Sleeve wrapping machines are automated, inline systems designed specifically to bundle a group of products into a “sleeve” of film. Typically operating as the first stage of a “shrink bundling” line, they are built for high-output, reliable, and cost-effective collation of cans, bottles, cartons, and other rigid items.
These machines are the essential solution for the beverage, food, co-packing, and consumer goods industries. They are used to create the familiar “bullseye” or “keyhole” transit packs for multi-packs of products, tightly collating them using a band of film instead of a full cardboard case or tray.
By integrating a product collation system with a high-speed sealing jaw, these machines provide an incredibly efficient and material-saving way to prepare goods for bulk distribution, storage, and transport.
Sleeve wrapping systems are the definitive solution for high-volume transit bundling, offering unmatched cost-savings, line speed, and material reduction.
Massive Packaging Cost Reduction This is the core purpose. Sleeve wrapping is a low-cost alternative to traditional cardboard, replacing expensive, pre-formed trays and cases. It uses a minimal amount of low-cost polyethylene film to create a stable, secure pack, dramatically lowering material costs per unit.
High-Speed, Automated Bundling A single automatic sleeve wrapper is designed to match the high speeds of modern filling and canning lines. It automates the entire collation and wrapping process, handling high volumes of product (often 20-50+ bundles per minute) and eliminating labour-intensive manual case packing.
Robust Collation & Transit Stability The system creates a tight, strong bundle (especially after shrinking) that securely unitises a group of products. This makes them stable for palletising and safe for transport, while often being lighter and taking up less space than a full cardboard box.
Record Packaging Systems preventative maintenance contracts offer a comprehensive solution covering all types of packaging machinery and accessories. This ensures the operational integrity of your equipment.
Our extensive stock covers various machine models and generations, allowing us to cater to a diverse range of customer needs. By supplying high-quality, genuine parts, we guarantee the optimal performance and longevity of our packaging equipment.
Products arrive on a conveyor and are automatically grouped into the correct pack pattern (e.g., 2x3 or 4x3). This is often done using a pneumatic "pusher," a set of indexing "lanes," or a continuous motion "flight bar" that sweeps the group forward
Unlike an L-sealer, a sleeve wrapper uses two separate, flat rolls of film (one mounted above, one below the infeed). The machine draws the film and hangs a "curtain" of film for the product group to be pushed through.
This is the primary sealing mechanism. Once the product group has passed through the film curtain, a single, wide, heated sealing bar (or "hot knife") descends to seal the top and bottom film layers together behind the pack, cutting it free from the film rolls.
After the cross-seal, the product is enclosed in a film tube or sleeve. The sides remain open. When the pack enters the downstream shrink tunnel, the film shrinks and tightens, creating the characteristic "bullseye" or "keyhole" openings on the ends of the bundle.
The machine is designed to work as one system with a shrink tunnel. The discharge conveyor of the wrapper feeds the loosely wrapped bundle directly into the tunnel, where the controlled heat is applied to shrink the film and create the final, tight transit pack.
Shrink wrap
A sleeve wrap where the sides of the pack remain open, often used for transit bundles of cans or water bottles.
It provides a very low-cost, strong collation that replaces the need for heavy cardboard boxes.
Available as semi-auto (manual push) or fully automatic (integrated infeed conveyor and pusher).
Typically uses thick Polyethylene (PE) film for maximum transit strength.
Yes, it is the standard method for wrapping products that have been pre-loaded onto cardboard trays.
