Tyre Wrapping Machine: Types and Uses

Tyre wrapping machines: why tyres need a dedicated wrapper, the 3 types (single, pallet, horizontal), industry uses, and hand vs machine.

Table of Contents

What tyres need protection from in storage and transport
Two ways to wrap: each tyre, or a whole stack on a pallet
How much tyres weigh and which ICD Vietnam wrapping machines can handle them
Choosing a machine by how the warehouse works
Frequently asked questions about tyre wrapping machines
Contact us for wrapping machine advice
References

Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 44/2026

Tyre wrapping machines fall into two different groups of equipment: ring machines (orbital or ring) that pass a tyre through a rotating ring of film to wrap each tyre individually, and pallet wrapping machines (turntable, rotary arm, robot) that bind an entire stack of tyres on a pallet. In its current catalog, ICD Vietnam lists the second group and has not yet listed a ring machine dedicated to single tyres.

This article checks the tyre storage guidance of USTMA and ETRTO, carrier packaging rules, the EN 415-6 standard for pallet wrapping machines and the machine specifications on ICD Vietnam’s product pages, so you can decide three things: whether tyres need wrapping at all, which type of machine to wrap them with, and which machine can handle a tyre pallet this heavy.

≤ 1.2 m

Height of a stovepipe stack of tyres on a pallet in storage for up to 4 weeks (BFGoodrich, Cooper)

6.5-15 kg

Weight of one passenger car tyre; truck tyres 30-80 kg (Oponeo)

0.08 ppm

Ozone level USTMA gives as a check threshold when a tyre store has ozone sources

Quick summary:

Store tyres indoors, dry, dark and ventilated; wrapping film is only a mechanical cover against dust and splashing water, and cannot replace proper storage conditions.
Wrapping each tyre fully through the rim opening needs a ring machine; a whole stack of tyres on a pallet uses a pallet wrapping machine, together with straps and a top plate.
Truck tyres weigh 30-80 kg: check the pallet weight against the limit of the turntable or robot before choosing a machine.
Clear stretch film does not block sunlight and heat; outdoor storage needs an opaque, waterproof cover with ventilation openings.

An indoor tyre store with stovepipe stacks of tyres and upright tyres on racks — An indoor tyre store: a stovepipe stack on the left, upright tyres on a rack on the right, exactly the two storage methods that USTMA and ETRTO describe.

What tyres need protection from in storage and transport

The two main reference documents on tyre storage are USTMA’s technical bulletin TISB 23 (the US tire manufacturers association) and ETRTO’s recommendations (the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation). USTMA requires a clean, dry, ventilated but draft-free store at a moderate temperature, dark or shaded, out of direct sunlight, away from electric motors, battery chargers, generators and welding equipment (sources of ozone) and away from fuel and solvents. ETRTO names the same group of factors, including temperature, humidity, light, ozone and chemicals, and requires that no condensation occur. Cooper gives an ideal temperature range of below 25°C and above 0°C.

The part few people notice is the pallet. USTMA requires tyres to be raised off the floor on a pallet or rack, with the pallet in good condition, no protruding nails or sharp edges, a flat smooth deck rather than a mesh deck, because a mesh deck leaves imprints on the tyres in long storage. ETRTO also says open-slat pallets are unsuitable because they create point pressure. Unmounted tyres are stacked stovepipe style or placed on racks, sidewall against sidewall; a stack that is too high damages the bottom tyres and creates instability.

Hazard	Source guidance	Role of wrapping film (this article’s assessment)
Dust, water, moisture	USTMA and ETRTO: clean, dry store, no condensation; outdoors there must be a waterproof cover.	Keeps out dust and splashes in transit or temporary staging; does not solve condensation inside a sealed film layer.
Sun, UV rays, heat	USTMA: dark or shaded place, out of direct sun; outdoor covers must be opaque with ventilation openings.	Clear stretch film does not meet this; only film with a UV additive gives some level of sun resistance (Wikipedia).
Ozone, oil, solvents	USTMA: keep away from electric motors, generators, welding equipment, fuel and oil.	Cannot replace choosing the right store location.
Deformation from tall stacks	ETRTO: limit stack height; BFGoodrich and Cooper: maximum 1.2 m, maximum 4 weeks, then restack and reverse the order.	Film binding the whole stack keeps it from collapsing during movement; it does not reduce the load on the bottom tyres.
Spillage, knocks and loss in transport	DHL: tyres must be wrapped onto a pallet, secured with unbroken metal or plastic straps, with a protective plate on top.	This is the clearest and most reliable role of wrapping film.

