Collation Shrink Film for Contract Packers: Specify Every Pack Format
A contract packing job can look straightforward until the customer changes the pack count, tray or delivery schedule. Before ordering collation shrink film, build a specification around the finished multipack and the equipment that will produce it. That gives purchasing, production and the film supplier the same brief.
Start with a pack-format list
List each product, pack count, arrangement, finished dimensions and total weight. Record whether the pack is tray-supported, pad-supported or unsupported. Include the tallest and shortest formats, rather than assuming the most common pack represents the whole job. A photograph beside a ruler and a physical sample can remove ambiguity.
For example, a six-can promotion and a twelve-can case should be separate lines on the brief. Do not assume the same film width or machine recipe suits both. Ask the supplier and equipment provider to review the proposed format range before committing to a common specification.
Confirm the machine and reel presentation
Give your film supplier the wrapper make and model, film path and required presentation. Confirm single-wound or centre-fold format with the machine specification. Record film width, core internal diameter, maximum reel diameter and the reel weight your handling arrangements permit. Include any unwind-direction requirement.
Ask production to check those details against the machine manual and a reel that currently runs successfully. A quote described only as ‘shrink film on a roll’ leaves too much room for a mismatch.
Define what an acceptable multipack must do
Agree the checks with the customer before production. Consider seal integrity, product retention, pack appearance, barcode visibility and handling through the actual distribution route. Identify whether the pack will be manually lifted, placed inside another case or palletised directly. Where a carry opening is intended, agree how it will be assessed; do not treat any opening as a lifting handle.
Record failures by location and format. A split beside a tray corner raises a different question from an opening at the seal. Use those observations to guide a discussion about film, pack geometry and settings rather than automatically increasing thickness.
Keep promotional print and recycled content explicit
If print is required, supply approved artwork, repeat length, registration requirements and unwind orientation for review. Confirm which text must remain readable on the finished pack and agree an approval process before the production run.
For recycled-content options, state the requested percentage and ask what evidence accompanies the supplied grade. Confirm performance and appearance against the customer's acceptance criteria. Avoid promising a particular saving, appearance or environmental outcome before the specification and evidence have been checked.
Plan repeat orders around usable output
Compare quotations on the same basis: film dimensions, net film weight, reel presentation, order quantity, delivery arrangements and any print setup charges. Track material used per accepted pack alongside rejects and changeover waste. A lower price per kilogram does not by itself establish a lower packing cost.
Keep the approved specification and production recipe against each customer and pack format. Record revisions when products, trays, artwork or film change. This gives the next shift and the next repeat order a usable starting point.
What to send with a collation shrink film enquiry
Send your pack-format list; product and tray samples or dimensions; wrapper details; current film specification and reel label; expected run quantities and repeat frequency; print or recycled-content requirements; and the delivery schedule. Flag unresolved details clearly so they can be checked before an order is agreed.
Discuss your contract packing requirements
Stretchband Packaging manufactures collation shrink film for food, beverage and industrial applications, with bespoke specifications and printed or PCR options subject to application requirements. If you have a changing mix of multipacks, send us your pack details and current film specification. We can help you identify the information needed for a suitable quotation.
