Bundling Pipes, Profiles & Long Products: How to Strap Extrusions for Transport

Pipes, tubes, aluminium and PVC extrusions, rods and other long products do not fit the pallet model — they are bundled along their length and held by straps spaced down the bundle. Done badly, the bundle loosens, the long products slide out and get bent, scratched or lost. Here is how long products are bundled and strapped.

What makes long products different

• Length, not footprint — they are secured along the bundle, not anchored to a pallet deck.
• They slide — smooth pipes and profiles slip out of a loose bundle endwise.
• Surface-sensitive — anodised aluminium, coated and PVC profiles scratch easily.
• Awkward to handle — long bundles flex and need support at multiple points.

Build a tight bundle

• Group like lengths and sections together so the bundle is uniform.
• Keep the bundle tight and aligned — gaps let individual lengths shift.
• Use separators or interleaving for surface-sensitive profiles to prevent rubbing.

Strap material and spacing

• Strap material: PET for most metal and PVC long products — it holds tension and will not rust-mark anodised or coated surfaces; PP for light profiles; steel only for the heaviest, sharpest steel sections. (See PP vs PET vs steel strapping.)
• Spacing: apply multiple straps spaced evenly down the length so no section of the bundle is unsupported — a long bundle with straps only at the ends sags and loosens in the middle.
• Consistent tension — firm enough to lock the bundle without denting soft profiles. A calibrated machine such as the ErgoPack 726X applies a set, repeatable tension; the GO and 700 route the strap for facilities using their own tools. This is horizontal strapping territory (horizontal vs vertical).

Protect the surfaces

• Edge and corner protection where straps cross sharp profile edges, and where the strap could mark a finish.
• Interleaving material between layers of coated or anodised product.

Long-product bundling checklist

• Like lengths/sections grouped; bundle tight and aligned
• Separators/interleaving for surface-sensitive profiles
• PET strap for most metal/PVC (PP light, steel only for heavy steel)
• Multiple straps spaced evenly down the length
• Consistent tension — locks the bundle without denting
• Edge protection where strap crosses sharp profile edges
• Bundle supported at multiple points for handling

Bundle and strap long products to this standard and a flexible, slide-prone, surface-sensitive load stays tight, straight and unmarked from the extrusion line to the customer.