Latest Technology in Shrink Wrapping Automation Supports Sustainability

2019-02-20

Sustainability is growing in importance in all industry sectors. The packaging industry is no exception, considering its high usage of plastic and paper materials. Along with the need for increasingly higher process efficiency and throughput volumes, sustainability has become a much higher profile component in packaging machinery, and more so is being considered a critical factor in the design and selection of packaging equipment.

The major emphasis with sustainable processes in packaging machinery is directed to the reduction of environmental impact by: a) decreasing consumption of raw materials and increasing the utilization of more recycled materials; b) reducing energy usage in packaging processes while increasing machine efficiency; and c) optimizing packaging to facilitate a better usage of cubic-volume space, resulting in a more efficient use of transportation in shipping.

Embracing process sustainability in the packaging industry is automated shrink wrapping, which has made significant strides in achieving sustainability objectives.

Manufacturers are converting more of their product packaging to the use of shrink wrap, and away from the use of corrugated. The demand for shrink wrapping has particularly grown in sustainable applications as a way to reduce the amount of packaging material needed, and to minimize shipping cube space. When the same amount of products can be shipped in less cubic space this reduces the need for transportation and the subsequent effects on the environment.

Quite additionally, shrink wrapping keeps products clean and dry, and adds a measure of tamper resistance, which supports product safety for food, RX and OTC drugs, and hospital and laboratory supplies.

But shrink wrapping has really come into prominence with the packaging of multi-packs. Combining multiple items in a singular shrink-wrapped multipack package has considerable benefits for manufacturers, retailers and consumers throughout the entire supply chain. The demand for shrink wrapping multipacks has particularly grown in application as a way to reduce the amount of packaging material needed, both to cut packaging costs and to better achieve sustainability initiatives.

Embracing Sustainability

Film waste and corrugated reduction, advanced technology for improved process controls and throughput efficiency – these are key factors that have escalated shrink wrapping into a preferred packaging technology. They are also critical functions for achieving sustainable practices in packaging by reducing environmental impacts.