General Fasteners Limited

How Strapping is Used

Strapping can be used to reinforce the load. Reinforcing means increasing the structural integrity and strength of the container. For example, a corrugated container filled with fresh vegetables is less likely to burst under shock when reinforced with polypropylene strapping.

Steel strapping can also be used to reinforce the load. Crates or wooden boxes reinforced with steel strapping reduce the number of nails needed as well as the amount and thickness of lumber.

In addition to being used as a reinforcing material, strapping is frequently used to close corrugated containers, as well as tote boxes and plastic returnable containers.

Securement is another way in which strapping is used. Securement means making sure that a product will remain in a given configuration. For example, Signode developed a package to secure expensive lamps in corrugated cradle trays, which are then shipped in a corrugated sleeve. This packaging innovation enabled Stiffel Lamps to reduce the amount of interior packaging materials and saved thousands in annual labour costs.

Strapping can also be used to unitize. Unitizing is the grouping of 2 or more units so they can be moved and handled as one. The resulting unit load will be uniform in shape, usually square or rectangular. Unitized loads often consist of unpackaged products such as lumber, cartons, bricks and ingots.

Palletizing, which is a form of unitizing, is the process by which a load is secured on a pallet. The most common pallet load is filled corrugated cartons, which are often secured to the pallet with strapping and/or stretch film.

There are several possible strapping patterns. The simplest pattern consists of 1 or more vertical straps parallel to each other on the load. Another pattern uses 1 or more horizontal straps. There is also a pattern combining horizontal and vertical straps. The strapping pattern really depends on the number of items on the pallet, their pattern, and the overall load height.

Skidding is a heavy-duty form of palletizing. The deck is usually made of heavier lumber. Skids generally have 2 or 3 runners made from heavy lumber. Unlike pallets, they do not have a bottom deck. Skidding is usually selected for heavy, dense products. For example, Signode steel strapping is shipped on skids. Other products typically shipped on skids include tinplate, metal coils and paper.

Bailing is a method of securing materials which would otherwise form a loose pile. Bailing reduces the cube size and makes the load uniform so it is easier to stack, handle and store. Cotton, synthetic fibres and scrap paper are often bailed.

Maintaining compression is yet another way in which strapping is used. Strapping over-filled telescopic cartons of meat or apparel are good examples of strap maintaining compression.

Strapping can also be used to deter pilferage by making it more difficult to remove individual items from the load. Loads unitized with strapping and edge protection make pilferage a poor risk for thieves. Containers can't be removed without breaking down the entire load, making thievery time-consuming and obvious.

Bundling, like unitizing, joins a number of small items into a package. But unlike larger unit loads, bundles are not necessarily uniform in shape and are frequently moved by hand rather than with materials handling equipment. Commonly, bundling is used to contain long, thin shapes such as tubing or small diameter pipe. And, unlike unitizing, bundling is used most often on unpackaged products.

Tying down and bracing loads with strapping prevents damages that occur during transit. For example, strapping can be used to tie down loads on open-top railcars. Strapping can also be used to brace loads in closed railcars and trucks.