Outdoor storage: do not seal-wrap and leave in the sun

USTMA requires outdoor covers to be opaque, waterproof and ventilated to avoid a “heat box” or “sauna” effect. Sealed, clear stretch film meets none of these three conditions. This is an inference from USTMA’s guidance, not an ICD Vietnam test; for tyres that must be stored a long time, the right answer is still an indoor store.

Two ways to wrap: each tyre, or a whole stack on a pallet

An orbital (ring) machine mounts the film roll on a vertically rotating ring; the load is fed horizontally through the center of the ring while film is applied, as Wikipedia describes. The EN 415-6:2013 standard also lists the “ring machine” as its own kind of pallet wrapping machine. For ring-shaped items like tyres, this principle lets you wrap the tread and both sidewalls completely, something a turntable, which only wraps around the outside, cannot do.

When tyres ship individually, packaging requirements are usually specific. DPD’s tyre shipping guide requires film to cover at least three quarters of the tyre, tough film with a smooth outer surface so it can run on conveyors, at least 40 µm thick; DPD accepts both shrink film and stretch film but allows at most 2 identical tyres tied together. This is a parcel network’s rule, not a general standard for every warehouse.

A turntable PE stretch wrapping machine wrapping a pallet of cartons — A turntable wrapper: the pallet rotates and the film is pre-stretched before it goes onto the load (the example is a pallet of cartons; a tyre stack is wrapped on the same principle). Photo: heb @ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

For tyre stacks on pallets, DHL Global Forwarding requires tyres to be shrink wrapped onto a standard pallet, then secured with unbroken metal or plastic straps with a protective plate on the top tyre wall, and does not accept loose tyres for transport. A 1989 patent on unitizing tyre stacks (US 4858415) also records that earlier attempts to wrap stretch film around tyre stacks failed because the tyres collapsed or popped out of the stack when jolted. The film gathers and covers; the straps and plate are what hold the stack. If you are considering the shrink-film route, see also the criteria for choosing a suitable stretch wrapping machine.

How much tyres weigh and which ICD Vietnam wrapping machines can handle them

According to Oponeo, a passenger car tyre weighs roughly 6.5 kg (13-inch size) to 15 kg (20-inch size); truck tyres weigh 30-80 kg, with the 22.5-inch size at about 60 kg. Just 5 tyres of 22.5 inches on one pallet already weigh about 300 kg (5 x 60 kg), above the minimum pallet weight that ICD’s wrapping robots specify (60 kg and 100 kg) and still below the 1,500-2,000 kg limit of the turntables. The table below takes the exact limits stated on each machine’s product page.

Model ICD	Machine type	Load limits on the product page	Stated throughput
ICD-T1650FZ	Automatic turntable	Table Ø1650 mm, maximum load 2,000 kg, maximum wrap size 1200 x 1200 x 2400 mm.	30-50 pallets/hour
ICD-T1800FZ	Turntable with conveyor	Table Ø1800 mm, load 1,500 kg, wrapping height 2,000 mm.	20-40 pallets/hour
ICD R1800FZ-PL	Rotary arm, pallet stationary on a conveyor	Load size (500-1100) x (500-1200) mm, height 500-1800 mm.	35-45 pallets/hour
ICD-XT4512	Mobile rotary arm mounted on a hand pallet truck	Pallet 1000 x 1000 or 1200 x 800 mm, weighing 50-1,500 kg, maximum height 1,600 mm.	Not stated; battery runs 10-12 hours
ICD-XT4550	Automatic wrapping robot	Minimum pallet 600 x 600 mm, minimum weight 60 kg, maximum height 2,100 mm; maximum size and load unlimited.	About 1 minute/pallet
ICD-Maxgo	Battery-powered wrapping robot	Minimum pallet 900 x 900 mm (or Ø900 mm), minimum weight 100 kg, maximum height 2,100 mm.	Rated battery life 8 hours

The ICD-T1650FZ and ICD-T1800FZ product pages state compliance with EN ISO 12100:2010, EN 60204-1:2006+AC:2010 and the EC mark, but do not state EN 415-6, the dedicated safety standard for pallet wrapping machines. When buying for a production line, ask the supplier for the certification documents that match the model you choose.

