PALLET SHIPPING - WHAT GOODS TO SHIP ON A PALLET?

Pallet shipping is the transportation of cargo placed on a special platform, usually made of wooden blocks and boards, called a pallet. Large-sized goods can be easily transported this way. Traditional parcel or custom shipments don't always allow you to send items that are small but heavy. However, these items too can be successfully transported via pallet shipments. Courier forms providing such a service have the infrastructure and logistical solutions adapted for this purpose, which allows them to move goods not only quickly, but also with due safety.

What are pallet shipments used for? Stationary stores may use them to stock a particular unit, while their online counterparts often move goods within their warehouse network in this way. Pallets can be used to transport consumer electronics and household appliances, furniture or other heavy home furnishings. Companies often use this type of transportation for various types of machinery or construction and industrial materials.

You can find different types of pallets on the market. The most popular type is the euro pallet. Pallets of this type are manufactured taking into account the standards and requirements of the European Pallet Association EPAL. They come in several versions varying in size, but the most popular is the 120 x 14.4 x 80 cm model. A cheaper, uncertified counterpart to Europallets are industrial pallets. They have many forms, can be made of different materials and have any dimensions. Shipment of goods using a pallet must take into account the selection of the appropriate model. The dimensions and weight of the shipment are important. Based on this, the needed dimensions of the pallet can be determined. It should be remembered that the courier does not bring the pallet, taking the cargo from the shipper - so the person ordering the shipment must get the right platform himself.

Proper packing of a pallet shipment is crucial to the safety of the goods being transported. The process should take into account the protection of the item from shocks, bruises and the disintegration of the individual components of the shipment. The quality of the pallet itself is particularly important, whether it is an industrial pallet or a euro model. It should not have cracks and deep scratches that could cause the boards to collapse in transit. The wood should also not be damp or rotten. The individual parts of the pallet must be firmly connected to each other to avoid damaging them under the weight of the goods.

It is no less important to ensure the stability of the entire load. Properly secured goods are those where the risk of a pallet tipping over is as low as possible. No part of it should protrude beyond the outline of the pallet, and the center of gravity should be as close to the center of the ground as possible. If the cargo contains many products in separate packages, it is also a good idea to put them in bulk packaging. Goods should be positioned as tightly as possible to minimize the amount of free space between them, thereby preventing damage from shock and objects bumping against each other. The cargo should be wrapped in stretch film and the bill of lading should be attached to it in a visible place. Thus prepared pallet shipment can already be entrusted into the hands of a courier.

Learn more about the services:

• B2B Domestic Shipments
• B2B International Shipments

Thanks to the development of their infrastructure, modern courier companies can offer cheap pallet shipments delivered in a very short time. The solutions offered by carriers include not only transportation, but also a variety of additional services to tailor delivery to customers' needs. So, before deciding to cooperate with a particular courier, it is worthwhile to carefully determine the company's needs in this regard - this will help make the whole process more convenient and cost-effective.

What to look out for? First of all, on the type and characteristics of the cargo. If the weight and size of the cargo exceeds the limits set by the carrier, it may refuse the service. If the product in question requires delivery within a very short period of time (for example, the next business day), make sure that the courier is able to move it within such a timeframe for a certain distance.

The best courier companies allow their customers to take advantage of an extensive package of additional services, including, for example, Saturday delivery, re-addressing or pallet rotation. When planning to ship goods of particularly high value, it's also a good idea to check whether the carrier in question offers the option to purchase additional insurance for the shipment.

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