How to Decide if Stretch Hood Film Fits Your Line

Stretch hood film is a gusseted tube of polyethylene film. Gusseted means the tube has folded sides, like a paper grocery bag, so one roll fits a range of load sizes. A stretch hooder opens the tube, stretches the film, pulls the hood down over the load, and lets go. The film pulls back and grips the load. No heat tunnel, no shrink.

1. Count your loads. Steady, high volume every shift gets the fastest payback on a hooder. Low or seasonal volume favors stretch wrap.
2. Map where loads go. Outdoor yard storage, open trailers, and export freight gain the most from five-sided coverage.
3. Check load shape. Tall, uneven, or settling loads (bagged resin or bagged mix) hold together better under a hood.
4. Measure your load range. Footprint and height range set hood circumference and length.
5. Set the holding force. Containment force is how tightly the film squeezes the load, measured in pounds. Give your supplier a target.
6. Run a film trial. Suppliers report up to 60% less film per load compared with stretch wrap. Weigh the film used per load with each method.
7. Calculate payback. Compare the yearly savings against the machine cost.

• Choosing hood film on film savings alone when your volume won’t cover the machine.
• Ordering one hood size for loads with a wide height range.

Add film cost per load, labor per load, top sheets, and damaged loads for each method. Multiply by your yearly load count. The difference divided into the machine cost gives your payback period in years.

Send us your weekly load count and load types. We will lay out the film and labor math for both methods.

S&S Incorporated · Packaging made easy since 1965 21300 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44117 216-383-1880 · info@sspkg.com · www.sspackaging.com Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:30 PM