Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Six-sided wrapping speeds Spencer

Two new stretch wrappers that run in sequence on the same line greatly increase speed and output while eliminating labor costs to band pallets of mail-order catalogs printed by Spencer Press.

The first of two stretch wrappers used by Spencer Press is this orbital machine that applies film around the top, bottom, and tw
The first of two stretch wrappers used by Spencer Press is this orbital machine that applies film around the top, bottom, and tw

By using two stretch wrapping machines in sequence, Spencer Press now protects pallet loads of its mail-order catalogs and newspaper inserts on six sides, by applying film around each pallet’s four sides, top, and bottom. The equipment increases the printer’s output to 700 pallets/day, compared with the 480/day capability it had using both a stretch wrapping/banding machine and manual banding.

The new machines are supplied by Lantech (Louisville, KY). Spencer Press began using them in ’99. The first wrapper is a Lan-ringer Series 200 stretch wrapper with a 90” ring, which wraps the top, bottom, and two sides of the load. Wrapping a pallet load is unusual for an orbital machine like this, which typically is used to wrap unusually shaped products.

Afterward, an S-3500 Straddle wrapper applies film around the four sides of the pallet, thereby covering the two sides not wrapped in film by the Lan-ringer. That creates a six-sided protective film wrap around each pallet that protects the load and gives it the necessary structural stability.

Increased speed and capacity were critical for the Wells, ME, company after it added five web presses and related bindery equipment in ’99 to meet a 50% increase in business volume at the 450ꯠ-sq’ facility. At the plant, Spencer Press prints and ships retail catalogs for retailers like Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and LensCrafters. Spencer’s business depends on expedient shipping of its customers’ catalogs, flyers, and inserts.

“We saw a considerable increase in our business volume, so we had to add new high-speed machines that could outproduce any other press and bindery equipment we had at the time,” recalls John McCurry, Spencer’s director of warehouse and traffic. “We knew with our volume going up, we’d have to be able to wrap those loads and move them out the door efficiently.”

To do that, the printer realized it had to improve upon its previous wrapping methods, which included an automatic stretch wrapper/strapper combination that could wrap 20 to 25 pallets/hr, and separate manual banding of loads.

“We did at least 50 percent of our pallets by hand-strapping them with metal banding,” McCurry says. “With the additional volume we would have had to add 16 people to keep up with the banding. We run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” That would have added nearly $400ꯠ to the company’s annual payroll.

Distributor steps up

McCurry tells Packaging World, “We looked at different equipment from different companies and compared throughputs,” he says. “And we also looked at our pallet heights. We separate outbound shipments by postal code and send them to a section center facility or bulk mail center. Each plastic-wrapped bundle on the pallet might carry enough catalogs or flyers for one block in a particular town. If it’s a small town, our load might be as small as 12 inches high, or it can stand up to five feet high. So we had to have a stretch wrapper that could handle those pallet height ranges. Some machines had an 18-inch minimum height requirement.”

McCurry contacted Brown Packaging (Adams, MA), the distributor that had supplied the company with its other stretch wrapping machinery and materials. Spencer Press was satisfied with that equipment but realized it

2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Exclusive access: Packaging World editor-curated reports revealing PACK EXPO's most groundbreaking technologies across food, healthcare, and machinery sectors. Each report features truly innovative solutions selected from hundreds of exhibitors by our expert team. Transform your operations with just one click.
Access Now
2024 PACK EXPO Innovations Reports
Annual Outlook Report: Workforce
Hiring remains a major challenge in packaging, with 78% struggling to fill unskilled roles and 84% lacking experienced workers. As automation grows, companies must rethink hiring and training. Download the full report for key insights.
Download Now
Annual Outlook Report: Workforce