Somewhere in your business model is a chapter on how to ship your product. You've currently identified that your product is either too heavy, too big, or too delicate to depend on the dependable old cardboard box. The question is now, how to choose quality wood crates for Cakes?
Choosing on which crate to use to ship your item to your clients so that it gets here intact is an important decision not to be delegated the bean counters in the back space. There are numerous wood shipping crate providers out there vying for your service. Here are a few suggestions to help you through the process of how to choose quality wood crates from a maker to suit your shipping needs:
This may seem like a wood crate business near me that concentrates on developing wood boxes, but what do you understand about them? For how long have they been in the box organization?
Can he handle the volume of boxes you require 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 picking a dog crate maker, and don't sign a volume buying agreement before you see a sample of their work.
If you purchase boxes in volume, will you have sufficient space in your storage facility to store them all? Stacking them outside till required in some areas of the country is just not a choice. 'Assembly Required' may seem like additional labor on your part, but boxes that show up broken down and ready to assemble will take up less room in your warehouse. It will provide your shipping department something to do throughout down-time. If your item is relatively small, and you do have the storage capacity, then equipping a supply of ready-to-use boxes can be a viable alternative for you.
Take a look at the materials utilized in the wood crate you are considering. Is the wood totally free of knots and imperfections? Are the sides loose, or securely attached to the corners and braces? Did the contractor use thin metal staples to tack the components together? Steel screws, bolts and ring-shank nails mark a quality wood crate that will not chill out throughout the rigors of shipment. Kiln dried, and preferably chemically treated or painted wood, are chosen over inferior grades of neglected lumber sheathing and framing. Quality wood boxes that have steel strengthened corners and a durable lower assembly can be recycled over and over once again. Consider charging a deposit on your shipping boxes, it may conserve you from having to acquire new shipping stock in the future.
Try to find a supplier that gets their materials from regional, sustainable sources. box suppliers that do not need to import their materials may have lower overhead, and pass their cost savings to their clients. Advertising that your shipping boxes are made in the U.S.A. can be the deciding element in whether or not a buyer chooses your products. You could ask for a sample to be delivered to your office, or schedule a factory tour to see for yourself if the crate maker takes pride in their item, and produces a quality wood crate.
The International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 requires that all shipping crates that are used to transport products overseas be dealt with against bugs and illness. If you intend on international sales, ensure your boxes fulfill these requirements. The very same obtains MIL-STD product packaging and shipping boxes. If your item needs extra security, and the rate point/profit margin allows, you can't do better than MIL-STD basic wood crates to guarantee safe delivery of your item to your customers. If you just intend on shipping within your own country, save the money invested on boxes that satisfy these requirements.
Before going on a buying spree, or talking to potential wood crate suppliers, you should inform yourself on the terminology of wooden boxes. That method, when the salesperson from Kevin's Crates speak about an unsupported span, a batten cleat or the lower assembly, it will not sound Greek to you. If you don't understand simply what you are buying, the quality of the wood box does not matter if it does not match your needs. Contact EWC with any concerns you might have because we intend to be an excellent source of quality wood boxes.
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