“How can I reduce my cost per load effectively shipped?”

As a distributor of industrial packaging supplies and equipment, we are often asked how companies can reduce their cost per load effectively shipped. The truth to this very question is that everyone is looking to ship products at low cost while ensuring the packages arrive undamaged. How do we gather a benchmark measure to determine if we reduced a customer’s cost per load?

 A possible solution is to use a load cell film test. 

Let’s take a step back. Most of you are probably aware of the spring and pull method. You take a so-called fish scale and pull the film out to a set distance to determine the force per load. That force per load number is then used as the benchmark. Makes sense right? Get a benchmark on your current film, test it and determine if there are improvements that can be found in using different films or different machine settings.

test kit

The only problem we have recognized is that the benchmark can be greatly flawed. By pulling the scale back further and shorter running the test two separate times, the person conducting the test can achieve different results.The follow-up test has a good chance to not equal the testing conditions of the benchmark. Throw in different people or vendors running the tests, and you won’t be comparing apples to apples.

You could make a critical business decision based on flawed data.

To answer this flaw, FlexPAC uses a load cell device. As you can see in the video here, the load cell method produces data that is much more accurate than the spring and pull method. Human error is completely taken out of the equation. With the accurate load cell stretch film test data, we are able to produce a true benchmark. After we have the benchmark figures, we can then dive into reducing your cost per load, fix issues regarding shifting loads or properly diagnose film breakage.

At FlexPAC, we believe in delivering solutions to our customers and prospects while backing up those solutions with accurate data. If you believe the same and want to reduce your cost per load, you can reach out to Tom Masters, our Automation Specialist.

Curious how we can help?

Contact us for a free needs analysis and start optimizing your shipping processes today.