FAQ

Questions we actually get asked.

Q: What core inner diameter should I use?

Match the winding equipment: 76 mm (3") is the general standard, 152 mm (6") for heavier reels and coreset-sensitive webs, 304 mm (12") for heavy paper and board reels.

Q: Is it cheaper to buy pre-cut cores or cut in-house?

With variable slit widths and meaningful volumes, cutting mother tubes in-house on an automatic zero-waste machine is usually cheaper: less freight, one stock item, no offcut waste.

Q: Do plastic pallets need ISPM-15 treatment for export?

No. ISPM-15 applies to solid-wood packaging. Plastic pallets and wedges ship worldwide without fumigation or heat-treatment stamps.

Q: Can I reuse cores from finished reels?

Yes: a core stripper removes the residual material lengthwise without cutting into the tube, so cores from 76 to 304 mm come out intact and reusable, and the material leaves as a clean recyclable fraction.

Concise answers across the whole core lifecycle. Every answer links to the page where the topic is treated in depth.

Cores

What core inner diameter should I use?

Match your winding equipment: 76 mm (3") is the general-purpose standard, 152 mm (6") carries heavier reels and reduces coreset in sensitive webs, 304 mm (12") is for heavy paper and board reels. Details: cardboard cores.

Cardboard or plastic core?

Cardboard for one-way flows and standard winding; plastic where the core returns to you, must be washed, or spins at very high speed. Comparison table: plastic cores.

How should cores be stored?

Dry, off the floor, away from humidity swings — moisture is the main cause of crush-strength loss in paper cores. Plastic pallets help keep the storage area clean and dry.

Cutting

Is it cheaper to buy pre-cut cores or cut in-house?

With variable slit widths and meaningful volumes, in-house cutting from mother tubes usually wins: less freight, less stock, no offcut waste with zero-waste machines. Payback logic: core cutting machines.

What tolerance can a core cutter hold?

Automatic machines cut square, clean edges at millimetre-level length accuracy — enough for reels to seat correctly on winding shafts without fringes or delamination.

Roll storage & shipping

How do I store reels vertically without crushing them?

Rack-certified cradle pallets (steel-reinforced, e.g. ROLL LO02) on standard pallet racking: each reel sits in its own saddle at every level. See roll pallets & storage.

Do plastic pallets need ISPM-15 treatment for export?

No. ISPM-15 fumigation/heat-treatment applies to solid-wood packaging; plastic pallets and wedges ship worldwide without stamps or treatment.

Reuse & end of life

Can I reuse cores from finished reels?

Yes, if the residual material is stripped without cutting into the tube. A core stripper like RECYCLO recovers cores 76–304 mm intact at up to 2,500 kg/h of material. Full story: core reuse and roll-recyclo.com.

What does the PPWR mean for core users?

From 12 August 2026 the EU packaging regulation rewards documented reuse and real recyclability. Intact recovered cores = reuse evidence; clean mono-material fractions = recyclability evidence. Compliance overview: roll-packaging.com/pages/compliance-ppwr.

Contact

Tell us about your cores and your rolls.

Send us your core dimensions, materials and yearly volumes. ROLL replies within 24 hours with the right solution — or the right partner in the ecosystem.

Request a quote See the RFQ guide

Write to us directly — info@roll-packaging.com