Shrink Wrap and Wrap Film Help the Food Industry Function
16 ธ.ค. 2565
Shrink Wrap and Wrap Film Help the Food Industry Operate
The recent pandemic has shown us that the food industry is one of the most complex and tightly scheduled industries in the world. Safely getting food containers from their point of origin to their destination involves different packaging concepts and approaches, complex scheduling, and innovative products that help ensure the containers arrive intact. Both shrink wrap and wrap film have become integral products in the industry.
These seemingly simple products are vital facets that help reduce losses and ensure that orders are delivered completely intact. Let's look more closely at the job these two products perform to ensure you can purchase your favorite food product at your local grocery store.
Role of Shrink Wrap
Shrink wrap was first used commercially in 1981. Today, almost anything can be shrink-wrapped, from soft drink containers to boats and even helicopters. The wrapping appealed to manufacturers immediately, as it could tightly wrap awkward-shaped items. The more tightly an item or items can be compacted, the more likely they are to withstand the repeated jostling and handling that occurs during shipping.
A crate of drink containers support each other by being compacted. Removing the spaces between them decreases their tendency to break against each other when in transit. With many items, compacting them also allows more units to be sent in a single shipment, which lowers shipping costs and speeds up the supply chain. The containers are also more likely to reach their destination in a sellable condition.
Food manufacturers write off a percentage of their profits to damaged goods as a standard practice in the industry. Even if the food products inside the containers are perfectly good, a product with a damaged or stained exterior can't be sold at full price. Containers that break during shipment cause other products next to them to also be damaged by spills and stains. Wrapping products in plastic serves two purposes. The compacting action prevents them from being damaged and also prevents them from incurring damage from neighboring products. The amount that manufacturers would have to write off from damaged goods decreased significantly when the positive effects of shrink-wrapping became apparent in the food industry.
When manufacturers of larger, more expensive items saw the benefits of wrapping items in plastic before shipping, they also started using shrink-wrapping. Today, you can see many awkward-shaped products reach their final destination wrapped in protective plastic to preserve their value.
Wrap Film Acts as a Safety Barrier
During the recent pandemic, the number of home food deliveries exploded around the world and undoubtedly saved a number of lives in heavily populated cities. The fact that an illness was causing such a disruption in people’s lives underlined the need for food product safety at every stage of the supply chain.
Luckily, the food industry had been relying on wrap film as a necessary tool in cafeterias, delis, airlines, hotels, cruise ships, and hospitals for years. They were using it because it delivered a lot of the same properties that shrink wrapping does in the shipping industry.
It helps food packages stay together and not become loose or spill their contents during handling. It also helps preserve them from being tainted by other food products around them spilling or breaking.
But the true value of plastic wrap became apparent during the pandemic. People trusted the food preparation protocols of their favorite restaurants. But they also had to trust the food handling of the delivery service that brought it to their home. Seeing the food items they ordered wrapped in a protective layer of wrap film comforted a lot of people around the world whose lives actually depended on the hygienic safety of their food.
Food industry companies always made sure they had an ample supply of plastic wrap as it was a safe, reliable, and easy way to maintain the hygienic quality of their food and maintain their reputation for food quality and safety. The film was like a guarantee that the food was not only hygienically prepared but it was fresh, and the kitchen that prepared it took measures to preserve that freshness.
Trust PTT Global Chemical
PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited produces both shrink wrap and wrap film products that are trusted by food manufacturers and kitchens throughout the world. Learn more about our range of plastic packaging solutions and increase the safety and efficiency of your food shipping and preparation operations.