Reducing or preventing damage when transporting your goods is an essential aspect of business. There is no use in creating or shipping a great product if it gets damaged or broken on the way to a warehouse or store; here are a few things to remember to ensure your goods get to their destination safely.
Initial Packaging
Firstly, you need to think about how the product itself is packaged. Together with pallets and strapping, the product needs to be protected adequately. The three primary materials typically used are paper, bubble wrap, or styrofoam.
Paper
Paper is brilliant for protecting fragile items and allows you to shape the packaging to get a snug fit inside a box. On the other hand, paper loses points as it doesn’t offer sufficient impact protection.
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap may be more expensive, but it does the job of protecting items very well. It is designed to prevent impact damage and can be used on almost any goods, whether big or small. It is also one of the most common ways to package a product.
Styrofoam
Similar to bubble wrap, styrofoam is another superior packaging material. Whether sheets or packing peanuts, styrofoam keeps goods in place, offers impact protection, and can be an eco-friendly option for companies wanting to go greener.
Seal Your Boxes
Next, you want to seal your boxes adequately. Packing tape is necessary to keep your goods sturdy but also to keep them closed. This second aspect shouldn’t be overlooked, as rain or steam can quickly and easily damage the contents.
Vinyl and reinforced packing tapes are great for tough jobs that require a strong seal, while brown and paper packing tapes are reliable for smaller jobs and are perfect for bundling and wrapping. Consider incorporating specialized cosmetic packaging for wholesale orders, ensuring not only the protection of your products but also presenting a professional and appealing image to your customers.
Label Correctly
Never underestimate the power of labeling when it comes to lowering the chances of damage. Over-handling can wear down boxes and seals, and this is common when handlers aren’t always sure where a box needs to be or go.
It is also important to use labels such as “fragile” or labels that indicate which way up a box should be stored. Placing a box upside down won’t damage the box itself; for example, it could easily damage the goods inside, especially with goods that have an uneven weight distribution.
Stack Your Pallets Safely
How you stack your pallets is also essential in protecting your goods. You can’t just randomly place boxes on pallets and hope for the best. This is particularly important if the product will be on the pallet for a few weeks, even months.
Weight Distribution
Depending on the variety of products you are shipping, the first thing you need to do is separate them by weight. Heavy items shouldn’t be stacked, but if they need to be, strap them down sufficiently and pack your truck or container in a way that limits movement to almost nothing.
Overhang
Overhang is when a box or several boxes aren’t stacked correctly and stick out beyond the area of the pallet they are sitting on. Overhang not only puts stress on lower boxes but it can also make it easier for the boxes to topple over.
Instead, stick to packing boxes close to the same size so they stack evenly, and if you have any boxes that don’t “fit,” stack them separately.
Shrink Wrap
While it should be assumed that shrink wrap can be used to secure your boxes to a pallet, it is a great way to add a layer of protection against weather. Shrink wrap is particularly useful if you live in a cold or wet climate or if your products will be going in shipping containers on a boat.
Strapping
Finally, the last step is strapping to secure your boxes and pallets. Strapping can be used to secure the boxes to the pallet and then to secure all your pallets in your truck or container.
When strapping, think about the potential movements that pallets and boxes could endure. They need to be strapped to stop them from moving side to side, but up and down as well, as constant bouncing can also cause damage to your products.
Have the Right Machines Available
“Machine” is a broad term in this sense, but it applies to all the methods you would use to move your boxes and pallets, as well as how you get them in and out of your trucks or containers.
A decently sized and powerful forklift is the perfect vehicle for shifting pallets, while a dolly of some kind is great for moving boxes within the truck or container. Correctly handling practices inside the truck or container are still essential, even if you have taken all of the steps to secure your goods sufficiently.
To conclude, transport and handling damage does not need to be something to worry about if you have the correct processes and practices in place. When done effectively, you can fully protect your goods from the moment they leave your warehouse and land in the store.
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