Palletizing theft-sensitive goods, confidential products, or loads that travel for days in export transit requires a machine film with the technical capability of clear film plus a permanent visual security layer. This black machine stretch film—also known as black machine wrap or opaque palletizing film—is manufactured by Fortemo in 23 µm (90 gauge) multi-layer co-extruded LLDPE with UV-stable black pigment, in 1500 m rolls, designed for warehouses and distribution centers where opacity adds value in addition to mechanical containment.
Key Benefits
- Total opacity for visual security: The black pigment completely blocks visibility of the pallet's contents, deterring theft by visual inspection during transit and reducing information available for targeted theft attempts.
- UV radiation protection: The pigment offers a UV blocking layer that protects light-sensitive products (electronics, packaged foods, photosensitive chemicals) during prolonged storage or transit in the Caribbean sun.
- High pre-stretch and mechanical resistance: Same technical capability as clear film – 200-300% pre-stretch on motorized carriages and equivalent puncture resistance.
- Visual batch identification: The black color allows for quick distinction of specific batches in the warehouse or flagging of shipment types without the need for additional labels.
- Professional Fortemo production: Pigment integrated into the LLDPE formulation during co-extrusion, ensuring uniform color distribution and mechanical properties identical to clear film.
Typical Applications and Uses
- Shipping electronics, pharmaceuticals, spirits, and valuable goods where content confidentiality is a priority.
- Palletizing loads for inter-island or international export with prolonged sun transit and handling by third parties.
- Identification of specific batches in high-volume warehouses where visual contrast saves inventory time.
- Protection of photosensitive products (paints, certain foods, chemicals) during outdoor or semi-covered storage.
Quality and Durability
An economical black film fails on two points: the pigment is not fully integrated into the co-extrusion (resulting in irregular opacity that allows content to be seen at certain angles) and the LLDPE formulation is low-grade (reducing pre-stretch and increasing line breaks). Fortemo works with integrated UV-stable pigment and co-extruded multi-layer LLDPE, which distinguishes a roll with real visual security and professional performance from a tinted film that neither protects nor performs.
Three differentiators. Visual security: opacity blocks inspection of the contents in transit, which deters selective theft and protects cargo confidentiality. UV protection: pigment blocks solar radiation, important for photosensitive products such as electronics, certain foods or chemicals. Lot identification: the color helps distinguish specific lots in the warehouse without additional labels. Mechanical properties (strength, pre-stretch) are identical to clear film.
It's compatible with the vast majority of turntable wrappers, rotary-arm wrappers and palletizing robots on the market, since core diameter and width are industrial standard. For specific-brand machines with motorized pre-stretch heads, check the supported gauge range and the factory pre-stretch percentage before ordering rolls in quantity, just as with clear film. Opacity does not change the machine parameters.
In practice, no. The roll is too heavy for manual wrapping and the formulation is optimized for mechanical head pre-stretch that human tension cannot reproduce. An operator handling it gets a fraction of the effective coverage and wastes material. For occasional manual wraps, keep parallel stock of standard manual film (hand-wrap format, also available in black), instead of improvising with a machine roll.
Yes — the black pigment does not affect the recyclability of LLDPE as a material. It is recycled in the same stream as clear film (category #4 LDPE/LLDPE), although some recyclers process it on separate lines because the pigment limits the end products (it cannot be used to make new clear film). For effective recycling, remove paper labels and adhesive residue and separate film by color.
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| UV protection | Yes (high) |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Roll width | 50 cm (20 in) |
| Roll length | 1500 m (4920 ft) |
| Thickness | 23 µm (90 gauge) |
| Mandrel diameter | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Mandrel material | Cardboard |
| Material type | Virgin linear low-density polyethylene (virgin LLDPE) |
| Pre-stretch | 150% - 180% |
| Coil: Width | 21.0 cm (8.27 in) |
|---|---|
| Coil: Height | 55.0 cm (21.65 in) |
| Coil: Depth | 21.0 cm (8.27 in) |
| Coil: Weight | 17.0 kg |
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