Look to your left and under 'Find a Company' click on the appropriate link. Sponsor companies and Verified companies have taken the time to confirm their information. Please let them know where you found their name! 
Submitted by Tina Stafford
Stafford Inspection & Consulting Services
OTTAWA, July 24, 2008 - The Government of Canada is working hard to limit the spread of invasive species and protect Canada’s valuable forests. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are considering enforcing a standard for wood packaging to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species between the two countries.
Canada and the U.S. are moving forward with consultations on the proposed removal of the exemption of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 15 on wood packaging material moving between Canada and the U.S.
Wood packaging imported to Canada is regulated under an international standard, ISPM No. 15, to prevent invasive species from being introduced into our country. This standard requires wood packaging to be heat-treated or fumigated and then marked to indicate that it has been treated. Wood packaging may also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that specifies the treatment used. Up until now, moving wood packaging between Canada and the continental United States has been exempted from this international standard
.
With a growing number of invasive species being introduced into the two countries, CFIA and APHIS have jointly agreed to terminate the exemption and begin enforcing ISPM No. 15 for wood packaging material between the U.S. and Canada. This move will help to protect forests against invasive species and means Canadian wood packaging will have a place in the international marketplace where the standard is already enforced.
To allow sufficient time to adjust, the CFIA and APHIS are developing a strategy that involves a gradual multi-year phase-in period. Complete implementation of the ISPM No. 15 is expected by 2011.
Before the import requirement is enforced, the CFIA will address concerns raised during consultations with affected stakeholders. Industry, exporters, importers, brokers, wood packaging manufacturers and interest groups are encouraged to provide comments on the proposed phase-in approach to CFIA within the next 90 days at the following address:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/cwpc/consulte.shtml.
For more information on the ISPM No. 15, please visit: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Information provided by the International Chamber of Commerce
Publications and more information available on ICC WebSite
Incoterms are standard trade definitions most commonly used in international sales contracts. Devised and published by the International Chamber of Commerce, they are at the heart of world trade.
Among the best known Incoterms are EXW (Ex works), FOB (Free on Board), CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid), and CPT (Carriage Paid To).
ICC introduced the first version of Incoterms - short for "International Commercial Terms" - in 1936. Since then, ICC expert lawyers and trade practitioners have updated them six times to keep pace with the development of international trade.
Most contracts made after 1 January 2000 will refer to the latest edition of Incoterms, which came into force on that date. The correct reference is to "Incoterms 2000". Unless the parties decide otherwise, earlier versions of Incoterms - like Incoterms 1990 - are still binding if incorporated in contracts that are unfulfilled and date from before 1 January 2000.
Versions of Incoterms preceding the 2000 edition may still be incorporated into future contracts if the parties so agree. However, this is course is not recommended because the latest version is designed to bring Incoterms into line with the latest developments in commercial practice.
The English text is the original and official version of Incoterms 2000, which have been endorsed by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Authorized translations into 31 languages are available from ICC national committees.
Correct use of Incoterms goes a long way to providing the legal certainty upon which mutual confidence between business partners must be based. To be sure of using them correctly, trade practitioners need to consult the full ICC texts, and to beware of the many unauthorized summaries and approximate versions that abound on the web.
ICC now publishes a brief introduction to Incoterms on a new special section of its website. The section does not provide all the answers but will help understanding of what Incoterms are for and how they are organized. We describe how to order Incoterms in the original English version and many of the world's main languages from ICC Publishing in Paris and New York, or ICC national committees around the world.
The site includes for the first time the Preambles to each term, in read-only format. The Preambles explain the areas the terms cover but do not spell out the obligations of buyer and seller - information that can be obtained only by consulting the full published texts of the 13 Incoterms.
As the guardian and originator of Incoterms, ICC has a responsibility to consult regularly all parties interested in international trade to keep Incoterms relevant, efficient and up-to-date. This is a long and costly process for ICC, which is a non-governmental, self-financed organization. The work is financed out of sales of Incoterms 2000 and related publications, which are protected by copyright.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Provided by Carey Smith
NEFAB: Global Partner for Complete Packaging Solutions
Industrial Packaging Information Print page What is packaging?
As defined by the Wikipedia “Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use.”
