Packaging guide
VCI Film for Export and Industrial Packaging: Protecting Metal Parts in Transit
How VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor) film protects steel parts and machinery during sea freight and storage, how to wrap, what it cannot do, and where to buy 4 mil rolls in bulk.
Updated Nov 6, 2026
VCI film is searched for by manufacturers, machine shops and exporters in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Canada, and the interest follows where goods cross oceans, humid ports and temperature swings. The same buyer usually asks the same three questions: what it is, how to use it, and whether it works. Here are straight answers.
What VCI film is
VCI stands for vapor corrosion inhibitor. It is polyethylene film with an additive that slowly releases a protective vapor inside a closed wrap. The vapor settles on metal surfaces inside the package and slows corrosion without oil or grease. Our film is yellow-tinted, 4 mil (0.004 in, 102 micron), 36 in × 500 ft (914 mm × 152 m), sold by the roll. Our guide to what VCI film is explains the chemistry in more detail.
Where it helps
Corrosion starts when metal sits in damp air, especially across day and night temperature changes that cause condensation inside a container. That makes these cases the typical ones:
- Machined and ferrous parts shipped by sea freight.
- Spare parts and tooling held in humid storage.
- Machinery and fabricated steel waiting for installation.
How to wrap
- Use clean, dry parts. VCI does not stop corrosion that has already started, and it does not replace cleaning.
- Wrap the part or lay it inside a bag made from the film, and close the package as tightly as you can. The vapor only works inside an enclosed space.
- Seal seams with tape, overlap them, and avoid holes.
- Keep different metals in mind. Ask your supplier whether the formulation suits the metals you ship, since some are for ferrous metals and others for several.
Our guide to wrapping metal parts with VCI film goes through it in more detail.
What VCI film cannot do
It does not make a part waterproof, and it is not a substitute for a dry pack, a good seal and correct handling. The protection period depends on the formulation, the metal, the air in the package and how well it is sealed, so we do not quote a number of months. Ask the manufacturer for the formulation’s data and test your own parts on a shipment before relying on it.
Prices
| Rolls | Price per roll | Order value |
|---|---|---|
| 3 (the minimum) | $175 | $525 |
| 6 | $170 | $1,020 |
| 12 | $165 | $1,980 |
| 24 | $160 | $3,840 |
| 60 and above | Quoted | |
The film is light for its length, but rolls are long, so freight is usually by pallet or carton, quoted per order.
Ordering from outside the United States
We supply businesses worldwide, including South Africa, the UAE, Australia and Canada. Origin is confirmed before you pay. Import duty and tax are for the recipient unless the quotation says otherwise. Tell us your destination and what you ship, and we quote the delivered price. See our South Africa page for how orders reach you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for VCI film?
3 rolls, worth $525.
Does VCI film protect all metals?
Formulations differ. Check with the manufacturer which metals the film is designed for before you wrap mixed-metal assemblies.
Do you sell VCI bags?
The product is the film on a roll. If you need bags, tell us the size and quantity and we will tell you whether we can quote them.
How do I pay?
By bank transfer or USDT, against a proforma invoice.
Products in this guide
More guides on this topic
- What Is VCI Film? How Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor Packaging Works — VCI film protects metal from rust without oil or coatings. How the vapor works, what it can and cannot do, and how VCI film differs from stretch wrap, shrink film and desiccant.
- How to Wrap Metal Parts with VCI Film: A Step-by-Step Guide — VCI film only works when it is closed around the part. The steps for wrapping small parts, large parts and machinery, the mistakes that waste the film, and how much a roll covers.
- Wholesale Stretch Film and Pallet Wrap: 80 Gauge Rolls, Prices and Export Pallet Wrapping — How to buy pallet wrap in bulk: 80 gauge (20 micron) 18 in x 1,500 ft rolls from $13.14, how many rolls a pallet uses, and what exporters should know about wrapping.
- Trash Bag Sizes Explained: Matching a Bag to Your Bin — Gallons tell you what a bin holds, not what bag fits it. Here is how to work out the right bag from two measurements, and why 38 × 58 inches suits a 55-gallon drum.
Still not sure?
Tell us what you ship and roughly how much of it, and we will recommend a specification and price it.