Strapping is a part of the packaging process which businesses often leave unchanged. Often a quick solution for their immediate strapping needs is found, and then relied on for many years without revision. But what many businesses fail to realise is that revisiting their strapping solution could provide massive benefits.
In this article, we explore the difference between three common types of strapping materials so that you can decide what’s best for your applications.
Steel strapping
As the oldest and most commonly used strapping material to this day, steel strapping is ideal for securing heavier consignments such as in the construction industry. It’s designed for extreme tasks that require a heavy-duty strapping and works great where sharp angles and awkward shapes are present.
Steel strapping is optimal for securing industrial equipment, heavy construction materials and anything else similar in weight and size.
This type of strapping is applied manually with a tensioning tool and then fastened together by crimping a steel buckle around the bands ends.
Advantages of steel strapping:
- Extreme durability
- High break strength
- Use for large loads
- Can handle sharp edges
- UV resistant
Disadvantages of steel strapping:
- Sharp ends of tensioned steel strapping can be dangerous if precautions aren’t taken
- Costly compared to other strapping solutions
Polypropylene strapping
Polypropylene strapping is a popular solution for light duty palletising and bundling. It has a high elongation rate but low recovery, meaning polypropylene will often stretch out and not return to its original shape. This makes polypropylene strapping an economic and easy-to-apply solution, limited for light use only.
It can be applied in many ways, including manually by hand or tools, or through the use of a semi/ fully automatic strapping machine.
Advantages of polypropylene strapping:
- Cost-effective
- Lightweight
- Easy to apply
- High elongation
- Easily recycled
Disadvantages of polypropylene strapping:
- Low retained tension
- Limited to light weight use only