However the role of packaging has changed over time. Although its primary use will always be to protect its contents, more and more marketers and companies see packaging as a way to portray their products/image. Packaging today is expression at its finest, colours, shapes, etc… some would even argue it’s a form of art.
Quick Packaging Facts
The global packaging market is valued at $459 billion in 2004. The packaging market grew by an estimated 7.5% as compared with 2003 levels, and 23% ahead of 1999 levels.
In 2004, North American markets, including the US, Canada and Mexico, accounted for the largest share of global packaging at $135 billion (29%), ahead of western Europe (27%) and Asia (27%).
The largest single national packaging market during 2004 was the US ($115 billion in sales), Japan was second ($55 billion), followed by China ($35 billion), Germany ($23 billion), and France ($21 billion).
The four largest European packaging markets are Germany, France, Italy and the UK.
The world’s top 10 packaging markets (2003) from largest to smallest; USA, Japan, China, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Canada, Russia and Spain.
Fastest growing national packaging markets (2004); Turkey, India, Poland, Philippines, Brazil, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Lithuania and Egypt.
Industrial & Bulk Packaging global market for packaging was valued at $99 billion in 2004. At $29.3 billion, Asia is the single largest market with a 29% share.
In Western Europe, the country with the largest packaging consumption per capita is Switzerland… and by a wide margin!
In Eastern Europe, the region’s largest single market is Russia, where the value of packaging consumption amounted to about 11.4 billion in 2003, growing by an annual average of 34% since 1999.
The North American market for packaging products was valued at $131.9 billion in 2003. However, the country with the largest packaging consumption per capita is Canada.
Paper and board will remain the single largest element of the packaging market into 2009, driven on the one hand by rising demand in fast-growth national markets as well as steady growth in secondary/bulk packaging across the globe.
Metal packaging accounted for 17% of the market in 2004, and is set to grow steadily.
The “Quick Packaging Facts” information was given to Nefab to use from The Future of Global Packaging, a market study published by Pira International and the World Packaging Organization. Pira International ( www.intertechpira.com ) is a leading publisher, conference organiser and research organisation specialising in graphic arts, media and technology-led industries. The World Packaging Organisation is a not for profit, non-governmental, international federation of national packaging associations, institutes, regional packaging federations and other interested parties including corporations and trade associations.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
provided by Robert (Butch) Bernhardt, Jr.
Western Wood Product Association
PORTLAND, Ore. – In the midst of one of the worst declines in housing construction in modern times, Western mills will face difficult lumber markets in 2008 before seeing signs of recovery in 2009, according to a new forecast issued by Western Wood Products Association.
The lumber trade association said housing starts should to reach just 968,000 in 2008, less than half the total from three years ago and the worst year for new construction since World War II. Single-family starts will be off 60 percent from 2005 totals.
With more than 40 percent of lumber used annually in new home construction, lumber demand is expected to decline to 45.3 billion board feet this year. Demand for lumber has fallen by some 19 billion board feet compared to 2005 totals – a volume equivalent to what was produced by sawmills in the West that entire year.
Association Economist Kevin Binam said record home vacancies combined with the current credit problems will keep new home construction on the sidelines for most of this year.
“The next three or four quarters are going to be shaky for the U.S. economy. Housing is just going to limp along until foreclosures subside and the mess in financial markets is cleaned up,” he said.
Lumber production at Western mills is forecast to slip by 11.5 percent to 14.1 billion board feet this year. That volume would be the lowest since 1982, when just 13.7 billion board feet was produced in the West.
Mills in the South will produce 15.4 billion board feet, down 10.5 percent from estimated 2007 totals.
Imports, which were off nearly 20 percent last year, should decline another 17 percent to 15.3 billion board feet. Canadian lumber shipments – which represent more than 95 percent of U.S. imports – are expected to decline by 6 billion board feet from their peak in 2005.
Markets should begin to recover in 2009, with housing starts forecast at 1.17 million and lumber demand rising to 47.7 billion board feet. Production at Western mills should rise next year to 15 billion board feet, up 6 percent.
“The slow recovery for housing and lumber markets should continue for the balance of this decade,” said Binam. “After this year, the worst should be behind us.”
