Workers' lack of new skills adds thousands to supply chain costs

Many companies are failing to realise significant supply chain cost savings for the simple reason that staff employed within the warehouse to wrap palletised loads of goods by hand are reluctant or unwilling to adopt more efficient working practices.

That is view of Mike Wardell, Sales Director of Gloucestershire-based pallet wrap company, Golden Valley Pallet Wrap Specialists Ltd (GVPS).

"Many warehouse staff have set ways of wrapping a pallet and often find it difficult to change a routine they may have had for several years," says Mike. "But, as a result, cost saving opportunities are being missed and, in some cases, the operators are putting their own health at risk by failing to adapt to new ways of working," he adds.

He continues: "At sites where outgoing pallet loads are wrapped using inferior quality wrapping, more wrap is required to secure the load. This means more work for the operator. Towards the end of his or her shift, the operator invariably tires and is tempted to perform fewer wraps, or not use the pallet wrap effectively on the load. The result is an insecure load that can fall apart in transit."

Mike Wardell contends that modern wrap – such as GVPS's Silver or Carbon – offer greater strength and load retention properties, which means less wrap is required to secure a load. However, the operator has to be shown how to get the maximum tension – and, therefore, capacity – out of the film for it to achieve maximum cost-efficiency.

Mike says: "The type of training needed to demonstrate how to hand-wrap a pallet, quickly, safely and efficiently using modern pallet wrap is hardly the equivalent of learning to fly a helicopter and takes just a few hours for most people to complete, but many workers are strangely reticent to embrace new techniques that can save them time and effort and, ultimately, save their business money."

"As a result, many companies continue to use the same wrap they have used for years and miss out on savings that, in most cases, equate to around 25 per cent per pallet wrapped, by not switching to modern wrap and applying it properly."

"In addition, we can demonstrate that using modern pallet wrap in the right way places less strain on the body which means warehouse or distribution centre workers are less likely to be absent with back-related conditions that have been caused – or exacerbated – by their daily routine."