These days much of that shipping takes the form of pallets stacked with cartons or other shapes of packaging traveling by ship, train and truck. Shippers believe all that merchandise should arrive at its destination perfectly intact. Yet recent studies estimate that annual losses due to products damaged in handling and transport cost shippers about $2.6 billion.
That is precisely the problem that rolls of stretch film have been relieving for decades. Everyone involved with goods transport for any length of time has seen the percentage of pallets securely wrapped in transparent film steadily increase. It is still increasing, as is the strength of the film — even as it has gotten thinner and, as a result, more sustainable and economical.