, but you can also decrease your company’s waste dramatically. Our semi-automatic stretch wrappers will ensure that your products reach their destinations damage-free while also helping you save money on stretch film waste.

ROBOPAC USA is the leader in the end of line packaging industry. Our goal is to help manufacturing plants become more efficient so their products and their primary packaging arrive at their final destination damage-free. So, the question is, if you could help the environment while also saving money, why wouldn’t you? For a minimal investment, you’ll invest in a machine that’s proven to cut film wastes by as much as 55 percent to reduce costs and help the environment.

Reduce Stretch Film Waste