Western Wood Products Association represents lumber manufacturers in the 12 Western states and Alaska. Based in Portland, WWPA compiles lumber industry statistics and provides business information services to mills. The Association also delivers quality standards, technical and product support services to the industry.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Provided By Eric E. Muller
Specialized Shipping LLC , Dangerous Goods Specialists
The subject of the transportation of hazardous materials is one that would require a small library of books to fully discuss the subject. A properly prepared dangerous goods shipment requires knowledge in, but not limited to applicable hazardous materials regulations, chemistry, physics, fluids mechanics and thermodynamics. The purpose of this article is to give a brief overview for someone who does not have an in depth knowledge of the transportation of hazardous materials. The first step to get acquainted with dangerous goods is to know the five W's of hazardous materials transportation.
Who is responsible for a hazardous material shipment?
The main focus of liability of a dangerous goods shipment falls upon the person named as the shipper. A shipper is a person who offers a hazardous material for transportation in commerce. Liability for a dangerous goods shipment and hazardous materials regulations extend much further than the shipper and encompass persons who cause a hazardous material to be transported, such as a freight forwarder. Persons that perform pre-transportation functions, such as preparing packaging, labeling and classification are also subject to regulatory requirements. Responsibility and liability extend even further to include, but not limited to warehouse activities such as container loading and the operators of vehicles that physically transport the hazardous material consignments.
What is a hazardous material?
According to the definition of hazardous material set forth by Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in title 49 “means a substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined as capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported on commerce”. Some generally expected examples of hazardous materials are corrosive materials, explosives, flammable liquids, oxidizers and radioactive to name a few. Examples of unexpected hazardous materials include aerosol cans, lithium batteries, automotive airbags, perfumery products, internal combustion engines and even magnetized materials. Within the hazardous material regulations there are over three-thousand proper shipping names assigned to structure and classify dangerous goods shipments.
Where are the regulations applicable?
Hazardous material requirements are applicable worldwide. Each country, commonly referred to as a state has their own regulations and shipments moving through a given country must be adhered to even if that location is a transfer point. The requirements for a shipment can also vary according to mode of transportation, whether it is ground, air or ocean. Co-coordinating an export shipment can become quite complicated particularly if the shipment moves through multiple countries by various modes of transportation.
When did the regulations regarding the transportation of hazardous materials come into effect?
Nearly 100 years of history evolved to form the current hazardous materials regulations for transportation. The most notable changes occurred during the 1970's when a series of dangerous goods shipments caught the public's attention. Beyond then an incident involving ValuJet aircraft spurred a dramatic reform and changed how the United States and world viewed the transportation of dangerous goods.
Why is the transportation of dangerous goods so highly regulated?
The reason why the transportation of hazardous materials is so highly regulated is best described by the actual definition of a hazardous material, “a substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined as capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported on commerce”. The effects of a hazardous material incident can cause serious injury, death and damage to property. The most well known case of a dangerous goods shipment being improperly shipped had a devastating effect is the crash of ValuJet Flight 592. On May 11, 1996 five boxes of oxygen generators incorrectly classified and documented as empty, were loaded onto the airplane. These units ultimately activated causing a fire with a horrendous effect.
In conclusion, the transportation of hazardous materials entails a high degree of liability, responsibility and knowledge. With proper training and research dangerous goods shipments can be safely be put into transportation. The key aspect that cannot be stressed enough is proper training and thorough regulatory research.
Eric E. Muller
Specialized Shipping LLC , Dangerous Goods Specialists
Managing Member
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
There are numerous considerations that need to be taken into account when designing custom built crates for your product. One of the most important considerations when designing wood crating is to determine the mode of transportation. There may be various restrictions on the size of a package depending on how the product will be transported. In most cases a product will be moved via truck, and then either rail, ocean, air or a combination. Additional considerations may include reusable crating, handling restrictions at destination and within your own facility, temperature, humidity as well as shock and vibration concerns.
Once the fragility of a product is determined, the gross weight of a product and proper cushioning and preservation methods have been evaluated, one needs to consider the overall size of the finished crate. The outside height measurement is most likely the greatest factor in affecting how much (or how much additional cost) you’ll pay in transportation costs to move your crated product. In virtually every instance, no matter how large the product is, there are means and ways to transport extremely large crated products. You simply may be restricted as outbound flights or sailing dates are less frequent and more costly.
