'Stretch-hood' wrap comes from Europe to U.S.

"Stretch-hood" wrap, a film product made in Europe for a decade but largely unknown here, found commercial use in the U.S. earlier this year. Stretch-hood wrap is a three-layer protective tube or sleeve of PP and PE, with metallocene PE in at least one layer. Film thickness ranges from 50 to 150 microns. Users need a special frame that is lowered around the object to be wrapped. It stretches the sleeve 60% to 150% and then releases it so it fits snugly. Originally, stretchhood film competed against shrink wrap, but a new European development is a tougher variation that stretches up to 150% to wrap large appliances, replacing cardboard cartons. This 90-micron appliance wrap, made by Nordenia in Germany, is now being used for appliances in the U.S.