Thousands of trucks travel across the country each day hauling freight, and from the outside, it’s usually impossible to tell if the trailer is hauling potatoes, paper towels, or Picasso paintings. For shippers with high-value freight, their choice of transportation partner carries far more risk: a damaged shipment could equal a multi-million-dollar loss.

After 30 years of experience, the team at Shaker Logistics understands that keeping high-value freight secure isn’t as simple as buckling a seatbelt. High-value freight safety involves an intricate combination of using the right equipment, designing secure packaging, and partnering with a reliable logistics partner. Here are tips for proper packaging and the different ways Shaker has supported their customers with high-value freight and unique packaging needs.

Proper Packaging to Mitigate Risk

No matter how safely a carrier operates, accidents happen. Nasty weather conditions, traffic, and avoiding obstacles can cause freight to shift in transit. Accidents can happen in the warehouse too, from fluke equipment failures to flood damage. Shaker works hard to minimize risks like these, vetting carriers and maintaining our equipment to ensure everything is smooth and safe. However, for those unforeseen incidents, freight packaging is the last line of defense against costly damages. Good crates and packaging should be designed to withstand these typical rigors of transportation:

Shock – During warehouse handling and in transit, freight can fall, striking the floor or another piece of freight. Shock damage typically manifests as dents on the corners, edges, and bottoms of packaging. Freight that is irregularly shaped and unable to be palletized can be difficult to handle, making it more susceptible to falling.

Shifting – Typical driving maneuvers like turning and breaking will naturally cause freight to shift, which can sometimes result in damage. Dunnage equipment like blankets, straps, and metal bracing can secure freight and prevent in-transit shifting. For shippers who regularly move high-value freight, it may be worth investing in their own dunnage. Shippers can also work with reliable logistics partners to source this equipment when needed.

Stacking – This is a common way for shippers to get more bang for their buck on truckload shipments. Regular, clean, palletized freight can be stacked inside a trailer, in some cases to the ceiling, so long as it’s under weight restrictions. If possible, shippers should design crates that are closed at the top and sturdy enough to bear a reasonable load.

Fatigue – When crates are dented, scraped, or tipped over, they sustain small damages that can lead to packaging fatigue. Handles, feet, and wheels on packaging are often the first to get damaged in transit. Small damages like these aren’t typically covered by the standard limit of liability, because the crate is seen as doing its job to protect the freight. Make small repairs as needed to avoid costly claims down the road, and consider replacing old packaging on a regular schedule.

High-Value Moves with Shaker Logistics

The safest way to ship valuable goods is with a combination of secure packaging and partnering with a trustworthy logistics partner who will give your freight the special care it requires. Over the years, Shaker has handled all kinds of valuable freight for our customers including fine art, state-of-the-art medical devices, precious semiconductor technology, and even a complete Disneyland attraction. Each item requires a custom solution, flawless communication, and attention to detail that our team is ready to provide.

Going the Extra Mile for Secure Delivery

For high-value freight, Shaker goes the extra mile during delivery to minimize any chance of damage. A customer manufacturing corporate furniture needed to ship a conference table to a New York City office. The table was irreplaceable, as artisans had put hundreds of hours into designing and manufacturing it. Though the table came wrapped in its own protective packaging, Shaker padded it with blankets to prevent potential friction burns during transit. The table’s size was an additional challenge – it was too long to maneuver with a cart, and too heavy to carry by hand, therefore susceptible to dropping. To minimize any damage that might come from extended handling through doors and up stairwells, Shaker arranged a crane to lift the table through an upper story window for a smooth delivery.

Protecting Both Freight and Custom Packaging

In some cases, packaging can be as valuable to a shipper as the freight it protects. In Shaker’s early days, we had a customer who designed creative installations for airports around the country. The customer designed their own crates with custom insulation to support the artwork inside. Because the customer had put so much time and effort into the packaging, recovering the crates was as important as delivering the art unscathed. After delivery to an airport, our drivers stood by on the tarmac while airport staff unpacked the art. Once the art was unloaded, Shaker packed up the crates and delivered them to a nearby storage facility, where they’d stay until the art was ready to be moved to the next airport.

Warehousing Solutions for Critical Equipment

Shippers don’t always have the space to store packaging when it isn’t in use. A high-tech medical device manufacturer uses Shaker’s warehouse space to store their custom crates, keeping them on stand-by for device repairs. When one of their devices gets flagged for repairs, Shaker’s fleet takes a crate to the hospital, picks up the device, and delivers it to the customer so they can make the repair. We also expedite their crates for emergency and last-minute repairs. By using Shaker for both storage and transportation, this customer streamlines their repair system, ensuring their critical health equipment is back in service as quickly as possible.

Experience Inventive Solutions for High-Value Freight

Our decades of experience give us the knowledge to advise shippers on secure packaging methods for any kind of freight. Though 3PLs don’t design packaging for shippers, a reliable logistics partner like Shaker can bolster freight security and provide inventive solutions to ensure shippers’ freight is safe, intact, and delivered on time.

Step outside the box and experience inventive solutions for high-value freight. Contact the team at Shaker Logistics today!