Some common height restrictions for air bound shipments are based on the aircraft door openings. All crated product that is 64” or less in height can be moved via passenger or cargo planes, and provide the most flexibility when shipping domestic or internationally. Other height restrictions are 88” tall side door openings on DC-10 planes, as well as 96” tall door openings in the nose cone section on 747 freighter planes. Main deck side door openings are 118” tall as well on 747 freighters. Airbus planes are becoming more popular and freighter service will usually schedule 1-2 flights per week to most countries.
There also are some crate length and width considerations to keep in mind. When shipping via air, it is highly recommended to keep crate lengths less than 120” whenever possible. This is due to the fact that most bulky or larger crated products are secured to a flat rack or air pallet. This is a low profile heavy-duty aluminum or steel platform equipped with fittings that allow the pallet to be firmly attached to the aircraft deck. Air freight pallets are typically 10’ or 20’ in length. Freight is then normally secured to the air pallet with cargo netting and the use of tensioned straps. Airlines have been known to charge for two air pallet “positions” in some instances when a crate exceeds the 10’ length (even if only exceeding by two or there inches). This could be very costly!
Some common limitations for ocean bound freight exist as well. Most commonly used are 20’ and 40’ standard sea containers. Door openings are 94” wide and 90” tall. The entire inside width is 94” as well. It is best practice to keep your crate dimensions a minimum of one inch under these dimensions to allow for dock plates and ease of loading and unloading. The available inside length of these containers is 19.5’ and 39.5’. There are also 40’ “High Cube” sea containers as well. They have the same 94” width but offer an additional 12” of height. It is best to keep your crate height at 101” or less. Other options include open top containers (allow for taller product yet) and there are also new sizes of sea containers being introduced such as 45’ and 53’ long containers. It’s best to check once again with your freight forwarding agent and work with your crating specialist to determine your best options if you’re close to exceeding the standard allowed dimensions. For extremely large product that ships via ocean, it is often classified as “break bulk” and is stowed on the sea vessel alone and not inside of a sea container. It is usually lifted with overhead cranes and extremely large fork lifts. Lifting locations and appropriate markings are highly recommended.
When product needs to move from your facility it can be moved via truck with swing doors (usual height openings of 110” and width of 99”) or trucks with roll up doors (usually 104” tall opening). The other consideration when moving product via “low boy” (step deck) or flat bed trailers is that a permit is commonly required when the width exceeds 102”.
Some additional items to consider are markings, perishable cargo, liquid cargo, water damage protection, ISPM15 compliance and dangerous goods. Provide adequate ventilation for perishable cargo when required. We highly recommend use of moisture barriers such as MIL-J-131 water vapor barrier packaging with desiccant or VCI materials to protect products against moisture and corrosion. Investigate and be certain that no classified dangerous goods or hazardous products are improperly labeled (or not labeled at all) and that they are packaged in UN approved containers. Use of appropriate international markings such as orientation of the crating is highly recommended, as is the use of official ISPM15 markings by a certified crating supplier. There are currently over 134 countries that have adopted the ISPM15 standard for heat-treated lumber used in solid wood packaging. Furthermore, don’t forget your packing slips and export documentation as well with gross and net weights.
For very large or extremely heavy cargo you should check with your carrier or freight forwarding agent as well as a certified and experienced crating professional to confirm capabilities and booking information. Communicating and planning the shipment well in advance can save a significant amount of time and expense in the long run.
Dan Schultze
Packnet Ltd Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
This answer was pulled directly from the Discussion Forums in response to a question from a new company. Want to comment?
''Welcome to the Forum, and better yet, welcome to the wood packaging industry!!
There are several tips, industry knowledge, strategies/tactics that work well in the industry... but... before diving into the business I have a suggestion.
Of course I don't know the business you acquired, how it was run, your customers etc... and I'm not sure how well you know it either, so with that in mind... to start with, I would recommend you look at it from a costing/pricing angle.
Look at what you are buying supplies for, paying your people, all costs associated to the price of your product.
There are to many businesses out there that have no idea what profit they are receiving from what customers, who are the profitable ones, and who are the loss leaders etc...
