The shipping and packaging of goods is often an unsung industry; the complexities of the logistical side of operations are often understated or poorly understood. It can be extremely difficult orienting your shipment in such a way that it arrives to its destination promptly, intact, and safely. 

Maintaining such stability requires a few different things. Obviously these requirements will shift depending on what you’re shipping, but the principles rarely vary. Stability, timeliness, and safety are pretty much always going to be the cornerstones of logistical transportation. There are a few industry secrets that make the entire process easier however, and we’re going to discuss some of them here today.

Protective Technologies

Pallets will typically have a very strong base made up of potentially several different types of corrugated material. This material also serves to protect the bottom most layer of the pallet, helping to prevent wear and tear, erosion, or scratches to whatever surface it happens to be resting on. There are three tiers of strength when it comes to edge protectors: single, double, and triple strength. These allow for heavier objects to be safely placed upon the pallets. 

Anti Sliding Technology

There are also pads to prevent pallets or stacks of goods from sliding around the container. They achieve this by increasing the amount of friction between the pallet and the floor, thus making the entire stack less likely to slide or move. These typically come in a few different varieties, the strongest and most dependable of which being of a honeycomb design.

Edge Protection

Edge protectors, usually seen in the form of “baby proofing” a table, are placed on the corners of each stack of goods. These protectors help create purchase for straps to hold the products neatly in place. They come in various sizes, colors, and materials. Some brands even have personalized messages so that you can create edge protectors with messages or advice specific to a shipment (an example would be something like, “Do Not Stack”, or “Handle With Care”).

When used in conjunction with straps, edge protectors can make a shipment vastly more secure. The straps, made of various different materials of different strengths, hold the shipment in place. The straps are wrapped around the shipment by way of the edge protectors, and help secure the stack so that it does not tip over. Sometimes these straps are made of metal, polyester, or some kind of blend, but this is a technique that should be familiar to all of us.

Cling or Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrappings or film can aid the shipping process in much the same way that straps do. The plastic is wrapped stretched to wrap around the shipment and hold the goods in place. The amount and toughness required will be different for each shipment, but this is a time tested tactic. This approach is usually applied by hand. Sometimes shipments will be wrapped in color coded plastic in order to indicate at a glance different information about a product or shipment.

In Conclusion

There are many, many different ways to stack pallets and ship goods, but there are only several that are continually used by professionals. Listening to the advice of professionals and adhering to the safety standards that they use is a sure fire way to get the job done well, and to get it done safely.