Everyone who has ever faced the necessity to transport goods or products from place A to place B knows for sure how complicated and overwhelming this process may be. There are too many aspects you should take into account. It’s of prime importance to select an appropriate mode of transportation, as well as pick up the best freight forwarder. What is more, there are lots of paperwork you can’t ignore.
No wonder, if you entrust your cargo to inexperienced brokers, some problems may arise. For instance, experts may ignore the necessity to prepare pallets for shipping. It seems like a minor thing but it may lead to catastrophic consequences. Why is it important always to pay attention to preparing pallets for shipping? Let’s figure it out.
Firstly, it’s necessary to clarify what the pallets are and what they are usually used for. They are flat (usually wooden) structures used for handling transport, storing goods, or transporting freight. There are also models made of metal or plastic. Yet, the wooden variants are the most popular ones for a number of reasons. They are the following:
- Light weight.
Many business owners would be happy to refuse the use of pallets while they are heavy and it affects the final price. No wonder, they are looking for more profitable solutions. Wooden models seem to be an ideal way out.
- Affordability.
Unlike metal alternatives, wooden models are more affordable. The prices are reasonable and depend on the number and type of the models.
- Excellent dimensional stability.
It’s possible to create pallets of any shape and size to meet the needs of a wider range of shippers.
- Eco-friendliness.
The logistics industry tends to become eco-friendly. Thus, the use of proper materials is a must. Wooden elements are to be the best alternative to plastic or metal.
No matter what type of pallets is used for shipping, they are to be prepared before you start loading the items. It’s necessary to compute the needed number of samples. Otherwise, you’ll fail to load items properly. You have to pay attention to the pallet’s weight capacity, too. If your cargo appears to be too heavy, damages are inevitable.
Clearing the elements is a must. It’s not a good idea to skip this step. Many carriers try to avoid cleaning while it takes significant time. No wonder, you can hardly find an expedited trucking company that appreciates the necessity to clean the pallets. Yet, it’s important because of safety. Different types of products are delivered via the same trucks. If equipment is not cleaned, chemicals may be left on the surfaces.
If you cooperate with a good and experienced freight forwarder, the expert will do all the preparation work for you. You should only control the process of order fulfillment and monitor the movements of the cargo.
So, preparing pallets for shipping is a key element of avoiding damages. If you fail to secure the elements in the right way, the risks of damaging the content are rather high. The same is true when it comes to clearing objects. If you do worry about the quality of the transportation, you are to clean all the pallets before loading containers or boxes.