Load Containment Testing

As part of our commitment to helping our customers optimise their pallet shipping procedures, FROMM Packaging offers load containment testing. This testing procedure effectively minimises returns due to damage caused during transit.

What is load containment testing?

Simply put, this testing strategy calculates whether the pallets are wrapped correctly at your site, reducing the likelihood of damage to the packed products during transit. The actual containment force that is calculated by our specialists is the hugging pressure that holds the pallet and its contents together. To obtain this force we multiply the number of times the plastic wrap is wound around the pallet by the tightness of this wrap (wrap force). Maintaining the optimum containment force is one of the key steps in maintaining the integrity of the pallet and minimising pallet damage during transit, which is why it is so important to test.

In fact, it’s been estimated that more than half of the damage that occurs during transit is due to ineffective pallet wrapping (inconsistent load containment or poor load-to-pallet bonding). Just because the pallets look well wrapped when they leave your site, doesn’t mean that this wrapping is good enough to prevent transit damage.

How is the load containment force calculated?

To calculate the load containment force, our technicians use a specialised testing cube that determines which pre-stretch levels and pallet wrapping machine settings result in the optimum balance​

The cube is wrapped in plastic sheets to simulate a fully wrapped pallet and stress testing is performed over the pallet corners, as well as testing for resistance to sharp punctures, and how far the sheeting can be stretched and still maintain its integrity. All test data is reviewed by our technicians and a report with specific recommendations is shared with our customer.

The data obtained from the load containment testing procedures can be graphed to aid visual understanding, showing the compression force that the plastic wrap applies to the load during the wrapping process. It also clearly demonstrates the resistance to punctures graphically and the resistance to further stretching over time.

All of this data is designed to help our customers maximise their pallet wrapping operations and minimise damage during transit. Ultimately, our customers benefit from increased profits and very happy customers!

You can watch the load containment testing procedure in operation below.