I can’t even begin to tell you how many people have asked me, “Should I use shrink wrap or stretch wrap to package this product?” Many people interchange stretch wrap and shrink wrap not realizing that they are two completely different products. I will help clear up the differences. By then end of this article you will be a stretch wrap and shrink wrap expert!

To begin with, both stretch wrap and shrink wrap are used for packaging purposes. For that reason, I believe a lot of people get confused. Here is my brief explanation of each of these packaging technologies.

Stretch Wrap - Stretch wrap is a type of clear plastic film that has the appearance and consistence of saran wrap. This film is typically designed to bundle multiple items together or provide stability to a package of items. As the film is wrapped around a product, some tension is required to provide stability. Stretch wrap film tends to “cling” together as it is wrapped over itself. Many stretch wrap machines are designed to apply stretch wrap to large pallets of products for stability and shipping purposes. No heat is applied during the stretch wrap process.

Shrink Wrap - Shrink wrap is also a type of clear plastic film, however, it does not have stretchy or clingy “saran wrap” properties. Shrink wrap is typically designed to package an individual product, although it can be used to package multiple items together. Unlike stretch wrap, which is wrapped around a product multiple times, shrink wrap is actually cut around a product using a heat sealer or shrink wrap bar. The shrink film then shrinks (hence the name) around the product as heat is applied. The end result is a professionally packaged product. Shrink wrap provides a tamper proof and protective barrier.

I hope that helped. Let me also demonstrate the differences between stretch wrap and shrink wrap with a few video demonstrations.

This is a video demo of a stretch wrap (pallet wrap) machine:

This is a video demo of a shrink wrap machine:

At ABC Office we offer a great selection of packaging products designed to preserve, protect and package. You can find our entire selection of pallet stretch wrappers here and our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here.

Please feel free to contact one of our packaging specialists at 1-800-658-8788 with any stretch wrap or shrink wrap questions.

I had a customer ask me today if we offered a machine that could be used to package cake clamshells. I informed her that we had several machines that would work, but I needed to ask a few questions first. We ended up settling on a shrink wrap machine. This is how we came to that decision.

To begin with, I asked the customer how many cakes she was packaging per day. She informed me that she would be packaging about 300 cakes a day, which were enclosed in clamshell packaging. I informed the customer that 300 pieces a day was a fairly large amount.

I then asked the customer how big the clamshells were. She informed me that they were about 9″ x 7″ wide and 2″ high. I provided the customer with a few options.

First of all, 300 cakes a day is a lot. While you could use an I-bar sealer (found here), I informed the customer that they would be looking at about 2-3 minutes per package, perhaps 1 minute per package with a well-experienced operator. Even in a best-case scenario that would be about 5 hours to package everything.

I informed the customer that she would probably want an L-bar shrink wrap machine with an integrated tunnel. These types of systems take anywhere from 10-20 seconds per package. Packaging time will go up or down depending on how automated the machine is. In a best-case scenario this would take about 50-60 minutes.

I explained to the customer that the amount of time saved per day would easily make up the difference in cost. The customer also informed me that she would probably experience an increase in volume if everything went as planned. She definitely needed an L-bar system.

We ended up settling on the Minipack Galileo. The Galileo is affordable, could easily packaging the cake clamshell and seemed to be the best fit.

Having used the Galileo myself, I am confident that the customer will be very happy in the long run.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap machines here.

When it comes to packaging products with shrink wrap, there are two different ways to finish the process. One is by use of a heat gun and the other is by use of a heat tunnel. Both will get the job done. So which system should you use? I’ll explain the differences here.

The biggest and probably most fundamental difference between a heat gun and a heat tunnel is speed. A heat tunnel is significantly faster than a heat gun. Here is a brief description of the two different designs:

• Heat Tunnels – Heat tunnels typically use some sort of conveyor system that transports the product. The tunnel is heated and blows hot air around the product, causing the shrink film to contract thus completing the packaging process. Heat tunnels are not only known for their speed, but also for their ability to evenly shrink film. Heat tunnels are often located to the side of a shrink wrap machine. Many machines now include a built-in heat tunnel. This process usually takes just seconds.
• Heat Guns – Heat guns are essentially glorified hair driers, however, much hotter. They are manually held and manually operated. The operator typically blows hot air on one side of the product, flips it, and then shrinks the film on the other side. This process can take anywhere from 10-60 seconds, depending on the size of the product and the experience of the operator.

Apart from speed, price is also a differentiating factor. Heat tunnels are more of an investment where heat guns are a fraction the cost.

You really need to analyze how many products you need to package per day and where you expect your production volume to be years down the road prior to making a purchase. Heat tunnels can be used to package hundreds to thousands of products a day where heat guns are typically used for a few dozen to hundreds per day.

Both heat tunnels and heat guns will probably last you for years, so be sure your decision today doesn’t adversely affect your job later down the road.

You can find our entire selection of shrink wrap heat tunnels here and our heat guns here.

We often get asked which shrink wrap machine is best for daily packaging of a variety of different products. This may involved CDs, soap, chocolate, software and more. I have a couple of great options.

There are two primary types of shrink wrap machines. The first type is an I-bar (straight bar) and the second is an L-bar. The machine you get will depend on your preference and the volume you are packaging.

An I-bar sealer has a single cutting bar that cuts and seals the film. Because it only cuts one side at a time, it usually requires two passes to completely encapsulate a product. Why only two passes?

Assuming you are using centerfold shrink wrap film, the folded side is already sealed leaving three open sides.

Every time an I-bar sealer is used, not only does it cut the film for your package, but it also seals one side of the film for the next package. This leaves a total of two open sides for each consecutive package.  A heat gun is typically used to shrink the film.