Generally, it helps if you divide it between material costs, direct labour, and overhead costs. Keep it simple! The goal is to get a fair costing of each product or service, and also to make sure that all your business costs are covered. Pricing on the other hand is regulated by the market. By knowing what the market is ready to pay for different products, and also the actual costs you will know where you make the profit, or potential losses. Of course this is very general, but extremely important and something most businesses overlook. Always consider the market... sometimes you must take minor losses to win business.
Hope this helps... very general, but nonetheless IMO great value."
Thank You Cary Smith, NEFAB GROUP
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
On the 16th September 2005 US customs begin enforcing import restrictions on WPM including pallets, crates, boxes, and dunnage used to support or brace cargo.
All WPM must be:
► TREATED against infestation using an approved method of a) heat treatment or b) fumigation
► MARKED with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) logo to certify the treatment
IMPLEMENTATION
► Phase I beginning 16th September 2005 will be an informed compliance period – inspection as if enforcement but statement of non-compliance only without action.
► Phase II, beginning 1st February 2006 informed compliance continues but full enforcement measures on pallets and crates.
► Phase III beginning 5th July 5 2006 enforcement of the WPM ban.
For more information please access U.S. Customs or click on the REGULATIONS link at the top of the page for Member submitted information. Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
An excerpt from an article at WoodWeb.com
Upcharges to compensate for lumber shrinkage are improper, say the experts (and the rules). August 29, 2005
Question
Do any of your suppliers charge a shrinkage fee for your lumber? My suppliers add 15% to their lumber prices for shrinkage. It seems to me that if they are selling kiln dried lumber they should be giving me a discount. In this part of the country, Tennessee, it usually has a higher moisture content when it is delivered than when it leaves the kiln, so theoretically it should be a larger dimension rather than smaller. I would rather they just increase their prices for the lumber rather than increase it in this manner. Am I all wrong in my thinking on this?
Response
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
First, the practice of adding for shrinkage is illegal in all 50 states. Contact your Weights and Measure Commission (or similar outfit that measures the accuracy of fuel pumps, etc.).
Basically, you must sell the footage you have. (It would be like buying gasoline and having to pay for spillage and evaporation, so one gallon would be actually less.) "Adding back" went to district court and was declared illegal, as well as being against the written law. Further, the NHLA is against such practice. Further, the wood shrinks about 6%, but some people will add 8%. The legitimate people will give you both numbers; this is so you can compare the legitimate folks with the others.
From the NHLA book "On July 21, 1977...” sales of hardwood lumber measured after kiln drying shall be quoted, invoiced, and delivered on the basis of net board footage, with no addition of footage for kiln drying shrinkage'." I would be very surprised is a large company like GP is adding anything, let alone 15%. Their legal department would be on top of such a practice and prevent it.
One additional thought, the term kiln dried has no specific meaning when used for hardwoods. Always specify the moisture content that you want. Note that the lack of moisture content specification in the rules means that moisture content is not a reason to return or reject lumber based on the NHLA Sales Code.
--- Article provided courtesy of WOODWEB - The Information Resource for the Woodworking Industry - www.woodweb.com
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index
Did you know that Heat Treating doesn’t necessarily meet the requirements for eradication?
While most heat treated lumber is heated for the time and temperature required for eradication, the requirements for an HT stamp allow the wood to be heated to a temperature that is less than that required for complete beetle eradication.
Go to the forums and discuss this in the Eradication Forum!! Go to the Article Index 
Excerpts of Article reprinted from Western Wood Products Association
Proper storage is primarily a means of protecting the lumber's appearance and of controlling moisture changes in the wood. Good storage practices enhance sales by keeping lumber clean and bright. Proper storage also retains lumber's dimensional stability, which helps prevent twist, cup, warp and other characteristics that can result in degrade or material loss.
Green or unseasoned wood can be stored outside without protection in cool weather provided the storage period is not extensive. For longer periods the lumber should be stickered, which allows air circulation and helps prevent mold and stain from developing.
During warmer months, the risk of fungal stain increases and inventory should be moved quickly using the first in, first out rule.
Unlike green lumber, kiln or air dried lumber should be kept away from moisture, otherwise the product may lose the value that was added by careful seasoning. Rain wetting of any dried lumber can impair its dimensional stability.
