Keeping your load secured is vital to protecting your products, team, and bottom line. Without the proper packaging products and load securement solutions, you risk damage to your products, in addition to potentialunsafe loading and unloading environments. Each can present their own challenges and associated direct or indirect costs.
Regulations exist to offer key guidance on the load securement best practices for transporting cargo in the safest way possible. These standards can help guide your load securement solutions when you work with the right partner to customize your load securement to your precise product. These best practices may also differ based on modality.
With the right freight protection partner on your side, providing you the best packaging products and load securement solutions , you can enjoy safer shipping that supports your bottom line.
Factors Impacting Load Securement Best Practices
Load securement best practices can differ based on your shipping modality and the product you are shipping. Transporting your product using boxcars may require different packaging and load securement products than transporting your products via intermodal or ocean vessel. Each modality provides a unique shipping experience and your packaging products and load securement solutions must be designed with the unique environment and challenges of your transit choice in mind.
When you partner with a packaging and dunnage manufacturer that is well-versed in the best shipping solutions for every modality, you can ensure that you meet the necessary safety standards. At Sunrise, we partner with a range of industry leaders across many modalities to ensure our solutions always stay on the leading edge of their recommendations. One of our partners, the Association of the American Railroads, regularly releases damage prevention guidelines that we follow closely so our customers can always feel protected.
The best practices to follow for shipping your goods will also depend on the type of product that you are transporting. Agricultural products may require shipping solutions to account for humidity, while fragile items like mirrors or glass may require enhanced stability. When you work with a partner who customizes your packaging and load securement to your unique industry needs, you can achieve better protection because they’re able to use appropriate and customized honeycomb void fillers, die cut packaging, and more to keep your products safe and secure. It’s important to partner with a packaging and dunnage expert who can provide the necessary support to keep your product safe.
Load Securement Best Practices to Follow
Though the exact load securement best practices you should consider may differ based on the unique components of your product and shipping modality, there are a few guidelines that are beneficial to everyone.
Don’t Overload
Overpacking your boxcar, over-the-road trailer, or intermodal container is sure to result in unsafe shipping for both your team and your product. Though overloading your cargo may seem like a way to reduce shipping costs and ship more with each load, it can cost you far more if your items get damaged due to a lack of proper protection, or if one of your team members gets injured when unloading. There are also regulations to mitigate this challenge that must be strictly followed.
Instead, trust a dedicated packaging and load securement partner to find ways to maximize your shipment without causing unnecessary damages or unsafe loading/unloading experiences. At Sunrise, we help our customers with strategic load securement plans that help them enjoy maximum product protection with the economy of space in mind. We also help you find cost savings without compromising quality, helping to enhance the value of each load.
Properly Fill Voids
The spaces left unfilled by the packaging of your product can cause your cargo to shift around during transit. The shifting may seem insignificant, but it can result in damaged products and safety concerns. As your cargo moves around significantly without the right filler, packages may fall or break, leading to product loss. They can also shift in a way that makes it dangerous to open the door and begin unloading.
You can utilize various types of void filler to better support and protect your products, from collapsible and traditional corrugated void filler panel options to air bags and more. Void fillers reduce or remove the gaps in your shipment and provides vital stability, keeping your products in their proper places from start to finish. It can also help to cushion your products and better prevent damage, which keeps your cargo, team, and bottom line protected.
Rely on Additional Freight Protection Products
In addition to choosing your void filler, you can count on strapping, anti-friction mats, and other innovative freight protection solutions to deliver the best results. Straps add extra securement to your products, while air bags can fill voids while also securing cargo that may not be ideal for traditional void filler. Mats can help keep your products in place so they cannot slide around through transit. These can further restrict the movement of your cargo and allow you to pack it more strategically, supporting your bottom line.
At Sunrise, we’re a one-stop shop for void filler solutions. We offer a wide variety of additional freight products so you can tailor your plan to best serve your shipments. These products will help you follow load securement best practices with ease. Our team works closely with our customers to define your challenges and the best way to address them, and we provide on-site support so you can adopt them without delay.
Partner with Sunrise for Better Load Securement Solutions
At Sunrise, we tailor our load securement solutions to best fit the needs of your business. We offer many high-quality products you can use to experience the best results, from void filler to corrugated packaging to air bags and much more. Each product has been expertly designed to meet industry standards and you can work with us to customize your securement plan to your precise requirements.
We serve a wide range of industries with our custom load securement solutions, in addition to an array of modalities. We partner with industry leaders like the AAR to ensure we stay on top of new damage prevention regulations and provide our customers with the best options. Contact our team today to learn more about the load securement best practices you should follow and how to find your ideal supplies.