How to Improve Pallet Load Stability for Export Shipping and Save Costs

Why Pallet Load Stability Matters in Export Shipping

Pallet load stability is important when exporting because often a pallet of cartons will change hands many times before it reaches the ultimate buyer. As an example a pallet of cartons will leave a factory and be loaded on to a truck. It may be stored in a warehouse, then moved to a port where it will be loaded into a container. At the destination port the container will be moved to local warehouse where the cartons will be unloaded from the container and stacked. All the time the pallet of cartons will be subject to a variety of stresses such as constant shaking, sudden braking, tilting up and down, being lifted up and down, and being stacked on top of other pallets.

Loosely packaged cartons on an unstable pallet can prove to be more costly than strong packaging for the wholesaler, importer or factory buyer. The list includes damaged items, delivery rejected, reboxing, freight claims, and additional time to store items. Stable pallets packaged well help to eliminate these problems and keep items on the pallet neat during transit.

Common Causes of Poor Pallet Load Stability

Uneven Weight and Weak Stacking

Most pallet failures are caused by poor stack construction. Top-weighted cartons can cause the stack to tilt. Stacks with a variety of package sizes may leave holes between layers. Also, cartons extending over the end of the pallet will not receive adequate protection and will be more prone to collapse.

A safer pallet would have the heavier products at the bottom of the pallet and the lighter products on top. The products should be distributed throughout the surface of the pallet. For export packaging, a clean and even stacking pattern is better than a fast pattern of stacking. It may create problems later.

Weak Wrapping and Missing Edge Support

One of the most common reasons for pallet movement is weak pallet wrapping, particularly at the bottom of the load. As pallets are stacked on top of each other, if the bottom of the load is not well contained then the entire pallet may move. Too little wrapping film can result in poor load containment, and too much film provides no additional load containment but can result in higher costs.

Without edge support the strap can cause damage to the package. Pressing a strap directly against a carton corner can cause the strap to cut into the corner of the package. A simple paper corner protector helps to distribute the pressure of the strap and keeps the pallet edge straight.

How to Improve Pallet Load Stability for Export Shipping

Use Stretch Film for Better Pallet Wrapping

Wrapping with stretch film can also keep the individual boxes together and stop them from moving about while in transit. For Export shipments it is also helpful if the stretch film starts from the bottom of the pallet for additional support and is also carefully wrapped around the bottom of the cartons to hold them in place securely to the pallet.

Weide Chuangyi Packaging offers PE stretch film in various sizes or customized sizes to suit different packing lines. In terms of machinery, hardware, furniture, building materials or packaging materials, it can be wrapped by hand or by machine with stretch film.

Add PET Strap for Heavy or High-Risk Loads

Some pallets require more holding force than can be achieved with stretch film. This is especially true for very heavy cartons, very tall loads and also high value goods destined for export when extra secure load holding is required. In these cases PET strap is used to achieve additional secure hold.

Weide Chuangyi Packaging PET strap is made from PET material. The available width is 9–32mm, and the thickness is 0.6–1.2mm. Custom options are available. Green and black are standard color choices, and roll weight can also be customized. PET strap can be used with manual strapping machines, pneumatic strapping machines, electric strapping machines, and automatic strapping machines. It is suitable for appliances, building materials, hardware goods, and other heavy export pallets.

Use Paper Corner Protector to Prevent Carton Damage

Paper corner protectors for cartons are designed to protect the edges of boxes from being pressed by strap. They also help to keep corners from being crushed and keep the pallet neat during storage and transport.

Weide Chuangyi Packaging paper corner protector made from tube paper and kraft paper. For packaging, transportation and storing goods. Available sizes: width 30mm to 100mm, thickness 2mm to 8mm, length 1m to 2m. Also available in custom length. As export pallets corner protector works very well with PET strap and stretch film for strong protective packaging.

How Better Pallet Stability Helps Save Costs

By securing pallets in a stable fashion you will save money by avoiding damage before it can occur. A firm stable pallet will arrive in good condition meaning less damage to cartons and goods that have been wrapped with insufficient covering, and less breakage in general. This means fewer claims, less time spent sorting through items, and less time spent re-packing.

Managing packaging waste is also part of this work. Adding more stretch film is not always the answer. A combination of stretch film, PET strap and paper corner protector will guarantee better hold and less material usage. For purchasing departments the real cost of packaging is not the purchase price of a roll of stretch film or a strap, but the total cost to get the goods to the buyer in a saleable condition.

About Weide Chuangyi Packaging

Foshan Weide Chuangyi Packaging is a leading China packaging supplier, manufacturer, with its own 10,000 square meters production base, founded in 2004. The company integrates R&D, production and sales as a professional packaging materials supplier.

Weide Chuangyi Packaging specialized in manufacturing PP strap, PET strap, fully automatic PP strap, semi-automatic PP strap, stretch film, and paper corner protector. The materials can be used in many industries such as electronics, hardware, furniture, clothing, logistics, electrical appliances and more. For customers who need several load securement materials, Weide Chuangyi Packaging is a very good choice for export packaging or wholesale.

Conclusion

Improving pallet load stability for export shipping is a great way to reduce unnecessary waste and avoid unnecessary costs. By keeping products in stable form, you can reduce damage to goods in transit, reduce amount of repacking required, reduce number of freight claims, and reduce instances of delivery problems. A stable pallet load can be created by stacking correctly and then securing well with strong pallet wrap. For very heavy loads, the use of PET strap can be recommended. The paper corner protector can also be very useful for extra edge protection. From the point of view of the exporter as well as the wholesale buyer, the end result is that the goods will arrive in a safer, cleaner condition, ready for resale.

FAQ

Q1:How can I improve pallet load stability for export shipping?

To make sure a pallet load is stable you have to use a better stacking plan, make sure the weight is equally spread, the base of the pallet needs to be properly wrapped with stretch film, for heavy loads also a PET strap can be added and last but not least on the exposed edges of the pallet also the paper corner protector must be used.

Q2:When should I use PET strap for pallet packaging?

The use of PET straps is particularly recommended for heavy, tall, high value or long distance pallet shipments. More powerful than just simple wrapping, they keep a strong holding force on palletized goods during export shipping.

Q3:How does stretch film help pallet stability?

The function of stretch film on a carton is to hold other cartons, to stop them from moving sideways and to keep the whole of the pallet compact. To get the best from stretch film the film should be applied from the bottom up and sufficient tension applied to achieve the above but not so much as to crush the individual cartons.

Q4:Why is paper corner protector used with strapping?

Paper corner protectors are used in conjunction with strapping to distribute the pressure across the corners of cases and to protect the edges of cartons from being crushed, from being left with ugly strap marks, and from collapsing in on themselves.

Q5:How can better pallet packaging save export shipping costs?

Using better pallet packaging can help to reduce problems such as damage during transportation, repacking, returns due to packaging damage, claims against freight carriers and surplus packaging materials. With the right mix of films, straps and corner protectors such as stretch film, PET strap and paper corner protectors you can save money and help reduce your total export shipping costs.