Plastics and Polymers

When you have very heavy loads to go on a pallet for shipping you should be using steel strapping instead of plastic strapping. I am going to try and explain the different types of strapping for people not in the industry but have now found themselves in a position of needing to buy some.

Polypropylene plastic strapping is great for securing low to medium weight loads on pallets ready for shipping but if you start to increase weight too much you can get problems. The first thing you will notice is that the plastic strapping will start to give a little and result in the loaded pallet not being as solid and secure. This can become dangerous as it may lead to loads tipping or even the strapping snapping. If your load is under 300kg then it's fine to use plastic strapping and why wouldn't you! It's easy to handle, excellent value and ideal for general purpose strapping. But if your load will be over 300kg or your load has sharp edges then steel strapping is the way to go.

Exceptionally strong and durable, ideal for securing heavy palletised loads, plywood cases and sharp edged objects. Supplied in either ribbon or oscillated wound coils with sheared and dressed edges for safety. Oscillated wound steel strapping is great for machine use as you don't need to change coils as often due to the vast amounts of strapping on these reels. Ribbon wound coils can be easier to use by hand.

There are two ways to seal steel strapping and it depends on the usage and the cost. You can seal with a crimp, this has the lowest cost for low usage with the kits being cheaper but you have the added cost of buying the seals over time. The second option which is a little more expensive to buy to begin with is a sealess combination tool which seals the steel strapping without needing to buy a ongoing supply of seals. While this costs a little more to begin with, it is cheaper over the long run for heavy use.

I hope this quick guide has helped make your choice of which strapping to buy that bit easier.