Establishing best practices for packaging freight shipments helps you create efficiency, consistency, and safety in your supply chain. To optimize your workflow, you must understand the dangers your products face during shipment, as well as the advanced packaging techniques that can protect your goods while in transit. Discover all you need to know about packaging freight shipments with this quick rundown.
Hazards for Freight Shipments
Understanding the main transportation hazards your products might face will help you prepare for those risks and find ways to protect your products. The five most common hazards for freight shipments are shock, vibration, compression, extreme climates, and altitude.
Shock occurs after heavy impacts, such as dropping pallets or hitting products against another object. These impacts damage product loads, especially around the edges, corners, or the bottom side of the load. Safe product handling and packaging that can withstand shock from any angle helps prevent damage.
Vibration stems from mechanically handling products, such as when workers use forklifts to carry pallets. If products aren’t securely packaged, the in-transit motion can lead to scuffs, product wear, and loosened fasteners.
Compression occurs when a product load experiences pressure from surrounding loads, walls, or other forces. This pressure can crush the pallet and lead to product damage. Smart sorting and stacking techniques and clear pallet labels help operators protect pallets and avoid compression damage.
Climate-based damage stems from changes in temperature or humidity. Climate-controlled carrier vehicles can protect products that are susceptible to these conditions.
Altitude damage can happen because of pressure changes when moving in or out of high elevations. This is most common in aircraft shipments. Always consider altitude hazards when shipping products by jet or other flight-based modes of transport.
The Importance of Labeling
Clear pallet labeling gives carriers straightforward instructions about routing, handling, and more. Make sure all pallet labels are legible, easy to understand, and durable enough to remain clear throughout transit. In addition to routing labels, include information about the load’s weight, orientation, and handling requirements. Finally, be sure to include anything that consignees will need, such as a list of the shipment’s contents, warning labels, and any other pertinent information.
Consistent Techniques Make a Difference
Strict and consistent packaging standards help ensure every pallet that leaves your facility is secure, stable, and ready for safe transit. Automatic packaging equipment can help you achieve these standards with greater accuracy and efficiency than ever before.
In addition to investing in the right equipment, you can also test your standards with pre-shipment lab testing. Lab tests help you analyze how well your packaging holds up against various transportation hazards so that you can adjust as needed and create better, safer packaging solutions.
With this guide on what to know about packaging freight shipments, you can review your current processes and find ways to improve the way you move products through your supply chain. When it’s time to invest in cutting-edge packaging equipment to protect your shipments, be sure to choose Robopac USA as your packaging equipment manufacturer. Visit us today to browse pallet wrapping turntables and other powerful secondary packaging solutions.
