Packaging items
for shipment is already a very delicate process on its own—you wouldn’t want goods
to be ruined on the way to their destination, after all. While such a process requires
quite an amount of preparation as is, however, you can expect the difficulty to
increase tenfold if you’re packaging fragile items, such as glassware, ceramics,
antiques, or any other breakable cargo for that matter.
Common hazards
for fragile items during shipping include vibration and shock, to name a few. A
box may be inadvertently dropped or hit by another box while the transport vehicle
is being loaded, or shaken vigorously by a vibrating engine or by the truck traversing
rough pavement. Such dangers are present, sure, but enough packing savvy—coupled
by appropriate industrial packaging supplies,
from companies such as World Packaging Co., Inc.—can minimize or even eliminate
the risks entirely.
One of the foremost
concerns is cushioning. A lot of people make the mistake of using household items,
such as towels, pillows, or cloth, for cushioning fragile items, which should never
be the case. There are far better cushioning
materials that can be used, ranging from shredded industrial paper products to foam, “packaging peanuts” (tiny bits of
typically Styrofoam made to squeeze into the voids of big boxes), and the ever-reliable
bubble wrap.
Next, one has
to be completely aware of the proper way of storing fragile items, as specific ones
require different methods. For one, plates. These should be packed vertically inside
small to medium-sized boxes, ideally lined with crumpled packing paper from bottom
to top. Each plate must be thoroughly wrapped in bubble wrap and secured with tape.
As for the gaps between the individual plates, these should be filled with additional
cushioning material such as paper. Overstuffing a box is absolutely not recommended.
Lastly, there’s
the importance of proper sealing. In order to properly and completely seal a container,
one needs to use industrial-grade tape that’s specifically designed to withstand
the rigors of transport. Tape is highly recommended over “quick fixes,” such as
strings of paper over-wrapping, because these materials aren’t specially engineered
to fully secure the container—at times, they might even adversely affect all efforts
made to cushion the fragile shipments. When all is properly done, the journey can
now commence with little to no worry of damage to the items.