Dunnage void fill systems are a highly effective way to eliminate movement and load shift that naturally occurs during transit. Regardless of modality, products that aren’t loaded securely and strategically are going to move around, which can cause damage to your products, packaging, and ultimately, to your reputation.

Sunrise Manufacturing details the best ways to create effective dunnage void fill systems.

Identifying Potential Voids and Creating the Strategy

The shipping industry has multiple ways to move products, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. But one item that’s common throughout each shipping modality is that if cargo isn’t properly packaged, loaded, and secured, damage can happen, creating preventable issues.

Identifying the potential voids of your shipping modality can be key in creating the strategic shipping solution your cargo needs in order to be safe during transit.

  • When your shipping modality has been selected, it’s critical for your team to work with your load securement company to map out areas where potential voids are going to exist. It’s important to note that no two shipping modalities are the same, meaning the potential void sizes will vary depending on how you are shipping your cargo.
  • With over-the-road (OTR) modalities, potential dunnage void fill systems focus on preventing cargo from shifting both longitudinally and laterally due to hard braking and side-to-side cornering.
  • If your team has opted for rail and intermodal forms of transportation, potential areas to consider for your dunnage void fill system could be where potential impacts and vibrations occur during switches, elevation changes, or rough crossings that can cause cargo to shift in rail cars.

Considerations for Selecting a Load Securement Company

Part of creating an effective dunnage void fill system is finding the right load securement company. There are a few considerations to make during your search.

Fully Integrated Solutions

The right load securement company will provide fully integrated solutions. This should include manufacturing the products that would go into the load securement strategy. This combination of practical experience and manufacturing knowledge, they can create the most effective solution. The company knows exactly how their products work and the best combinations to use for your modality.

Multiple Modalities and Industries

A company that has experience creating dunnage void fill systems for multiple modalities and with different industries, demonstrates a clear level of experience and expertise in load securement. Handling different product types, understanding the environmental considerations that could impact safe transit of your goods are all important factors to consider.

Key Partnerships

Lastly, load securement companies can further their expertise by having key partnerships with associations that are tied to shipping modalities. As an example, Sunrise Manufacturing has had a longstanding partnership with the Association of American Railroads.

Key Products to Consider

Sunrise Manufacturing offers several products that can serve in your dunnage void fill system that are equipped to handle the numerous problems that can cause headaches during transit. Our two biggest lines of void fill solutions are our dunnage air bags and legacy void fill systems.

Dunnage Air Bags

  • Polywoven and paper air bags: These AAR-approved polywoven and kraft paper air bags are lightweight, durable, and easy to use. Coming in a variety of specifications and sizes, our experts will provide the best solution for your particular application.
  • Square air bag: This air bag option fills extra-large voids and provides more surface contact for enhanced load restraint. Square air bags can reduce your need for additional dunnage materials and labor, saving you money. These durable AAR-approved air bags have a gusseted, durable polypropylene outer shell that gives them tear and puncture resistance.
  • BUF-BAG®: Designed to be a user-friendly, one-piece application, our BUF-BAG® provides added strength and support for enhanced load securement. Each BUF-BAG® is customized for your application and comprises a durable air bag sandwiched between two pieces of dunnage, which can include a variety of options from corrugated sheets to DIAMOND-PAK® or Sunrise Small Cell™ honeycomb panels. This one-piece system can greatly reduce labor during installation.

Void Fill Solutions

  • DIAMOND-CORR®: The original void filler is expanded to fill voids between loads, to prevent load shift during transit. Void fillers are shipped flat, saving vital warehouse space.
  • DIAMOND-CORR II®: Like the DIAMOND-CORR®, this filler expands to fill space between loads, preventing shifting. This larger, lighter-duty cell is a great economical lateral void filler.
  • MATCH BOOK®: This collapsible void filler product is a corrugated-backed, foldable, and self-supporting honeycomb bulkhead filler. No hangers are needed for this free-standing load spacer. Our lightweight, inexpensive, reusable, and recyclable void filler is excellent for preventing crosswise load shifting. MATCH BOOK® collapsible fillers foldable design saves on warehousing space and inbound freight costs.
  • SADDLE-PAK®: SADDLE-PAK® corrugated void fillers are designed for singled out units, providing maximum protection against load shift. SADDLE-PAK® helps maintain proper axle weight distribution by distributing more weight to the rear and away from the nose. Convenient, strong, lightweight, and easy to use, SADDLE-PAK® stores flat and expands to fill the void on each side of the unit.
  • LEDGE-PAK®: A corrugated bulkhead collapsible void filler system is used for the prevention of length-wise load shift due to pallet underhang. LEDGE-PAK® is patent protected: (US. Patent No. 8,308,411)

Contact Sunrise Manufacturing for a High-Quality Dunnage Void Fill System

Sunrise Manufacturing has honed its craft as a packaging manufacturer and strategic shipping solutions company for decades. Our products are created with numerous applications in mind, including the different modalities we serve.

We work closely with our customers to identify their needs, concerns, and product information in order to create the best solution. With extensive knowledge of how our products function, especially in combination with one another, your freight can experience minimal movement and shifts during transit.

Protect your cargo during shipping and contact our team today.