We get it. A shrink wrap machine might not be the most exciting purchase for your business. But in most cases, it is a necessity. It’s something that will substantially speed-up your manufacturing processes and protect your products from damage. Shrink-wrapped products might even be something your client requires.
At UWRAP, we focus on understanding your business to recommend the ideal shrink wrap machine. Cost, the nature of your business, and specific requirements all factor into our recommendations as we pride ourselves in getting to know your business and being upfront and transparent with our prices. So, let’s break down what determines the cost of these machines.
How much do Shrink Wrap Machines Cost?
The cost of a shrink wrap machine depends on a number of factors. At the very least, a machine may cost you between £2000-£4000 for a basic machine. On the other hand we’ve built machines that cost upwards of £40K before now. But what is the difference?
Entry-Level Options: Chamber Machines
The cheapest shrink wrap machine we provide is probably our Chamber Machine. The cost of this new is usually between £2000-£4000. This shrink wrap machine is usually a ‘starter machine’, it can wrap 8 items a minute and requires significant management.
Top-of-the-Line: Bespoke Machines
Now these machines really do vary, but we can tell you that the most expensive machine we’ve ever made was £40,000+. This was an Automatic In-Line Sleeve Sealer for a well-known company–a large, robust, bespoke, solid machine that needed to handle a lot of products. They needed the machine to run by itself with very little manpower.
What Makes a Machine More Expensive?
A number of things can add cost to a shrink wrap machine, including:
- Wrapping Speed: Higher-speed models like our automatic sealers can wrap up to 30 products per minute, which justifies their higher price point.
- Management Requirements: Basic machines may need more manual oversight, while advanced models often need minimal oversight once set up.
- Machine Size: Larger machines capable of handling bigger products naturally cost more due to their complexity and materials.
- Transportation: Shipping large, bespoke machines internationally adds to the overall cost.
For the majority of our clients, the decision is between cost of running vs cost of machine.
Pricing example
|
Type of Machine |
Initial Cost | Yearly Management | Products Wrapped per Minute |
Total Cost After 3 Years |
|
Manual Machine |
£2000-£4000 | £15,000 | 8 | £47,000 |
| Automatic Machine | £30,000 | £1,000 | 30 |
£33,000 |
In this scenario, while an automatic machine requires a higher upfront cost, its efficiency leads to significant savings over time. For an in-depth comparison of various shrink wrap machines based on their features, explore our comprehensive guide.
Manual Machine
1 person managing and maintaining the machine at a cost of approx. £15,000 per year delivers 8 products per minute. The cost of the machine might be between £2000-£4000
Total Cost – Minimum of £17,000 for the first year and £15,000 per year thereafter.
Products – Based on 5 hours a day (on average) – 2400 a day
Total cost after 3 years £47,000
Automatic Machine
Minimal management and maintenance. Costs £1,000 per year, delivers 30 products per minute.
The cost of the machine might be £30,000.
Total Cost – Minimum of £31,000 for the first year and £1,000 per year thereafter.
Products – Based on 5 hours a day (on average) – 9000 products a day
Total cost after 3 years £33,000
Essentially, it’s a number crunching exercise! But you may find that a higher priced machine, actually saves you thousands in the long run.
How Long Does It Take To Make a Machine?
As we make the machines ourselves, rather than importing, machines can take between 4-12 weeks depending on what you need…
Small Chamber Machines: Approx. 4 weeks
Mid-Range, L Sealer and Tunnel Machines: 8 weeks
Large Automatic System: 12-14 weeks
For companies who buy in machines, these times may be shorter or longer, depending on their providers.
What to Watch Out For When Buying A Shrink Wrapping Machine
With very cheap machines, you may find that the company you’re using is buying from Italian/French/British companies, but the actual machines and parts are made in elsewhere. This can sometimes become problem when parts get damaged or broken.
Sometimes, agencies change hands and the specific parts for that machine become unavailable. No matter who you’re investing with, always ask what the provisions are for damaged parts and products and the help you will receive in fixing any issues.
What Makes Uwrap Different?
We make 80% of our machines. The other 20% is usually for very urgent enquiries, where a machine is needed very quickly, but we’ll always a reliable supplier. But for all standard requests we make the machine ourselves.
This means that if two years down the line a part becomes damaged, we have the know-how and ability to make another, install it quickly and get your machine working again. We also have experienced engineers who can answer any questions and are only a phone call away.
Where to Go From Here
The key is to find the right shrink wrap machine that will provide you a return on investment. I would have a think about your priorities. Do you need a robust machine that needs little management and wraps lots of products? Or do you simply need a small machine that can reliably wrap a low number of products.
If you want to talk it through, give us a call on 01253 300400 and we’d be more than happy to help. We’ve helped businesses with small budgets, through our rental or second-hand machines, and large corporations with specific shrink wrapping needs.
