A method for creating an opening in a sheath, made of stretch film, that retains a goods stack arranged on a pallet. The pallet comprising an upper-side deck surface as support for the goods stack and lower-side support feet. The sheath engages under the support feet arranged in the region of the four outer edges of the pallet. At least one opening is in the sheath between two support feet . At least one opening is generated such that the sheath is first heated, the heated sheath is retracted from the pallet and then, still in the heated state, displaced upward. The upwardly displaced sheath is secured in its upwardly displaced position by cooling. The invention also relates to a shaping apparatus, and additionally to at least one heating device for carrying out the method.

It is known to bind items to transport pallets by wrapping them in plastic film. However, this practice is time consuming, expensive and wasteful. It is an object of a preferred form of the invention to go at least some way towards addressing this. In the preferred embodiment there is a pallet containment mesh 2 wrapped around items stacked on a pallet 1, the mesh 2 comprising an upper entrance 4, a tightening mechanism 9 and elasticated ribs 8 extending from the entrance 4 to the pallet 1. The entrance can be tightened by the tightening mechanism to a substantially closed disposition so that items cannot be removed from the pallet and the elasticated ribs provide the stack with a stabilising tension.

It is known to bind items to transport pallets by wrapping them in plastic film. However, this practice is time consuming, expensive and wasteful. It is an object of a preferred form of the invention to go at least some way towards addressing this. In the preferred embodiment there is a pallet containment mesh 2 wrapped around items stacked on a pallet 1, the mesh 2 comprising an upper entrance 4, a tightening mechanism 9 and elasticated ribs 8 extending from the entrance 4 to the pallet 1. The entrance can be tightened by the tightening mechanism to a substantially closed disposition so that items cannot be removed from the pallet and the elasticated ribs provide the stack with a stabilising tension.

A method for creating an opening in a sheath, made of stretch film, that retains a goods stack arranged on a pallet. The pallet comprising an upper-side deck surface as support for the goods stack and lower-side support feet. The sheath engages under the support feet arranged in the region of the four outer edges of the pallet. At least one opening is in the sheath between two support feet . At least one opening is generated such that the sheath is first heated, the heated sheath is retracted from the pallet and then, still in the heated state, displaced upward. The upwardly displaced sheath is secured in its upwardly displaced position by cooling. The invention also relates to a shaping apparatus, and additionally to at least one heating device for carrying out the method.