Somewhere in your service model is a chapter on how to ship your item. You've already identified that your product is either too heavy, too big, or too delicate to rely on the reliable old cardboard box. The question is now, how to select quality wood crates for Bakers?
Picking which crate to use to deliver your product to your clients so that it gets here intact is an essential decision not to be delegated the bean counters in the back room. There are lots of wood shipping box providers out there vying for your company. Here are a couple of pointers to help you through the procedure of how to select quality wooden boxes from a maker to match your shipping requires:
This may sound like a crate company near me that specializes in creating wooden crates, but what do you understand about them? The length of time have they been in the crate business?
Can he deal with the volume of boxes you need on a weekly basis, or does he order from another provider and re-sell to you? Do your research and make a few calls prior to selecting a crate maker, and don't sign a volume purchasing arrangement prior to you see a sample of their work.
If you buy crates in volume, will you have enough area in your storage facility to keep them all? Stacking them outside until required in some areas of the country is simply not a choice. 'Assembly Required' might sound like additional labor on your part, but boxes that arrive broken down and prepared to assemble will use up less space in your storage facility. Likewise, it will provide your shipping department something to do during down-time. If your item is relatively small, and you do have the storage capability, then stocking a supply of ready-to-use crates can be a viable option for you.
Have a look at the products used in the wood crate you are thinking about. Is the wood without knots and imperfections? Are the sides loose, or strongly connected to the corners and braces? Did the contractor usage thin metal staples to tack the elements together? Steel screws, bolts and ring-shank nails mark a quality wood box that won't chill out during the rigors of delivery. Kiln dried, and preferably chemically dealt with or painted wood, are chosen over inferior grades of untreated lumber sheathing and framing. Quality wood crates that have actually steel reinforced corners and a durable lower assembly can be recycled over and over once again. Consider charging a deposit on your shipping boxes, it might save you from having to purchase brand-new shipping stock in the future.
Try to find a supplier that gets their materials from local, sustainable sources. Crate providers that do not have to import their materials might have lower overhead, and pass their savings down to their consumers. Marketing that your shipping boxes are made in the U.S.A. can be the deciding consider whether a buyer picks your items. You could request a sample to be delivered to your office, or schedule a factory trip to see for yourself if the box maker takes pride in their product, and produces a quality wood crate.
The International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 requires that all shipping boxes that are used to transfer goods overseas be dealt with against pests and illness. If you prepare on international sales, make certain your boxes fulfill these requirements. The same gets MIL-STD packaging and shipping boxes. If your product needs additional security, and the price point/profit margin allows, you can't do better than MIL-STD standard wood crates to make sure safe shipment of your item to your customers. If you just intend on shipping within your own nation, save the additional money invested in boxes that satisfy these standards.
Before going on a purchasing spree, or speaking with potential wood crate providers, you must inform yourself on the terms of wood crates. That method, when the salesperson from Kevin's Crates discuss an unsupported period, a batten cleat or the lower assembly, it will not sound Greek to you. If you don't comprehend simply what you are ordering, the quality of the wooden crate does not matter if it does not match your requirements. Contact EWC with any concerns you may have because we intend to be a good source of quality wood boxes.
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