To protect your merchandise during transport requires some layers of protection. In this post, we will look inside the crate and realize how much work is needed to ensure that your items arrive safely at their destination.
The first layer, in many cases is a wood crate. Generally this is a custom wood crate specifically designed to maximize the protection of the merchandise being shipped. Customized wood pallets and skids may also be used.
But that’s just the outside portion because it is important to consider the measures inside a crate that keep items from moving during transport. We going to review some of them:
Blocking and Bracing
Blocking and bracing complement an adequate protection for cargo. Commonly used to ensure that items, especially large and heavy ones to keep their position during transport avoiding damage.
Most of the time just filling the empty space around a crated item with loose material is not enough to prevent it from moving. It is more efficient once the item is into its crate or onto a wood pallet make use of strong protective materials as wood blocks or cradles that combined isolate the cargo from any sudden movement.
It doesn’t matter what the commodity and its specs, when blocking and bracing techniques are applied carefully and professionally, the protection of the cargo is high.
Product-Specific Packaging Solutions
There are several types of packaging that provide another layer of protection for cargo that will be transported. These materials are selected based on the nature of the items, and can include:
- Specialized cushioning. For some merchandise, it’s essential to minimize vibration and potential impacts experienced in transportation environments and ensure that the items don’t come into contact with each other or the walls of the container. Customized cushioning can be used for that aim. For light and delicate components, a polyurethane foam is usually utilized.
- Anti-static material. Electrostatic discharge can damage sensitive electronics. Anyhow, many anti-static packaging materials can be used to avoid that issue. They involve anti-static stretch wrap, buttle wrap, foam, and barriers.
- Heat shrink wrapping. This plastic material can be used to cover a product and then heated and shrunk so that it forms a snug barrier. Not only can heat shrink wrapping be utilized to secure merchandise to a deck or pallet during transport, the material is frequently used as an cost-effective alternative to protect products that will be in storage.
- Vapor barrier. Many types of merchandise, like electronics or those with bare metal surfaces, can be affected from moisture. Especially when they are transported by ship. VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor) bags are often used to protect items during ocean transport. The bag surrounds the product and then the air is removed from inside it with a special vacuum mechanism. Activated desiccants can also be used to absorb moisture and humidity indicator cards to monitor humidity.
With the three levels of protection described above, the risk of damage to shipped items is greatly cut down.
Corrugated Containers or Hard Shell Cases and Proper Packaging
For some products, the combination of a heavy duty, double-walled corrugated container combined with the suitable packaging materials is an effective shipping solution. Items can also be placed inside hard shell cases lined with polyurethane, which can be custom cut to form an exact fit.
What Protective Measures Are Needed
While your knowledge of a shipped item’s characteristics is important, you don’t have to be a specialty crating and packaging expert to get your item safely to its destination. That’s our job.
In CARGO CARE SERVICES we develop a crating and packaging strategy specifically for each item. We advise you with the best solution to ensure your assets won’t be damaged. We also offer full cargo insurance to cover shipments in the event of additional damages or losses.
We can assist you with your packaging and crating needs for your nationwide and international shipments from the US. GET A QUOTE!