An L-bar sealer has two cutting and sealing bars, in the shape of an L. As previously described with the I-bar sealer, the film usually only has two open sizes, which means an L-bar sealer will completely encapsulate a packaging in one pass. Many L-bar sealers come with a heat tunnel, although a heat gun may be used.

We have two recommended I-bar and two recommended L-bar sealers for your daily packaging needs. These are as follows:

Top I-Bar Sealers

• Super Sealer – Deluxe Model with Heat Gun
• AIE I-Bar Shrink Wrap System With Gun

Top L-Bar Sealers

• Minipack Galaxy Shrink Wrap System
• Minipack Galileo Shrink Wrap System

You can see our entire selection of shrink wrap machines and equipment here.

It’s amazing how many people are now reigning in once outsourced packaging operations to in-house. Why is this? A huge part of it is because it isn’t difficult for a business to package their own products. It is also a great way to save money during a recession.

Shrink wrap machines have become smaller, easier to use and far more affordable. Minipack has been on the forefront of this revolution. Two of their most popular machines are the Minipack Galaxy and Galileo machines. You can find them here.

The Galaxy and the Galileo shrink wrap machines replaced the Mini-Plus and the Mini-Mini shrink wrap machines. The Galaxy and Galileo are essentially the same machine, but with different chamber dimensions. Both the Galaxy and Galileo are available in different setups. These have been broken down into systems. The system you use depends entirely on what you need.

Both of these machines have an integrated heat tunnel. This means that when the hood is brought down, it will cut the film around the package and shrink it in one single pass. This is very quick and very convenient. Packaging a DVD, software box, pizza or soap bar can be done in just a few seconds. You can use these to package food by using polyolefin film.

The Galaxy and Galileo are very easy to use and set up. There is no special training required. Maintenance is also easy.

Both of these machines are very efficient and emit very little odor. This is especially nice when being used in poorly ventilated rooms. These machines can use both PVC and Polyolefin film. You can learn more about the two different types of film by going here.

We have had customers ask if the heat will damage products. While there may be some heat-sensitive products you will not want to package, we have had customers send in chocolate samples for testing and haven’t had a problem with the heat melting anything.

If you are interested in the Minipack Galaxy or Galileo, send a sample into us and we will test it out on these machines. We can then send the sample back to you for your approval.

We are also able to offer live video demonstrations of these machines through the Internet. If you are interested in having one of these machines demonstrated for you, simply one of these forms:

• Galaxy Live Video Demo Request
• Galileo Live Video Demo Request

For answers to additional shrink wrap questions, feel free to call one of our shrink wrap experts at 1-800-658-8788.

We have been selling shrink-wrap machines, vacuum sealers and other packaging products made by Minipack for years now. Minipack’s products have proven time after time to be reliable, useful and easy to use. We (ABC Office) are proud to announce that we have been awarded the “Focus on the Future Award” by Minipack in their graphic division. This award was given to us for our consistent sales and dedication.

Minipack is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of shrink-wrap machines, vacuum sealers and other packaging equipment. We have found Minipack products to be reliable and made from high-quality components. Minipack has been around since 1976 and is headquartered in Italy.

One of our most popular Minipack lines is the Galaxy and Galileo, which are all-in-one shrink-wrap machines. They cut the film and shrink it at the same time. Our customers, especially small businesses, love these machines for packaging and selling their products. Our Minipack vacuum sealers are also growing in popularity, such as the MVS 31 and 45, for packaging food for resale.

We are proud of our partnership with Minipack and look forward to many more successful years selling their line of products. You can see our entire selection of Minipack packaging products here.

Finding the best shrink wrap machine may seem complex and time consuming. Not to worry. We have compiled a list of the best shrink-wrap machines available online. This list has been compiled, in part, thanks to our customers. Our list contains I-bar machines, L-bar machines and complete systems with heat tunnels and heat guns.

This list doesn’t just take into account popularity, but durability and long-term performance. Don’t forget your shrink film!

Top 7 Best Shrink Wrap Machines:

1.   Compack 5800 Shrink Wrap Machine

2.    Minipack Galaxy Shrink Wrap Machine

3.   Deluxe Super Sealer with Heat Gun

4.   Minipack Galileo Shrink Wrapper

5.   AIE I-Bar Sealer with Heat Gun

6.   Minipack FM77 Digit Shrink Wrap System

7.   Standard Super Sealer with Heat Gun

There are two types of shrink wrap film typically used with shrink wrap machines. These are PVC and Polyolefin shrink wrap. Both are very popular, but both have several differences that you will want to be aware of before purchasing shrink wrap supplies.

You may be most familiar with PVC shrink wrap film. This is because most DVDs, CDs and software boxes are packaged with PVC film. PVC film is typically a little less expensive than Polyolefin.

PVC film is more brittle, making it easier to break open. This is nice for opening packaging, but is a disadvantage if you are shrink wrapping multiple products together. Why would that be? This is because the brittle properties of the PVC film could cause packaging of multiple items to rupture more easily than Polyolefin.

PVC film emits an odor that some people may not appreciate. It is recommended to use PVC film in a well-ventilated room. PVC film is not safe to use with food.

Polyolefin film is growing in popularity, especially because it is safe to use with food. The stretchy properties of Polyolefin film also make it ideal for group packaging of products. Polyolefin emits little to no odor.

Both types of film can be used with most shrink wrap machines, whether they be I-bar or L-bar systems. Both heat shrink guns and heat tunnels can shrink these types of film.

At ABC Office we sell both types of film in various lengths and thicknesses. Take a look at our selection of shrink wrap film here.