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Pallet Wrap Cost Calculator — Stretch Film Cost Per Pallet

Calculate pallet stretch wrap cost per pallet and annual packaging budget. Compare hand wrap vs machine wrap, and quantify savings from higher pre-stretch film.

Quick answer: Hand wrap: $0.50–$1.50 film/pallet, 3–5 minutes labour. Machine wrap: $0.20–$0.50 film, 45–90 seconds. For 100+ pallets/day, a wrapper pays back in under 6 months.

🔄 Pallet Wrap Cost Calculator

Hand: 12–20 oz; Machine w/ pre-stretch: 4–8 oz
Total Cost Per Pallet
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Film Cost Per Pallet
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Annual Wrap Cost
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How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter pallets per day — average daily outbound pallet volume.
  2. Enter film usage — weigh wrapped vs unwrapped pallet — difference is film used. Machine wrappers with pre-stretch use 50–70% less film than hand wrap.
  3. Enter film price — buying in full-pallet quantities (40–50 rolls) saves 15–25%.

Worked Example

50 pallets/day, machine wrap, 6 oz film, $1.20/lb, $18/hr, 2 min/pallet.

  1. Film/pallet: 6 ÷ 16 × $1.20 = $0.45
  2. Labour/pallet: 2/60 × $18 = $0.60
  3. Total/pallet: $1.05
  4. Annual: $13,125

Reducing from 6 oz to 4 oz film saves $1,875/year. Switching from hand to machine typically saves $1–$2/pallet in film + labour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pre-stretching mechanically stretches film 150–300% before application, reducing film use by 50–70% while maintaining containment. Machine wrappers with pre-stretch offer the best economics for high-volume operations.

Start with 63–70 gauge for typical goods; 80+ for sharp or heavy loads. Overspecifying means overpaying; underspecifying means load damage. Have your film supplier conduct a pallet containment force test.