Menu
Whenever you ship freight internationally or domestically, you should always make sure to make that your goods are properly packaged. Improper packaging can lead to damage to not just your goods but the goods in surrounding shipments. In some cases, carriers won’t accept incorrectly prepped cargo. Follow these tips to ensure your goods are safe.
The first step to prepping your shipment is to choose the right pallet. The pallet should be larger than the width and length of whatever you are shipping. Any overhang can lead to damage and make it difficult to load and unload your shipment. Additionally, you need to ensure that your pallet is rated for weights heavier than what you are shipping.
When you load a wood pallet make sure to avoid any overhang. You should also avoid any part of your shipment from falling in the spaces between the slats of wood that make up the pallet. This is why many companies prefer crates over pallets because they provide additional support for the shipment and prevent any overhang. Crating also prevents other shipments from interfering with yours by walling off your goods.
One of the most important steps in prepping your freight is securing it. Whether your cargo is shipped domestically via truck or internationally via a barge, you should always make sure it is properly secured. Straps and blocking can help prevent your shipment from moving and taking impact damage during transit. If you do not correctly secure and stabilize your cargo it can fall off the pallet and break.
When you prep freight you should make sure to use the correct materials. Foam inserts, heat shrink wrapping, and vapor barrier protection can all prevent damage to your goods. However, any additional packaging you use will also increase both the weight and the size of your shipment, likely increasing the cost to ship it. That is why you need to find a balance between using too much or not enough packaging materials.
The Crate This team has helped companies with domestic and international shipping for decades. We provide custom-tailored freight prep services to businesses throughout the northeast. Contact us for rates on our crating and packaging services or contact us about the specifications of an upcoming project you would like our help on.
