CNC: Making Your Manufacturing Facility Work For You

3 Reasons Manufacturers Use LDPE Sheets For Packaging

by Pamela Hill

Innovations in the plastic industry have influenced the ways that manufacturers package the products they sell to consumers. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheets are among the most popular types of plastics used in modern packaging.

LDPE sheets can be broken down into a resin, blown, and wound onto cardboard cores for easy transport and storage. Many manufacturers utilize LDPE sheets as part of the shrink wrapping process. Learn more about the benefits LDPE sheets offer so that you can see why these unique plastic products are so valuable in modern manufacturing.

1. LDPE Sheets Reduce Waste

Waste is something that consumers are paying more attention to than ever before. Packaging can create a large amount of waste, and this waste typically ends up in municipal landfills. LDPE sheets offer the potential for significant waste reduction when it comes to product packaging.

The shrinking nature of LDPE sheets exposed to heat allows for less material to be used in the packaging of individual products. Unlike many other plastic products, LDPE sheets are classified as thermoplastics. This means that they can be melted and reformed multiple times without losing their strength and integrity.

Packaging that is made from LDPE sheets can be recycled and reused many times. This helps alleviate the pressure on landfills to accommodate consumer waste.

2. LDPE Sheets Reduce Shipping Costs

All of the consumer products that are manufactured and packaged must be shipped to a retail outlet for distribution. Shipping costs represent a major part of any manufacturer's budget.

The use of LDPE sheets in the packaging process can help to significantly reduce shipping costs for a manufacturing company over time. LDPE sheets shrink down and form around the product itself during the packaging process. This shrinkage minimizes the amount of packaging used to contain a product, which reduces the amount of space each product takes up in shipping containers.

Consumer goods that have been packaged with LDPE sheets often weigh less and have a higher pallet density than their counterparts. More products can be sent in a single load, which reduces shipping costs over time.

3. LDPE Sheets Are Versatile

Manufacturers value the versatility of LDPE sheets. These sheets can be made into protective films of varying thicknesses. The varying thicknesses give manufacturers the ability to control the number of protection products received during shipping and distribution. Thicker LDPE sheets are used when a product needs to be protected against damage. Thinner LDPE sheets offer a simple barrier against product contamination.

LDPE sheets can also be mixed with a variety of additives that help to further enhance their versatility. Some of the common additives used by modern manufacturers include chemicals to reduce fogging, increase sheen, or lend color to the LDPE packaging.

Manufacturers use these additives to ensure that the products they create are not only safe and secure but that these products are in line with the company's overall marketing and advertising goals as well.

The versatility and ever-changing formulations used to create plastics have given rise to a variety of plastics that can be used by manufacturers during the packaging process. LDPE sheets are the preferred plastic for many manufacturers because of the unique benefits this type of plastic sheeting can offer.

LDPE sheets are affordable and versatile. They pair well with automated packaging machines and can provide protection against dust, tampering, or leaks after a consumer product has been packaged. LDPE sheets are a practical option for today's manufacturers looking to improve their packaging efforts.

With so many benefits to offer, it's easy to see why LDPE sheets are a favorite when it comes to packaging consumer products.

Share