A NEW video for Railcar Covers.

This video may help customers understand the capabilities for railcar covers with their products. 

See more at the Flexpak Site: www.palletcovers.com

The new site is ready to launch!

Palletcovers.com will be going live tomorrow. The hope is that this site provides an avenue to information regarding packaging bulk items. Often sites in today's business world focus on sales, though we hope that the new Flexpak site allows viewers to become more informed about packaging, so they can make the right decision when it comes to shipping their product.

Automated Wrappers: Juice vs. the Squeeze?

Automated Wrappers:

It would be great to have a cost effective automated wrapper for lumber and wood products with a zero defect tolerance. While there have been a limited number of companies who have put in automated systems for packaging bulk items, the truth of the matter is, that automated wrappers have historically only been a mess for companies in the wood product industries. The issue comes down to limits in plastics, limits in sizing, but more importantly the ability to provide a cost effective packaging requirement with limited defects. Changing out roll-stock on an automated line and consistency in packaging quality has not surpassed the ability for Joe Blow on the packaging line to effectively apply wrap or a cover.  But the most important issue with automated wrapping machinery deals with the outcome of a down automated wrapping machine. This brief post will examine the effectiveness of an automated wrapper vs. the end-line packaging team or individual who has been wrapping lumber by hand.

It would be great to have a cost effective automated wrapper for lumber and wood products with a zero defect tolerance...

but is that possible?

A few years ago there was a mill in the Pacific Northwest that had put in an automated packaging machine on their sawmilling line. The results: an expensive piece of machinery, with a specific dedicated plastic requirement, with a reduction of one employee, though inconsistency in quality packaging (this mill has since taken out the machine). To further detail these areas, a cost-benefit- analysis needs to be completed on the value of a piece of machinery that automates the wrapping.

 A new machine in the packaging line still requires an individual to run the machine, or at the very least monitor the package and occasionally change the roll stock of film. If the effort is to reduce employee cost, this approach is especially questionable in a section of production line that requires one or two individuals at most. While a machine does have the possibility of packaging items faster, at this point in time, the output of mills does not exceed the ability of one or two packagers to wrap a load of lumber before the next load is run through the line. In the cases where lines have temporary increases in output where two employees are having difficulty keeping up with production in packaging stations, a third employee can be added temporarily for assistance…I have never seen more than two on a packaging line for any long period of time. Of course a machine will take the place of one or two employees, but at what cost? Let’s look further.  

The plastic becomes a dedicated necessity. With automated packaging machines, the plastic needed is only able to be purchased from a limited number (if not one) plastic company. In nearly all cases, the automated machine sold to a mill is done so by a plastic company rather than a machine company. Why? The goal is to require mills to rely solely on the plastic company for their plastic source. It seems extremely difficult to effectively analyze the pay-off on the purchase of a new machine without considering the plastic costs that parallel machine use; plastic prices will never be guaranteed beyond a year (at the very most) due to the reliance on oil prices. Who is to say the plastic company selling the film with the automated wrapper will not ‘tell you’ the price of film has gone up and your new price is substantially higher. Upon purchasing the machine and working it into your line, you now have an absolute need of the associated poly to run on that machine. Usually this is extruded polyethylene, from a single supplier. What is to stop you from being overpriced on your film after purchasing the machine?

The most important issue with adding an automated wrapper to your production line is related to both quality of packaging and machine reliability.

The most important issue with adding an automated wrapper to your production line is related to both quality of packaging and machine reliability.  These are two areas which need heavy consideration. Will the machine have consistency in packaging quality? What happens when the package fails to apply properly (how many variables are inputs to the completion of a solid package)? When the production line is going full speed and then the packaging line goes down, what are the effects (a traffic jam of lumber)? These are all risks that need to be weighed against the constants of two packaging gurus named something like Jack and John, who happened to be equipped with staple guns and a good sense of humor. The stock film also does not allow for properly wrapping variable changes to board feet or pallet width changes in-line.

We are not suggesting that automated packaging systems are not a good idea for the lumber and wood industries. They are a great idea. They just have not worked in the past and they are expensive compared to the associated risk to productivity/output. Rarely does one want to be 'stuck' with a single supplier without the option of going somewhere else for plastic roll stock. No one wants a "down" line of production due to a packaging machine failure or malfunction...can you imagine your customers not receiving their order because the new packaging machine that was supposed to be a more efficient way to package stopped working correctly...

To celebrate the launch of the new website at palletcovers.com we have developed a number of new videos to help customers understand what products Flexpak Corp manufactures. There are also several educational videos helping customers understand what product might be best for them...matching the customer with the correct package is the goal.

The website will be up and running in April 2014...stay tuned.

Paper Wrap or Lumber Wrap...

Paper or Plastic Wrap?
There are stories of employees going to mills where they are asked by the customer if they sell paper wrap. Usually, the answer is that "we can supply you with a paper laminated plastic wrap, but what do you mean by paper wrap?"  On several occasions the customer will show us the current "paper wrap" that they are purchasing and it is 100% plastic.

Plastic should not be confused with paper wrap because there are wraps with paper laminates used in the lumber and wood industries. The following guide will quickly go over different types of wrap available for the lumber and wood products. (There are also covers, which will be a later post).

Polyethylene Lumber Wrap:

Paper Laminated Lumber Wrap

PE Lumber Wrap is usually a polyethylene based product. There is a high-density weave which is coated on the front and back with a low-density polyethylene. The weaves can differ, but are usually counted by the number of crossed sections in a square inch. The advantage of this product is the strength provided by the weave and the water resistance allowed by the coating. The black/white coatings that are often seen allow for a cooler package which resists mold and mildew.

Paper Lumber Wrap:
Paper Lumber Wrap is a woven product, coated on one side, with the other side having a paper laminate. While more costly than any other type of package, the paper is claimed to help with moisture absorption. It is true this does have some effect with moisture control. There are a limited number of mills that the employees at www.palletcovers.com would recommend this product to, as most customers have found other solutions.

Polypropylene Lumber Wrap:
PP Lumber Wrap is similar to PE Lumber Wrap. It can be more expensive at times, but often it is similar in price. PP Lumber Wrap is usually more "brittle" than PE Lumber Wrap, making it more difficult to work with during the packaging stage (PE Lumber Wrap is usually more flexible, and easier to apply). Often PP Lumber Wrap by competitors has wider tapes in the weave.

Low Density Polyethylene Sheeting:
There are some customers that choose a LDPE extruded product. This type of plastic is measured in "Mils" which is the equivalent of one thousandth of an inch. The most common thickness is usually around 4-6 mil for the lumber industry, but products shipped in closed-container can get away with a 2 mil on occasion. While not an ideal option for most in the lumber industry, LDPE sheeting can be a cost effective solution for smaller mills, or mills shipping with closed-container methods.

For more information on lumber wrap, the sales department at www.palletcovers.com can provide not only product specs, but help find a lumber wrap which is right for your product and shipping method.

The New Blog: Flexpak's Information on Packaging Pallets and Bulked Items.

This blog will serve as an informational outlet for those interested in learning more about packaging products for shipment. The knowledge shared is from the the experience of those employees at www.polycovers.com, and is simply put on the web to help customers with packaging issues.

 www.polycovers.com was established by Flexpak Corp, a manufacturer of pallet covers, to better inform customers of current products and promote new cover design.