Transport choices have a major impact on costs, delivery times and packaging design. By taking the mode of transport and paid weight into account during product and packaging development, you can limit risks and increase efficiency. Faes shows how smart packaging and logistics lead directly to savings.
Summary of this article
When we start developing packaging, we at Faes first ask a lot of questions. This is important, because it involves customization. Obviously your wishes, requirements and the specifications of the product are important here. But we look further than that, because it's not just about packaging the product per se, but also its processing in the entire supply chain. So also the way of transportation deserves attention at the beginning of the process in order to arrive at the perfect customized case or crate.
In factors such as; the fragility of your product, the optimal layout of your case interior, compactness, weight and other practical features, you can probably relate. But what few people realize is that transportation is also an important aspect when designing the ideal custom case or case. Often, packaging and transportation are not discussed until the product development phase is complete. A logical thought, since that is, after all, the chronological order of the process. But by involving these links earlier in your process, you canoptimize your product development and supply chain as a whole . The advisors at Faes are happy to support you in this.
Transportation options can affect packaging design, and packaging in turn can even affect product development. Within Faes, we work closely together as departments, finding the best packaging solution for you in different areas. At the bottom of this article you can read an example of a challenge where cooperation led to advice that greatly benefited the customer.
Air freight, sea freight, transportation by truck, train or courier, there are hundreds of transportation service providers. The options are endless, so which is the right one for your business and product? It depends on what is decisive; delivery speed or costsavings? Do you send hundreds of shipments to the other side of the world every year? Then the transport method and corresponding packaging solution can make all the difference. By thinking about this at an early stage, you will have more control over your supply chain and thus your costs.
Of course, the destination of your shipment also affects your choice of mode of transport. For example, if you are sending a package or pallet to the other side of the world, you will need air or sea freight. There are many differences between these forms of shipping and various logistics providers in terms of efficiency, speed and cost. Especially with long distances (and high costs) it is advisable to consider whether your way of packaging can be smarter or more compact. We are happy to help you with this.
Depending on the destination and your delivery-time requirements, road transport is often the most favourable option for locations within Europe. The costs are significantly lower than those of air freight. In addition, deliveries within Europe generally take only a few days, and last-minute changes can often still be accommodated. For deliveries to more distant or overseas destinations, road transport alone is not possible, but it naturally also forms part of sea and air freight shipments. This may also involve transport by freight train.
Air freight is the fastest way to transport your goods to the other side of the world. The cost of air transport depends on: the country of origin and destination, the type of goods, the desired arrival date (ETA) and the “paying weight. In addition, you should keep in mind that each carrier has different size restrictions.
To calculate the rate for air transportation, carriers use either weight or volume weight. The weight is the number of pounds of the shipment, the volume weight is calculated by multiplying the number of cubic meters (length x width x height) by 166.67. For sea freight (LCL), by the way, this calculation is made based on a different ratio, namely 1 cubic meter = 1,000 kilograms. In road transport, 1m3 (cbm) = 333 kilograms is used. If the volume weight is higher than the actual number of kilos then the rate is based on this. If the volume weight is lower then the actual number of kilograms applies.
A good outcome if you value both cost and speed of delivery is to have your shipment transported in the hold of a passenger jet. This is simply more economical because airlines provide the remaining cargo space so that it is used to its fullest potential. In addition, the door-to-door delivery time of your shipment is shorter in most cases because passenger planes land at virtually all airports, while cargo planes shuttle between import and export hotspots. However, a pallet (including goods) transported in the hold of a passenger plane can only be a maximum of 160 cm high. So in many cases, it pays to take a hard look at your packaging dimensions.
Sea freight is a suitable shipping method when you want to send your products to distant destinations as inexpensively as possible . This applies to pallets, but there are also transportation companies that offer sea freight for packages. That’s a no-brainer, you might think. But when you choose sea freight, you do have to take into account a longer delivery time. Depending on the destination and customs procedures in the destination country, transportation can take several weeks.
Of course, my colleagues at Faes and I are happy to help. Leave your question in the form below. Of course you can also contact us directly .
Robert Verboven is Sales Manager at Faes and advises customers on smart packaging solutions within the industry. He translates complex packaging needs into practical solutions that contribute to a more efficient supply chain.
More articles by Robert VerbovenGood packaging doesn’t just happen by chance. Using a tried-and-tested approach, our specialists guide you step by step from the initial idea to the finished product.
