Palletizing goods is a fundamental challenge in the logistics world. In the right hands, the art of efficient palletization ensures convenience and safety in the complex processes of loading, unloading, and transporting products across the world.
However, a misstep in this meticulous process can lead to logistical headaches and, even worse, damaged goods or lost cargo. Let’s highlight several common mistakes to avoid when packing and shipping pallets to minimize supply chain problems immediately.
Mislabeled Pallets
Labels aren't just an aesthetic addition; they serve as passports for goods through the carousel of global trade. Unfortunately, this quick but quintessential step is easy to miss in the shipping industry.
Make sure that before the pallets leave your facility, their labels are correct so that they can get to their destinations correctly. Not only do you need a label, but you also need accurate information on that label for a successful delivery.
Ensure that the destination, consignee information, warnings, and other critical labels are easy to read and contain the right information. If mislabeling becomes common in your facility, retrain employees on proper labeling for the pallets they work with every day. That way, you can ensure they consistently handle and deliver pallets carefully.
Pallet Overhang
Product overhang presents a significant risk in pallet shipping. Overhang is the byproduct of improper product stacking on the pallet.
This occurs when goods extend beyond the pallet’s edge, jeopardizing the shipment’s stability and safety. Such overhang makes the load more susceptible to damage through collisions and compression, threatening the transport’s overall integrity. Always choose the appropriate pallet size and adopt versatile packaging solutions. This may call for another thorough training session for employees.
Stress the importance of choosing the right pallet size and keeping products within the boundaries of that pallet. By recognizing and mitigating the risks of product overhang, companies can better protect their goods in transit, ensuring the dependability of their supply chain operations.
Low-Quality Wrapping
Stretch wrap is critical to the security of pallets in transit. Unfortunately, one of the most common mistakes you must avoid when packing and shipping pallets is low-quality wrapping. It results in poor containment force. This leads to loads shifting off the pallet, causing primary packaging and product damage.
From not using enough stretch wrap to not stretch wrapping your pallet load securely enough, the smallest error in this step can hinder the load’s security. This is one of the biggest reasons that wrapping pallets is best in the hands of automated processes.
For example, at TopTier, our high-level palletizer is an automated palletizing system that speeds up the palletizing process using consistent, reliable techniques. Our palletizers are available with concurrent stretch wrapping, which allows you to palletize and stretch wrap your products in one step. A built-in stretch wrapper saves time and valuable floor space. As a result, your employees can focus on the tasks that require more critical thinking and specialized skills. Remember each of the mistakes noted above and their solutions to ensure you can manage a more productive supply chain.