Plastic strapping is the most cost-effective way to secure your packages for all your shipping and handling needs. A great alternative to steel, plastic strapping can take care of your heavy-duty packages.
Plastic strapping is an excellent way to secure products during handling, storage, and shipping. There are two types of plastic strapping: Polyester strapping and polypropylene strapping. Plastic strapping material can be cost-effective when compared to steel strapping, which makes this form of strapping great when you are working with smaller loads.
If you are looking for a strapping material that has some give to prevent damage to your more sensitive packages, then plastic strapping material would be a great fit for you. Strapping plastic comes in a variety of strengths and sizes, meeting your packaging needs.
What Is Plastic Strapping Used For?
Plastic strapping is great for paper products, lumber, bottles, and cans. Plastic packaging is also a great choice for corrugated cardboard packages, because of the give of the material which decreases the risk that the strapping material will damage the packages throughout the shipping and handling process.
How Much Weight Can Plastic Strapping Hold?
While steel strapping is the strongest material on the market, polyester strapping is a great alternative. The size and makeup of the plastic strapping material determine how strong it is and how much it can hold, but the typical breakpoint strength can be as high as 2200 lbs.
Plastic strapping is 80% lighter than steel strapping making it easier to use for hand strapping products. Machine-grade strapping makes it easier to get larger volumes of products out the door while still taking advantage of the lower cost of plastic strapping. This form of strapping is an excellent complement to stretch wrap to help ensure your pallets are secure no matter what happens during the shipping process.
Polyester Strapping
Polyester strapping is the strongest form of plastic strap material. It is beginning to replace lighter steel strapping due to the lower cost and ease of use. Polyester strapping can withstand high initial tensioning, provide extremely high break strength levels, and offer superior impact resistance. This makes polyester strapping material an excellent and cost-effective alternative to steel. The minimal elongation properties of polyester strapping material help to maintain load retention levels during transport or long-term storage.
The rubber band effect of polyester allows the strapping to stretch and retain tension with less chance of snapping if the load shifts during transport, ensuring your products arrive at their destination in one piece. Polyester plastic strapping comes in both hand and machine grade, helping to meet all your packaging and shipping needs.
Polypropylene Strapping
Polypropylene strapping is the most economical and commonly used material on the market. As a step-down from polyester strapping. It is lightweight and durable, providing you with the piece of mind knowing your products will make it to their destination in the same condition they left your warehouse in.
Polypropylene’s high elongation and recovery properties make this product an excellent choice for a wide range of applications including palletizing, unitizing, carton closing, and bundling. This form of strapping comes in both hand and machine grade making polypropylene suitable to meet even large volumes of products.
If you need to secure light-weight materials that do not require, or would be damaged by a heavy-duty strap, then polypropylene strapping might be the best strapping material for you.
What Is the Difference Between Polyester Strapping and Polypropylene Strapping?
Aside from tensile and breakpoint strength, there are some other key differences between polyester strapping and polypropylene strapping. Polyester strapping is usually glossy and smooth and can retain tension over a long period of time, making this a great product to use for storage. Polyester strapping material is more cost-effective than steel, but polypropylene strapping is the least expensive option out there.
Polypropylene usually comes in a matte finish and is usually embossed or cut in a waffle-like design for better hold. The low retained tension of polypropylene does mean that the strapping will often lose about half of its applied tension within an hour of being applied. This makes polypropylene the best option for delicate packages, but probably not the best choice for more heavy-duty loads.
Complimentary Strapping Evaluation
As a leading strapping supplier, Millennium Packaging is here to help you meet all your packaging needs. Our experienced and knowledgeable technicians are available to answer questions to help you choose the best strapping and strapping equipment that meets your needs. Reach out today!