It’s one of the facts of life in less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping: Any given freight item could be in for a rough ride depending on a variety of factors.
LTL carriers do a phenomenal job handling their freight and loading their trailers, but getting items safely to their destination depends in large part on how the item was packaged — before it ever made its way to the carrier.
This is why the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™ has made it a priority to establish an expert packaging team and create and maintain guidelines like those found in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)®. If shippers recognize the difference between good and bad packaging practices, they significantly increase the chances of their freight arriving at its destination in good condition.
Moreover, good packaging practices greatly reduce the risk of a carrier rejecting an item due to concerns about its safe transit or the potential harm it could cause to other items.
This is a critical area where shippers and carriers need to be on the same page, and that’s why NMFTA’s team is deeply invested in this topic.
Without oversimplifying the practice of packaging, we often look at the key principles in four categories:
If you get this right, it goes a long way toward the best possible packaging outcomes. So, let’s take a look at some good, bad, and ugly practices within each of the four.
Materials
The Good: Heavy-duty boxes and wooden crates generally do best withstanding the bumps and jostles of transport. Different types of corrugated fiberboard can be tailored to an individual situation. Shippers should also pay attention to various options for flutes and walls that indicate the strength of a box. The more line sheets and flutes you have, the stronger the boxes.
Obviously a more heavy-duty container will protect freight better, but shippers also need to assess the balance between excessively strong (and expensive) containers vs. the shipper’s acceptable level of damage risk.
The Bad: Flimsy packaging is a recipe for disaster. Things like weak fiberboard boxes, thin envelopes or anything easily torn or punctured will not do well in the LTL environment. This is especially important when you consider the distinction between primary and secondary packaging. For example, if you’re shipping cereal, the primary packaging is probably made of recycled fiberboard or chipboard. That’s much less durable than, say, corrugated fiberboard. So don’t assume packaging that will work in a family’s kitchen pantry will work just as well in the trailer of an LTL carrier.
The Ugly: Crates especially must comply with Item (Rule) 245. Here’s why: Let’s say you’re shipping a large drill bit tendered in a crate with a very wide opening, and the article is not properly secured inside — this is not compliant with Item (Rule) 245. We’ve seen situations in which a simple turn of the truck results in the drill bit driving right through the crate. Not only could this dent or scuff the drill bit, but it could also potentially damage surrounding freight in the trailer.
Cushioning
The Good: The whole point of cushioning is for the material to absorb any impact before it does damage to the freight item itself. Bubble wrap and foam do an excellent job of absorbing impact and preventing damage. Other effective cushioning materials include honeycomb boards and loose fill (basically packing peanuts). Bumps and shifts along the road are pretty much a given, and good cushioning materials will not only limit the shifting, but also limit the impact from whatever shifting takes place. You also want to make sure you have a reasonable occupancy for the internal packing forms, so you minimize shifting within the package itself.
The Bad: Shippers might sometimes be tempted to skimp on cushioning materials. They might get the item in a box, surround the item with something flimsy, and say, “It looks like it will be OK.” Sure it does, when it’s just sitting there not moving. But your item will get a workout on the road, and inadequate cushioning is not likely to hold up throughout a full journey.
The Ugly: We’ve seen some pretty bad combinations, like a 12-by-12-inch mirror wrapped in a single layer of kraft paper, packed in a 24-by-24-inch box. Not only will a single layer of paper be inadequate to protect against shocks and vibrations, but also when the box is that much bigger than the item, it just about guarantees a lot of shifting and banging. You wouldn’t want to look at yourself in that mirror.
Weight and Size Considerations
The Good: This might seem obvious, but it doesn’t always turn out that way in practice. Heavy items will need stronger boxes or crates. Larger items might require palletizing for easier handling. I mentioned this above, but it’s a good example of where fiberboard boxes can be useful, since the different levels of corrugation and flutes can help provide an appropriate level of protection for different kinds of items like chemicals, sewing machines or furniture. Another thing to consider with palletized freight is that, if it doesn’t fit in a crate or box, you still need some sort of exterior packaging to prevent punctures, dents, bending and other kinds of damage. These might come in the form of wood, heavy-duty kraft paper or fiberboard honeycomb – just to name a few examples.
The Bad: Mismatching the sizes of the freight and the packaging causes real problems. Items can be crushed due to the shifting and bouncing around. The same is true when you choose the size of a pallet. Most standard pallets for LTL shipping in the United States are 48-by-40 inches. But there are lots of freight items that exceed 48 inches, and you don’t want any overhang. Nor do you want problems with stacking strength, which is what you’ll get with the wrong size pallet. If you need to find a pallet that’s bigger than the standard to avoid problems like these, then do it.
The Ugly: I have seen expensive pieces of equipment wrapped in bubble wrap on a pallet. Bubble wrap! That is not going to be sufficient to protect freight like this. Large machinery needs a much sturdier barrier if you’re going to ship it on a pallet.
Labeling
The Good: Clear, proper labeling is very important to ensure correct handling and delivery. That includes not only the destination address, but also any special handling or stowing instructions and, of course, your own company’s information. Precautionary markings are also important, such as information about hazardous materials and the use of relevant placards.
The Bad: Vague, unclear labeling can get an item rejected by a carrier, who might not be able to figure out how to stow it or know where to take it. But even if you remember to include all the “good” items above, it won’t do the carrier – or your freight – much good if you don’t put the labels in a clearly visible spot. If the carrier can’t see the warning that an item is fragile, for example, it could end up being stowed in a much riskier manner.
The Ugly: Sometimes a box or package is packed in such a way that it’s not safe for the freight if someone opens and enters the package from a certain side. But if the labeling doesn’t tell the carrier that, there’s no reason to think the package won’t be breached in that very precarious spot. The result could be disaster.
NMFTA has relationships with many registered packaging labs, whom you can find here. These labs know how to simulate the LTL shipping environment and come up with the strategies most likely to get your items to their destinations safely, while minimizing how much money you will have to spend to make that happen.
If you want some additional guidance on best packaging practices, especially as it pertains to your own company’s needs, I highly recommend you reach out to one of them.
And of course, it’s a great idea to download our free packaging guide. It puts a great deal of valuable insight right at your fingertips. You should also bookmark our packaging page for easy reference.
Recently, I was joined by our director of operations, Keith Peterson, to talk all things LTL packaging on the SiriusXM Channel 146 – Road Dog Trucking. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with long-time on-air personality Dave Nemo. You can access the recording here.
It’s important to get packaging right. You can do this. We can help. Others can help too. Your freight may not thank you, but your carriers and your customers just might.
Larissa Franklin is the Packaging Development Manager at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™. In her role at NMFTA, she reviews and updates the packaging-related content of the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)®, writes proposals to amend classification provisions, and provides opinions for compliance with the NMFC’s minimum-packaging requirements to carriers, shippers, and other interested parties. Larissa acts as the staff liaison for NMFTA’s Carrier Procedures Committee and leads the association’s Packaging Webinar Series. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and a Master’s degree in Packaging Value Chain from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, CA.