Aetna upgrades pallet stretch wrapping capabilities

"We asked our customers to identify the changing trends and developments in handling and distribution within their particular marketplace,"​ said Aetna managing director Mark Tucker.

"Armed with this information we worked together with Robopac in Italy to satisfy these needs, and the result is a new range of automatic pallet stretch wrapper upgrades."​

Among the new developments identified within the survey was the need to find a way to stop loads shifting off the pallets. With the upgrade, automatic corner post applicators can be fitted and "roping" the film around the base of the wooden pallet secures the loads. This means that the loads can be more tightly wrapped without crushing the packaging.

A second requirement was to find a way to eliminate tails and prevent unwrapping, which causes particular problems in automated warehouses. The upgrade fits a new style film cut, grip and tail welding unit, which stops the unwrapping, and provides a perfect finish every time.

According to Aetna UK​, Robopac's Spiror horizontal stretch wrapper range, which tightly wraps long bundles or stacks for protection and handling, has enjoyed market domination for the past 15 years. The range is fully guarded to CE standard and has electronically variable conveyor and ring speeds to give optimum film overlap and linear speed.

The popular 400 machine can handle products from 25 to 300mm wide and from 20 to 300mm tall, without adjustment. Minimum length is 800mm and maximum length is infinite! For larger sections, Robopac make 8 ring sizes up to a maximum 2500mm. The Spiror provides a quicker, cheaper and safer method of wrapping without damaging the product. An international extruder in the UK recently purchased a Spiror 400 HP which was equipped with all the features required to wrap aluminium without damage, including polyurethane drive rollers, automatic top pressure rollers, infeed and outfeed conveyors and automatic side roller adjustments.