5 tips for palletising bulk deliveries
Ensuring that your products arrive undamaged is a top priority for many businesses.
Products that become loose and fall off your pallets during transit and storage can break, leading to increased costs and customer disappointment.
Palletised goods face not only physical damage from knocks and drops but also often need protection against moisture, dirt, dust or even rust, depending on the nature of your products. This blog article will offer 5 tips for palletising bulk deliveries to guarantee that your goods arrive in optimal condition.
We’ll explore the importance of effective palletisation, discuss common challenges and provide guidance on choosing the right pallet. We will also look at the significance of correct load distribution and selecting appropriate packing materials.
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Understanding the importance of palletisation
Your goods may encounter various dangers during the shipping process. Ensuring they are properly secured to pallets is crucial for their protection on the way to the end user. The right palletisation can help in several ways:
- Preventing damage – Goods that are not securely palletised may become loose during shipping and storage, potentially leading to damage or causing injuries
- Protecting against moisture and dust – if you are transporting liquid products or your goods are exposed to wet conditions, proper palletisation is essential to protect them when encountering elements, such as moisture and water as well as spills and contamination
- Reducing additional costs – when goods arrive damaged, this often means they will have to be replaced and shipped again, which incurs additional shipping costs and the expenses associated with issuing new items. There are also hidden costs to consider, including labour, administrative tasks, damaged reputation and extra carbon dioxide emissions
- Preventing scratches – Choosing the right materials for palletising your goods ensures they are protected against scratches and chips
- Ensuring happy customers – products that arrive well-presented, damage-free will make a good impression on you customers, Even more so when they don’t have to deal with excess packaging. Good experience may lead to repeat orders and building a strong reputation, resulting in new customers
Common challenges in bulk deliveries
When it comes to bulk deliveries, understanding the nature of your products, including their size and weight, is crucial. This knowledge helps in selecting the appropriate pallet and wrapping materials to ensure the safe delivery of your goods.
Some common challenges in bulk deliveries include:
- Choosing the right type of pallet – This involves selecting a pallet that suits the type, dimensions, and weight of your goods
- Deciding on the most appropriate wrapping material – It’s important to choose a wrapping material that provides adequate protection throughout the supply chain
- Understanding the best methods to secure bulky or oddly shaped goods – Securing bulky or oddly shaped goods can be challenging, but it’s essential to ensure they are held securely
- Preventing accidents and ensuring adequate staff training – Providing a safe and consistent approach to pallet wrapping is crucial, especially when dealing with seasonal staff or when there is a high turnover of staff
- Protecting goods against adverse weather conditions – It’s important to safeguard your goods from adverse weather conditions to prevent damage and contamination.
Our tips for palletising bulk deliveries
Tip 1: Assess your product type
Review the size, weight and fragility of your products and consider the conditions they will be transported in. This will help ensure you select the appropriate pallet type and size and choose the right packing materials for the job.
Tip 2: Choose the right pallet
The ideal pallet type depends on their nature of your goods and your specific shipping needs. There are various pallet types available, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, including:
- Wooden pallets – Popular for their availability, affordability and durability, this type of pallet is suitable for a broad range of products and industries
- Plastic pallets – Offering superior hygiene, they are perfect for applications requiring a clean and contamination-free environment. Ideal for shipping pharmaceuticals, medicines, food and beverages
- Presswood pallets – A type of wooden pallet designed for easy stacking, offering space savings while still being able to hold significant weight
- Corrugated cardboard pallets – A lighter pallet alternative capable of holding up to 750kg without the need for heat treatments. This makes them ideal for those wanting to reduce the overall weight of their shipments
- Metal pallets – Renowned for their strength and durability, they are best suited for heavy-duty applications
For more information about different pallets type and how to choose the right size, read The Ultimate Guide to Pallets and Pallet Sizes.
Tip 3: Optimise load distribution
Ensure your load is stable and its weight is equally distributed across your pallet to optimise product safety. This will help prevent your load from tipping over and collapsing during shipping and storage. Place heavy items at the bottom and lighter on top.
Be cautious not to overload your pallets, as this can strain the packing materials and affect load stability. Always check the weight and load capacity of your pallets and wrapping materials, ensuring you do not exceed recommended limits.
Tip 4: Use appropriate packaging materials
Selecting the appropriate packaging materials is crucial for ensuring the safe delivery of pallets during bulk shipping.
Pallet wraps, such as stretch wrap and shrink wrap are the perfect packing materials to secure your palletised goods. They keep your products in place, offering a safe and tight hold while providing protection against scratches, spills, water and dust exposure. There are different types available, suitable for different product types and applications.
Stretch wrap can be applied manually or with the help of a specialised machine. For instance, the Wrapplicator, an innovative handheld stretch wrap dispenser, simplifies the pallet wrapping process, making it easier and more efficient.
For larger volumes, turntable stretch wrap machines can accelerate your packing operation while ensuring you use only the necessary amount of packing material to protect your goods.
To find out more about different stretch wrap types and uses, read our essential guide to stretch film. Alternatively, if you are interested in shrink films, you fill find more information here: a guide to polythene and shrink film.
You may also want to consider using corner protectors and dunnage to provide additional cushioning and protection for your palletised loads.
Tip 5: Label your pallets for easy identification
Once your pallets are suitably protected, make sure you label your shipments correctly to ensure easy warehouse management and identification of your pallets. It’s a good idea to use clear, quality labels and include information such as product type, quantity and any special handling instructions.
Help with pallet shipping
At Macfarlane Packaging, we offer an extensive selection of protective packaging materials, including various types of pallets, stretch wrap, shrink wrap, corner protectors and more.
We can also provide manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic packaging machines to streamline and optimise your packing process. Contact us today to discuss your specific needs. Our team is here to help you select the most suitable packaging solutions for your unique packaging requirements.