All wrapped up
Fast Wrap specializes in shrink wrapping big, big loads-- think boats, jet engines, drilling rigs and transformers-- for shipment or storage. While the product works by shrinking, however, the company itself has been all about expansion. Since its launch in 2007, Fast Wrap has grown from five locations to sixty in the U.S. and Canadaand shows no signs of slowing down.
Now motor carriers can get in large-scale shrink-wrapping through the company’s new “authorized agent program” to ring added value to shippers and consignees. “Now when carriers call us to wrap a load, they can get a referral fee,” Mike Enos, CEO of Fast Wrap told Fleet Owner. “It can range from 10 to 30%, depending on the project. We have a customer who hauls big heat exchangers, for instance, so every time we wrap one for those fortransport, they get a referral fee plus all the other benefits of shrink-wrapping vs. using tarps to cover a load.”
The benefits of shrink-wrapping are considerable, too, according to Enos. “Our wrap is actually better than tarping,” he said. “Drivers love it because it saves them so much time. Tarps are heavy and abrasive. They can flap, work loose and cause damage, and they are awkward to use. Our product does not flap in the wind, and we can put 4,000 square feet of it over something and still add less than 200 lbs of additional weight. There are also little cut-outs on it to accommodate chain binders.”
The wrapping provides nearly 100% UV protection to defend against sun fade and damage. It is anti-microbial and weather-resistant, providing a barrier against the elements, including saltwater, mold, mildew, wind, rain and snow. Products are also available to assist with individual weatherization needs, such as vents, zippered doors and solar ventilation.
The film used for wrapping loads is low-density polyurethane (LDP) #4, which shrinks up to 25% when exposed to 275-degree heat. Experts who do the wrapping use propane-fired heat guns to cause the shrinking, then heat-weld and tape over any seams for added strength and protection.
When it is time to unwrap a load, all that’s needed is a “film knife” to cut it away. “The film only sticks to itself, not to anything else,” said Enos, “so it is easy to remove and does no damage whatsoever to the object being wrapped.”
Fast Wrap has even devised a simple recycling program for each job. A postage-paid REBAG kit is provided with each service. Once the film is removed from something, it can be returned to the company in the postage- paid bag for recycling. Each bag holds about 600 square feet of film.
