Packing Guide
Detailed tips on packing boxes & pallets
Reduce risk of delays and damage during transit by packing your goods properly.
This is one of the most important factors in ensuring cargo arrives safely and on time.
Packing Boxes?
Material
Use new high quality corrugated cardboard boxes.
- For fragile or heavy items use double- wall or tri wall constructions.
- If reusing old boxes (not recommended), ensure that they have not lost their rigidity.
- The manufacturer stamp includes information including construction type and strength of the box.
Size
Choose a box that is the right size for the content being shipped. Under filled boxes can collapse and over filled boxes can burst.
- To avoid contents moving during transit and becoming damaged, completely fill empty space within the box.
- Place void filler on the base of the box then around contents.
- Too much filling compared to contents also reduces the strength of the box.
Weight
This will affect strength and durability needs of the packing box. An appropriate box has to be able to securely hold the weight of the content being shipped for the entire journey.
- Greater than 20kg must have a ‘HEAVY’ sticker.
Domestic
- Greater than 30kg use a pallet.
International
- Greater than 70kg use a pallet.
Sealing
Use H-taping Method
- Apply 1 strip of tape along the centre seam.
- Apply 2 strips of tape across both edge seams.
- Apply more strips of tapes for heavier cargo
- Repeat the H-taping so that both box’s top and bottom seams are sealed.
Use Pressure Sensitive Tapes
- Polypropylene tape (brown plastic tape)
- Vinyl adhesive tape (electrical tape)
- Fibre-reinforced paper tape (duct tape)
Labeling
Include
- Company name
- Contact
- Address
- Contact number
Make Sure to
- Use orientation labels
- Use any appropriate special handling labels
- Number cargo items
- Indicate how many items there are in total on each box
Packing a Pallet?
Stacking
Stack boxes into columns on the pallet
- Use boxes or cartons of suitable strength.
- Securely seal cartons.
- A flat, level top surface makes it strong, compact and stackable.
Size
The pallet should be large enough so that the cargo does not overhang the edges.
Secure
Stretch wrapping is effective in keeping all pieces of cargo together
- Secure individual pieces over 70kg to the pallet with either metal strapping or unbreakable plastic straps.
- The stretch wrap should first be applied around the pallet and continued upward around the load.
- Overlap by 50% and make sure it’s tight to prevent shifting.
- Stretch wrap can be twisted like rope for greater strength.
- Use a dust cover sheet to protect it from the time of packing to delivery.
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