Stovepipe tyre stacks tilt easily when rotated fast. On a turntable, lower the table speed (the ICD-T1650FZ adjusts from 0-12 rpm according to its product page) and test-wrap each pallet type, or choose a design where the pallet stays still: Wikipedia describes the rotary arm as used for light loads or for speeds at which a rotating load would topple, and the ICD R1800FZ-PL page describes a machine for large, heavy loads with the pallet on a conveyor. This is selection by principle, not the result of ICD Vietnam’s own test on tyres.

Stovepipe stacks of tyres taller than one meter on a yard floor — A stovepipe tyre stack: the bottom tyre carries the whole load of the stack, so tyre makers limit stack height and storage time.

Choosing a machine by how the warehouse works

How you work	Suitable ICD machine type	Note
Wrapping tyre pallets at a fixed station	ICD-T1650FZ turntable (2,000 kg load)	Keep the table speed low and test-wrap a real pallet before running in volume.
Tall, tilt-prone, heavy pallets	ICD R1800FZ-PL rotary arm or ICD-XT4512 (mobile, pallets 50-1,500 kg)	The pallet stays still during wrapping; check the load dimensions against the table.
Wrapping at several points in a warehouse or yard	ICD-XT4550 or ICD-Maxgo robot	Minimum pallet weights of 60 kg and 100 kg, not suited to light loads.
Wrapping each tyre fully through the rim opening	ICD Vietnam has not listed this type of machine	Contact us to discuss your need rather than picking a pallet machine by mistake.

A quick calculation: a warehouse shipping 240 tyre pallets per 8-hour shift is 30 pallets per hour, at the lower end of the 30-50 pallets/hour ICD states for the ICD-T1650FZ and in the middle of the 20-40 pallets/hour of the ICD-T1800FZ. That is nominal throughput; in practice it also depends on the time to place pallets on the table, so run a trial with real tyre pallets. All models are in the ICD model range, with common types of stretch wrapping machines to compare the machine designs.

Frequently asked questions about tyre wrapping machines

Does ICD Vietnam have a machine for wrapping individual tyres?

ICD Vietnam’s listed wrapping machine catalog includes turntables, rotary arms, robots, the ICD-S800E horizontal wrapper for long goods, luggage wrappers and carton wrappers; there is no ring machine dedicated to single tyres. The ICD-S800E (ring Ø800 mm, maximum load Ø600 mm) is not listed for tyres; to try it on a small horizontal tyre stack, ask and run a test first. Call 0983 797 186 and send your tyre size and output volume for advice.

Can an ordinary pallet wrapping machine wrap tyres?

Yes, if the target is a whole stack of tyres on a pallet and its weight and height are within the machine’s limits. These machines cannot thread film through the rim opening of each tyre; that needs a ring machine. Add straps and a top plate as DHL requires.

A pile of motorcycle tyres tightened with a blue ratchet strap — A strap holds the tyre block together, and the film only gathers and covers the outside (illustrative photo of a pile of motorcycle tyres, not a pallet).

Does wrapping tyres in clear PE film protect against sun and ageing?

You should not expect it to. USTMA requires outdoor tyre covers to be opaque, waterproof and ventilated; Wikipedia records that only stretch film with a UV additive offers some sun resistance. Tyres that must be stored for a long time should still be kept indoors.

Is film wrapping mandatory for tyre storage?

It is not mandatory. USTMA and ETRTO focus on the storage place, stacking method and pallet type. Film is useful when a tyre stack has to be moved or needs covering from dust; it cannot make up for a hot, humid store or one near ozone sources.

How tall can tyres be stacked on a pallet?

BFGoodrich and Cooper recommend a maximum of 1.2 m for storage up to 4 weeks, then restacking and reversing the order; for longer storage, keep tyres upright in a single layer on a rack at least 10 cm off the floor. ETRTO requires limiting the height without giving a figure. The 1.2 m figure comes from tyre makers, not from a machine limit (the machines in the table wrap 1,600-2,400 mm high).

Which type of pallet should be used for tyres?

According to USTMA: a pallet in good condition, no protruding nails or sharp edges, a flat smooth deck, no mesh deck because it leaves imprints on the tyres. ETRTO also rules out open-slat pallets because they create point pressure.

Contact us for wrapping machine advice

Send ICD Vietnam the tyre size, pallet weight and height, and hourly output to get advice on a suitable model. For a project quotation: Request a quote.

ICD Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Co., Ltd.