Product Finishing, Flow Wrapping & Shrink Wrapping Services in Melbourne (2026)
Product finishing is the critical final step that transforms printed materials and manufactured goods into retail-ready, distribution-ready products. Whether you need magazines flow wrapped with a gift, promotional cards with an attached magnet, or products shrink wrapped for retail display, the right finishing partner makes the difference between a polished result and a missed deadline.
This guide covers everything Australian businesses need to know about product finishing services in 2026, including flow wrapping, shrink wrapping, labelling, glue line services, and how to choose the right provider in Melbourne.
What Is Product Finishing?
Product finishing refers to the post-production processes that prepare printed materials, manufactured goods, and promotional items for their final use — whether that is retail shelves, direct mail campaigns, or distribution to franchise locations. Product finishing services include wrapping, labelling, collating, glue line application, magnet attachment, packing, and quality inspection.
For publishers, printers, manufacturers, and importers, outsourcing product finishing to a specialist provider is faster and more cost-effective than handling it in-house. A dedicated finishing facility has the equipment, trained staff, and quality control procedures to process large volumes accurately and on time.
Mailing Today has provided product finishing, co-packing, and fulfilment services from its purpose-built facility in Rowville, Melbourne since 2003. As one of Australia's leading mailing houses and 3PL providers, Mailing Today combines product finishing with printing, mail processing, warehousing, and national distribution under one roof — reducing handoff points and turnaround times.
Flow Wrapping Services
Flow wrapping (also called horizontal form-fill-seal) is a packaging process where products are sealed in a continuous tube of plastic film using a flow wrapping machine. The film is fed from a roll, wrapped around the product, and sealed with heat to create a neat, sealed pack.
Flow wrapping is commonly used for:
- Magazines with a gift-with-purchase (GWP) attached
- Sample packs for distribution at events, in-store, or via mail
- Concertina-folded brochures and leaflets
- Three-dimensional products that need bagging in plain or printed plastic film
- Multi-piece promotional packs
Flow wrapping is ideal when you need a fast, automated process for high-volume runs. The machine handles products continuously, making it significantly faster than hand-bagging for large campaigns.
Mailing Today offers flow wrapping in both plain and custom-printed plastic film from its Rowville facility, with capacity to handle runs from small promotional batches to large-scale national campaigns.
Shrink Wrapping Services
Shrink wrapping uses heat to shrink a loose plastic film tightly around a product, creating a secure, tamper-evident, professional-looking finish. Different types of shrink wrapping serve different purposes:
Pristine Retail Shrink Wrap
A tight, clear wrap that gives products a polished retail-ready appearance. Commonly used for CDs, DVDs, boxed products, gift sets, and any item that needs to look premium on a retail shelf.
Overwrap for Transit
Heavier gauge film used to keep multiple items together during transport. For example, wrapping two cartons of cans together so retailers only need one lift instead of two, reducing handling costs at the store level.
Bundle Wrap
Keeping smaller items together for easier picking and packing in a warehouse. Products are grouped and wrapped so they can be handled as a single unit.
Large Format Retail Shrink Wrap
Oversized items that need a professional shrink wrap finish for retail display — posters, large boxed items, point-of-sale displays.
The quality of a shrink wrap finish depends on selecting the right film weight and operating the heat tunnel correctly. Mailing Today's finishing team has the expertise to match the right wrapping approach to each product, whether the goal is a pristine retail pack or a functional transit wrap.
Labelling Services
Labelling adds essential information, branding, or promotional elements to products and packaging. Mailing Today provides a range of labelling services including:
- Promotional sticker application — applying branded stickers, competition labels, or promotional messages to products, packaging, or printed materials
- Barcode labelling — applying barcodes for retail scanning, inventory tracking, or supply chain management
- Product over-labelling — applying new labels over existing packaging, commonly used for imported products that need Australian compliance labelling, price changes, or promotional offers
- Belly band application — wrapping a printed paper band around a magazine, brochure, or product bundle to hold it together and display a promotional message
- Address labelling — applying mailing labels for direct mail campaigns
Labelling can be done by hand for small runs or complex applications, or by machine for high-volume jobs requiring speed and consistency.
Glue Line Services
Glue line application is used to permanently attach promotional items to printed materials. Mailing Today operates both automatic and semi-automatic glue lines for:
Sachets Glued to Cards or Magazines
Fragrance samples, skincare sachets, food samples, and other flat-packed products glued to a carrier card or directly onto a magazine page. This is a common technique for beauty and food brands running sampling campaigns through magazine inserts.
Cards Glued to Catalogues or Magazines
Promotional cards, response cards, or gift cards attached inside or on the cover of a catalogue or magazine. The card stays securely attached during transit but peels off cleanly for the recipient.
Promotional Magnets Applied to Cards
Printed magnets attached to promotional cards to create fridge magnets — a popular marketing tool because they stay in households for months or years, providing ongoing brand visibility. Mailing Today operates a semi-automatic line for magnet application, handling both pre-printed magnets and self-adhesive magnet sheets applied to the back of promotional cards.
