Choosing the Right Pallet Wrap Thickness and Strength

In the South African logistics environment—where long road hauls from Johannesburg to Cape Town, shipping corridor exposures at Durban’s port, and high‑density warehouse stacking in Gauteng are commonplace—selecting the correct pallet wrap thickness and strength is crucial. Get it wrong, and you risk compromised loads, product damage, and increased waste. Get it right, and you’ll secure loads effectively, reduce cost per pallet, and align with industry best practises.

Trunel Bags is a leading supplier of silage sheeting. We also offer plastic sheeting.

Why Wrap Thickness & Strength Matter

Pallet wrap (stretch film) provides two core functions: containment force (holding the load together) and integrity (withstanding puncture, tears, movement). Research shows: 

• In a recent study into stretch wrap plastics, increasing the film thickness from 15 µm to 20 µm led to a marked increase in tensile strength (from ~35.9 MPa to ~45.4 MPa) and transverse pull strength (from ~17.7 MPa to ~28 MPa).  
• However, thickness alone doesn’t guarantee performance: resin blend, stretch yield, and application method are equally important.  

In a South African warehouse which wraps pallets for export, loads are often subject to vibration, heat variations and long distance road travel. A film too thin (say 12–15 µm) may tear, puncture at sharp cargo corners, or lose containment force during transit. 

Understanding Key Metrics & Film Types

Here are some terms to know: 

• Micron (µm): Film thickness measure. For pallet wrap you might see 12 µm, 17 µm, 20 µm or higher.  
• Gauge: An older measure (e.g., 60 gauge ≈ 15 µm).  
• Puncture resistance / tear propagation: The film’s ability to resist penetration and stop tears spreading. A vital metric in real‑world conditions.  
• Stretch yield / elongation: How much the film elongates before breaking; high yield film allows better containment with less material.  

Example product: Pallet Wrap Roll 450 mm × 400 m 20 µm – a 20‑micron film roll ideal for heavier loads; often used in South Africa’s warehousing for standard box loads on pallets. 

Local South African Conditions to Consider

When choosing film in South Africa, you must factor in specific environmental and operational conditions: 

• Temperature and UV exposure: Warehouses in Pretoria or Johannesburg can exceed 30 °C, and outdoor transport routes may expose pallets to strong UV in open trucks. UV stabilised films and higher thickness can reduce damage. 
• Long road hauls / shipping: Pallets moving from Gauteng to Durban or Cape Town face vibration, shifting and humidity—demanding stronger containment. 
• Load types and irregular shapes: Agricultural packaging (e.g., fruit crates from Stellenbosch) often have overhangs or sharp corners requiring more robust film or banding at the base. 
• Cost pressures and sustainability: South African logistics increasingly focus on reducing plastic waste. Films with better strength can reduce the number of layers required, reducing film usage.  

Practical Guidelines: How to Choose the Right Wrap

Here’s a step‑by‑step method: 

1. Assess Load Weight & Profile

• Light and uniform loads (e.g., standard cartons, stable stacks): 12‑17 µm film may suffice. 
• Medium to heavy loads (e.g., sacks, drums, irregular shapes): move to 17‑25 µm. Research supports 20 µm or more for heavier loads.  
• High risk / long haul / sharp edges / export containers: Consider speciality blown film or duplex film formats with 25 µm+ equivalent strength.

2. Select Film Type & Feature Set

• Blown film offers better puncture/tear resistance than standard cast film.  
• Look for pre‑stretch film with high elongation – this enables you to use thinner film yet achieve strong containment.  
• Ensure film has UV stabilisation and cling performance suited for South African conditions. 
• Consider colour or printed wrap for security or branding (black wrap to hide contents is available in 17‑25 µm varieties).  

3. Wrap Application and Layers

• For manual wrapping, use 400–500 mm width rolls. For machine wrapping, wider rolls (500 mm+) and longer lengths are common.  
• Overlapping of layers is critical. Industry guidance suggests 40‑60% overlap, usually ~50%.  
• The number of layers required is a function of load height, weight, transport conditions. A simulation study found that optimal wrap layers can vary significantly based on load parameters.  

4. Cost vs Protection Balance

• While thicker film costs more per roll, the real metric is cost per pallet secured. Using a too‑thin film may lead to load damage, returns and wastage. 
• Innovative high‑performance thinner films (e.g., 15 µm that stretch 350%) show you can achieve high containment with less material.  
• For many SA operations, selecting a mid‑thickness (20 µm) film and optimising wrapping protocol gives the best balance.

5. Real‑World Example – SA Warehouse

A Gauteng‑based FMCG warehouse wraps pallets of canned goods for dispatch to Cape Town. The load weight is ~1 300 kg, box profile uniform, but transport is a 1 400 km road trip with vibration and highway conditions. 

• They choose a 20 µm blown film, wrapped with 50% overlap, 4,000 mm height wraps, and pre‑stretch application. 
• Result: No load shifts, no damage reported, film usage stable at ~120 m per pallet. 
• They compare this to a previous 15 µm film which had two load shifts in six months, incurring damage costs in excess of R 18 000.