There is something oddly predictable about the way peak season arrives.
Every year, warehouses become busier, dispatch schedules tighten, temporary staff join the operation, and somebody inevitably remarks that there simply are not enough hours in the day. By that stage, most businesses are focused on keeping orders moving rather than questioning the processes that sits underneath them.
The irony is that the best time to prepare for peak season is long before the first Christmas order leaves the building.
August and early September offer a valuable opportunity to step back and look at warehouse operations without the pressure of daily firefighting. Packaging rarely grabs the headlines during these reviews, yet it influences almost every stage of the fulfilment process. A poorly wrapped pallet, an inefficient packing station or a recurring shortage of consumables can quietly slow an operation that otherwise runs like clockwork.
Preparing now is rarely about making dramatic changes. More often, it is about identifying small improvements that become invaluable once order volumes begin climbing.
Peak Season Magnifies Existing Problems
Warehouses rarely develop completely new problems during peak season. Instead, existing weaknesses become much harder to ignore.
A pallet that occasionally shifts during transport in the summer may become a weekly issue when dispatch volumes double. Wrapping methods that work perfectly well with experienced staff can become inconsistent once temporary colleagues join the team. Material shortages that would normally be inconvenient suddenly have the potential to interrupt production altogether.
The pressure also extends beyond the warehouse. Carriers handle significantly higher parcel volumes, delivery networks become busier, and products often experience more handling before reaching customers. Packaging that comfortably survives a quiet week in July may face a far more demanding journey in November.
That is why successful peak planning usually starts with reviewing the fundamentals rather than searching for quick fixes later in the year.
Start with Your Stretch Film
Stretch film is one of those products that attracts very little attention until somebody runs out of it. Even then, the conversation often centres around price rather than performance.
A mid-year review is a good opportunity to ask a few practical questions. Are operators using more film than necessary? Does the specification still match the products being wrapped? Could recycled-content alternatives reduce Plastic Packaging Tax exposure without compromising load stability?
Modern pallet wrapping materials have developed considerably over recent years. High-performance products such as grip® Film are designed to improve load stability whilst reducing material usage, helping businesses achieve more consistent wrapping without increasing consumption.
Where recycled content is a priority, Vortex™ Stretch Film combines dependable load containment with 30% recycled content, making it Plastic Packaging Tax compliant whilst maintaining the strength expected in demanding warehouse environments.
A Stable Pallet Is Usually an Efficient Pallet
When products move during transport, the first instinct is often to apply more stretch film. Sometimes that works. Quite often, however, the underlying issue lies elsewhere.
A stable pallet relies on several components working together. Anti-slip pallet liners help reduce movement between layers, quality strapping maintains load integrity throughout transport, and edge protectors distribute pressure more evenly whilst protecting cartons from damage.
Introducing Crabsheet™ Anti-Slip Pallet Liners, SecuraStrap™ PET Strapping, and Edge PRO-TEC™ Edge Protectors into the specification can often improve load stability more effectively than simply adding another layer of film. The result is a pallet that performs.
Automation Is Worth Revisiting
Not every warehouse needs automated wrapping. Some do. The challenge is knowing where the crossover point sits.
As pallet volumes increase, manual wrapping inevitably becomes harder to standardise. One operator wraps tightly, another more generously, and film consumption begins to vary from shift to shift.
Automated solutions such as Robopac™ pallet wrapping machines remove much of that variability. Consistent film tension, repeatable wrapping programmes, and reliable load containment allow businesses to improve efficiency whilst reducing unnecessary film use.
For operations dispatching hundreds of pallets each week, the conversation is no longer simply about automation. It is about consistency.
Speak to Your Packaging Supplier Before You Need Them
One of the simplest preparations often gets overlooked. Talk to your supplier. Lead times, stock availability, product alternatives, and forecast demand are all easier conversations to have in August and early September than in late November.
A good supplier should also be able to recommend improvements based on what they are seeing across the wider market. If several businesses are successfully reducing stretch film consumption or introducing more efficient wrapping systems, those experiences can help shape your own decisions before peak season arrives.
The strongest supplier relationships are built long before an urgent delivery is required.
Get in Touch
Peak season has a habit of arriving faster than expected, but the best preparations rarely happen at the last minute. If you're reviewing your packaging operation, now is the ideal time to assess whether your stretch film, pallet stability, wrapping equipment, and transit packaging are ready for the months ahead.
Whether you need advice on improving load containment, reducing material usage, introducing automation, or simply sense-checking your current packaging specification, the Allpack Team is here to help.
Send us a message, call us on 01543 396 700, or email us on sales@allpack.uk.com.
We'll be happy to discuss your operation and recommend practical packaging solutions that help your warehouse perform at its best when peak season arrives.