Pallet bands keep loads stable, accessible

Offered as an economical alternative to plastic stretch wrap as a means to secure and stabilize a palletload, Aero Rubber’s reusable pallet bands also cut labor costs, says John Kuhn, senior sales engineer.

“The bands can be applied and removed by one person quickly, easily and in far less time than either hand or machine application of stretch wrap,” Kuhn explains. “They’re ideal for internal storage, because they keep the contents of a load stable yet accessible for order picking without the need to remove and re-apply wrap.”

Inside a warehouse or distribution center, the bands are typically applied when pallets are received—after the shipment stretch wrap is removed. “Rather than re-wrapping, which wastes a lot of wrap material and takes time, a pallet band can be applied with corner protectors slid underneath each corner to stabilize the load in less than 30 seconds,” he says.

The bands’ standard 92-inch circumference secures a 48 x 48-inch pallet. They come in a standard thickness of 0.063 inches, and in 0.75- or 1.5-inch widths. Reusable multiple times, Kuhn says it takes about five uses for each band to pay for itself. A single band can stabilize most lighter-weight loads, while multiple bands can be applied to heavier or irregular loads.

Depending on the environment and the load, the bands can be specified in one of three different materials: green natural rubber for indoor use; a blue-colored rubber blend that retains elasticity in freezer applications; and a black, synthetic ethylene polypylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber that resists ultraviolet light and ozone for outdoor storage. Bands can also be printed with company information.

“Not only do they eliminate the costs associated with purchasing and disposing of stretch wrap, the bands are recyclable,” Kuhn says. “Their flexibility and stretch range also allows them to secure odd-shaped loads, totes, or up to four, 55-gallon drums on a single pallet.”

In addition, the pallet bands allow perishable products—such as produce—to breathe, and water from sprinkler systems can pass through in the event of a fire, he adds.