Like many freight shippers you probably have a number of different sized pallets sitting around to ship your product on. For years shipping departments have settled with shipping product on standard sized skids 48 X 40 or some variation thereof. But many have learned that shipping product on skids that are too big or too small leads to damaged product, unhappy customers and lost revenue.
The biggest mistake, and what leads to the most shipping claims is product overhang. You have a 55" box and you let it hang over a standard 48" pallet. This most certainly leads to damage. In a freight system either loading full truckload or LTL, pallet bases are used to bumper each other, in other words once the pallet on the forklift touches the next pallet the forklift driver stops.
So invariably if your product is overhanging a pallet there will be pressure from the palleted items being loaded next to it. This will cause damage. This box below greatly overhangs its pallet. I wonder how this box got crushed?
Another mistake is putting boxes on a pallet that is too big for the items, although it will not result in as many damages as overhanging product it still has its risks. Mainly tipping over on the pallet when being moved by forklift. The tilt pressure and the movement of the forklift causes the weight of the items to shift and move on a pallet that is too large for the item, which can result in damage. This freight below should have been on a pallet more suited to its size.
At Gateway Crate and Freight we avoid these scenarios because we have the ability to custom make the size of skid we need, as we need it. We just got a new order of lumber in, see the picture below, of 2 X 4 s and 1 X 4 s, the main products we use in the construction of pallets and crates.
We also stock 2 X 6 s and Plywood or OSB sheets for crating and for use on Flat top pallets. We utilize the OSB Plywood for the tops of many of our skids. In fact if you are shipping an item that has wheels, it is a requirement of many carriers that the item not be transported on a slatted pallet it must be on a flat surfaced top and preferable blocked and braced as well. Here are some 2 X 6 s in front of our Miter Saw. We will use 2 X 6 or Plywood to create flat surfaced tops. The material used is dependent on the weight of items being shipped.
The OSB we utilize for the flat topped pallets and the crates we build are cut with our panel saw. The panel saw helps us cut larger pieces of plywood into the exact size we need for the job.
We still mainly utilize standard sized pallets, but having the ability to create the perfect sized pallet you need for your product is a huge advantage. The obvious advantage is that it reduces the chance of the shipment being damaged during transport. When it fits right, it will not over hang any part of the pallet and it will be within 1-2" of the footprint of the pallet all the way around. The picture below is of a 8' long Ice Cream Soda fountain, custom boxed.
Notice we created a skid that was 1.5" longer (the thickness of a 2 X 4 width) on each end which allowed us to block and brace this 700 lb piece into the footprint of the pallet. We also made the skid the size so that 2 X 4 s could be used on the sides to prevent shifting. The machine was then banded down to ensure it couldn't bounce above the fencing. This piece shipped from Arizona to Pennsylvania and arrived in perfect shape.
Custom palletizing and blocking and bracing pieces so they can ship safely is a specialty of Gateway Crate and Freight. Having the ability to add wood or plywood where its needed to secure items to skids is a must if you want to decrease your claims and improve your customer service.
Another advantage to custom skidding is a reduction in freight costs. With the trucking world leaning more heavily on Dimensional based pricing as compared to class based, a topic I have covered a number of times in this blog, we have found over and over again that we could save on freight expense and improve the safety of our shipment at a minimal cost by custom building our shipping pallets.
I am not suggesting everyone go out and make a capital investment into saws, nail guns and lumber, but what I could say with confidence is it might be a good time to give Gateway Crate and Freight a call to evaluate your shipping footprint. See if you can use our wood shop to reduce your freight expenses while decreasing your risk of damage.
Gateway Crate and Freight is a division of Gateway Optimum Transportation a 3PL located in Tempe, Arizona offering pickup and delivery, warehousing, Custom crating and packing services and is an experienced full service transportation management company. Visit www.gatewayot.com or www.gatewaycrateandfreight.com or call Toll free 855-474-4685.
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