How You Can Save Money on Stretch Film During a Price Increase
Stretch film resin manufacturers recently announced a second price increase, this coming just one month after the first-round which was confirmed and effective July 1, 2020. These increases are due to the rise of feedstocks, lower supply and higher demand. Keep in mind that these increases are happening just at the beginning of hurricane season which can also trigger more surges.
As one of the leading stretch film suppliers in the Southeast, Athens is here to help with stretch film cost savings strategies.
Even with the rise of these prices, there are still opportunities for cost savings or at least ways to offset the difference. This can be accomplished in several ways including switching to an alternative product and/or automation.
How Companies Are Wasting Stretch Film
A large number of companies are still using thicker gauge (70g to 80g) stretch film which can be an overkill and a waste of film. Other companies have transitioned to thinner gauges but find themselves securing their loads by wrapping it too many times therefore wasting film. A waste of film is a waste of money.
Not all stretch films are alike. Manufacturers are constantly developing new blends with a range of different performance properties. Many consumers are still in the mind set of finding the lowest “cost per roll” price. With the variety of films in the market today, a much better measurement is the “cost per load”. In other words, try to find the smallest total amount of film that works, while at the same time making sure to properly secure the load to get it to its final destination.
The key is finding the right recipe for the application. At Athens, our process helps customers determine the specifications using different gauges and different films. We can help!
Save Money Through Automation with Stretch Wrapper Equipment
Another way of offsetting rising price increases is through automation. If you are hand wrapping at least 10 loads per day, you could possibly save money utilizing a stretch wrapper. As the saying goes, machines show up for work every day and take very few coffee breaks so they are very dependable and consistent. On the other hand, if you have an older stretch wrapper, it may not be maximizing the film type when applying the film to the load, therefore wasting film.
Athens has customers who buy from the simplest to the more complex in-line stretch wrapping systems. Let Athens’ team help you determine whether an upgrade investment is in the picture or if automation is right for your company!
“Wrapping” it up
While stretch film prices continue to increase, there are opportunities to save money or at least offset the difference. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways including using alternative products and/or through automation. Now is the time to evaluate and Athens is the vendor who can help!