Glue line work requires precision — the adhesive must be strong enough to survive transit but clean enough to not damage the product. Mailing Today's glue line setup is flexible enough to handle varying product sizes and adhesive requirements.
Container De-stuffing
For importers bringing goods into Australia, container de-stuffing is the process of unloading shipping containers and processing the contents for warehousing or distribution. Mailing Today provides container de-stuffing services at its Rowville facility, including:
- Unloading and inspection of imported goods from shipping containers
- Materials handling and sorting
- Product re-packing or over-labelling for the Australian market
- Storage, pick, pack, and dispatch
- National distribution to retail locations, franchise networks, or end customers
This service is particularly valuable for businesses that import products requiring Australian compliance labelling, promotional re-packing, or distribution to multiple locations across the country.
Quality Control and Hand Assembly
Not every finishing job can be automated. Complex, irregularly shaped, or delicate products often require hand assembly with careful quality control procedures. Mailing Today's hand processing capabilities include:
- Hand collating and inserting for multi-piece packs
- Sample bag assembly
- Point of sale pack assembly
- Gift pack and mixed pack assembly
- Shelf ready tray packing and merchandise stand assembly
- Product re-packing
Every hand processing job is set up with specific checking procedures including weigh checking and periodic pack opening to ensure accuracy. Supervision is built into every job — no pack leaves the facility without passing quality control.
Why Choose a Full-Service Provider?
Many businesses use separate providers for printing, finishing, packing, and mailing. Each handoff between providers adds time, cost, and risk of error. A full-service provider like Mailing Today handles the entire workflow under one roof:
Print → Finish → Pack → Mail or Distribute
This means your printed materials go straight from the press to the finishing line to the packing area to Australia Post or a courier — all within the same facility, managed by the same team. No trucking between suppliers, no miscommunication between vendors, no finger-pointing when something goes wrong.
Mailing Today combines product finishing with direct mail, printing, pick and pack, kitting, 3PL fulfilment, warehousing, and national distribution. ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, and 45001 certified. WEConnect International certified women-owned business. Accredited Australia Post Business Mail Partner in Victoria.
How to Choose a Product Finishing Provider in Melbourne
When selecting a product finishing and co-packing partner, consider:
Range of equipment — Can they handle your specific finishing requirements? Flow wrapping, shrink wrapping, glue lines, and labelling all require different equipment. A provider with a broad range of capabilities means fewer jobs need to be sent elsewhere.
Quality management — Look for ISO certification. Mailing Today holds ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental), ISO 27001 (Information Security), and ISO 45001 (Safety). This is particularly important for jobs involving customer data, pharmaceutical products, or food-adjacent items.
Scalability — Can they handle both small promotional runs and large-scale national campaigns? Mailing Today processes jobs from 500 to over 5,000,000 pieces.
Integration with distribution — The best finishing providers also handle warehousing and distribution. Getting your finished products into the same facility that handles pick, pack, and dispatch eliminates an entire link in the supply chain.
Track record — Mailing Today has been operating since 2003 and is trusted by national franchise brands across Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is product finishing?
Product finishing is the final stage of production where printed materials or manufactured goods are prepared for retail or distribution. This includes flow wrapping, shrink wrapping, labelling, glue line application, magnet attachment, belly band application, collating, and packing. Mailing Today provides comprehensive product finishing services from its facility in Rowville, Melbourne.
What is flow wrapping?
Flow wrapping is a packaging process where products are sealed in plastic film using a continuous flow wrapping machine. It is commonly used for magazines with gifts, sample packs, brochures, and three-dimensional products. Mailing Today offers flow wrapping in plain or printed plastic film at its Rowville facility.
What is the difference between shrink wrapping and flow wrapping?
Flow wrapping uses a horizontal machine to seal products in a continuous tube of film, best suited for flat or slightly three-dimensional items like magazines and sample packs. Shrink wrapping uses heat to shrink a loose film tightly around a product, providing a pristine retail finish or secure transit packaging. Mailing Today offers both services.
Does Mailing Today offer glue line services for magazines?
Yes. Mailing Today operates automatic and semi-automatic glue lines for attaching sachets, cards, and promotional magnets to magazines, catalogues, and promotional cards. This includes magazine enhancement services such as gift-with-purchase attachment and fridge magnet application.
Can Mailing Today handle container de-stuffing?
Yes. Mailing Today provides container de-stuffing services at its Rowville, Melbourne facility. Imported goods from shipping containers are unloaded, inspected, and processed for warehousing, re-packing, labelling, or direct distribution across Australia.
How much do product finishing services cost?
Costs depend on the type of finishing required, volume, complexity, and turnaround time. Flow wrapping and shrink wrapping are generally priced per unit, with lower per-unit costs at higher volumes. Contact Mailing Today on (03) 9753 4436 for a free quote.
Get Started with Mailing Today
Mailing Today provides product finishing, flow wrapping, shrink wrapping, labelling, glue line services, co-packing, and national distribution from Rowville, Melbourne. ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, and 45001 certified. WEConnect International certified women-owned business. Accredited Australia Post Business Mail Partner in Victoria. Established 2003.
Call (03) 9753 4436 or email mailingtoday@mailingtoday.com.au for a free quote.