Palletizing The Right Way (5 Tips)

In this article, Millennium Logistics Management explores the benefits of palletizing the right way and even offers 5 tips to help you improve your current process.

Although you may think that palletizing is a simple task that consists of stacking boxes in the right order, in actuality, doing this simple process without the proper skills and knowledge may cause significant freight damage. In fact, if the palletizing process is done incorrectly, it may result in major compression strength loss of boxes.

So, what can you do to make sure you’re palletizing the right way? Take a look at the following tips:

Use Labels:

Printing a visual reminder of proper pallet patterns and placing it either on the container or providing it to your employees is very helpful for proper palletizing. We also recommend labeling all shipment pallets with an address and a phone number.

For Extra Safety, Make Sure to Strap or Use Stretch Wrap:

Safety is imperative at all times therefore, make sure to keep banding, stretch wrap and straps close to the load in order to minimize damage and danger.

The best solution to avoid load sensitivity due to shifting when putting boxes into columns, is to use stretch wrap. Stretch wrap can either be applied manually or with the use of a wrap machine. Use metal strapping or plastic wrap to secure individual pieces over 150 pounds to the pallet.

Use of Slip Sheets:

A slip sheet is a plastic sheet that is used to protect cargo on the bottom of the pallet. Using slip sheets can help avoid compression strength deprivation. For example, when wooden pallets are used, there is no support of the boxes’ bottom because there are spaces of up to 4 inches in between decks.

Stack in Columns:

Again, safety is of the utmost importance and with that mind, in order to reduce the danger of damage, stacking boxes in columns with one box directly over the other can provide greater stability. Column stacks prove to be the best way to make pallets stable and safe for shipment. Also, make sure to stick items as close to each other as possible.

Place Boxes in Stable Position:

Creating a stable base layer is a simple physics law. Place the heaviest boxes on the bottom of the pallet (the top layer should be full for steadiness). If there are not enough boxes to fully stack a pallet, we recommend placing the last few boxes along the outside edge.

These tips are guaranteed to improve your current palletizing process. Please make sure to contact us if you have any questions about the information provided in this article or if you are interested in any of the professional services Millennium Logistics Management offers.