If stored outdoors, dried lumber should be off the ground and protected by paper, wrapping, tarpaulins or canvas. Paper wrapping only offers short-term protection and torn wrappers should be repaired immediately.
This is an excerpt of WWPA 'Lumber Storage' article. To read the entire article, please click here.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index
Wood: The Environmentally Friendly Choice
For instance, did you know?
Wood is natural, organic, renewable, nontoxic, recyclable and bio-degradable.
Wood conserves energy! Turning a tree into sawn wood or veneer requires less energy and produces less pollution compared to the large amounts of electricity and heat needed to produce other materials. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and other gases are also greater during the production of substitute building materials. For example, CO2 emissions are 3 times greater when producing steel.
Wood also helps to conserve energy by serving as a good thermal insulator in construction, especially in window and door applications.
Wood is natural, it is a raw material found in great quantities all around the world. Over 1/3 of the Earth's land surface is covered by forests!
Wood is organic. Healthy and growing trees absorb carbon dioxide and release pure oxygen.
Wood is renewable, more and more trees are planted all the time. Trees need only light, water, some nutrients, air and time in order to grow. In the U.S. alone, about 4 million seedlings are planted every day! In Indonesia, for example, over 1 million acres are reforested annually. Fossil fuels, like coal and oil, take millions of years to replace. Metals, cement, plastics and brick are not renewable.
Wood is non-toxic. In its natural form, it does not release any toxic gases or fumes into the atmosphere.
Wood is recyclable, it can be re-used and re-worked and put into different shapes and sizes over and over. A single piece of wood can be utilized many times before it loses its properties and usefulness. And, wood is still the major source of fuel in many parts of the world.
Wood is bio-degradable, it will de-compose on its own and return to the earth's cycle.
Research done all over the world demonstrates that specifying wood will save energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
AND, let's not forget that wood is just plain beautiful!
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Article Submitted by Dan Schultze with Packnet Ltd.
Distribution packaging provides the first and most important line of defense against the hazards of the distribution environment. A well-designed distribution package can make an immediate and significant contribution to a company’s bottom line by reducing or eliminating product damage and decreasing transportation costs. A properly designed package will also enhance company image.
The packaging design mission is to achieve optimum cost by balancing the sensitivity of the product with the protection provided by the packaging to match the hazards existing in the distribution environment.
The science of distribution packaging is more sophisticated and complex than most people expect. There are dozens of methods, techniques and systems for improving distribution packaging and reducing total cost.
Let’s take a look at the distribution environment and examine the hazards cargo will encounter.
Consider the Airplane
Shipping product via airfreight presents a variety of challenges. There is no faster way to get your shipment from point “a” to point “b”, but the additional cost and the potential for damage creates a problem.
Start with the handling. A shipment that travels via airfreight will be handled many times by numerous people with a variety of material handling equipment and a diversity of care levels. Each stage of the journey creates its own tribulations.
Shock and vibration are concerns within an aircraft’s cargo hold. Turbulence can cause packaged product to experience severe shocks when sudden drops occur. High frequency vibrations are transmitted from the aircraft engine to products and can cause internal component damage in electrical components.
Next consider the cost. Airfreight is your most expensive mode of transport and is based on either the weight or cubic volume of your product and package. Minimizing both of these characteristics can save thousands of dollars per year.
Finally, consider your destination. There may be size restrictions because of the aircraft size that goes there, pilferage of your product, storage of your package outside at the terminal or customs and corrosion issues due to humidity from temperature changes.
Consider the Cargo Ship
Imagine rolling, pitching, heaving, surging, yawing and swaying all at the same time. That’s the six different directions a ship at sea may move simultaneously.
Packaging for ocean shipment requires the use of specialized techniques that go beyond other forms of transport packaging. Much of the annual cargo loss can be prevented or minimized. Recognizing the proper preparation, packing, marking and blocking and bracing can have a great influence on successful delivery of goods.
Where your cargo is stowed on the ship will dictate most of the type of shock or vibration your product will experience during ocean transport. For most cargo ships, the bow area receives the highest shock from the ship leaving the water and returning with a slam. A container located on the middle deck of a ship may travel in a 70-foot arc with each complete roll; as often as 7 to 10 times each minute. A container located in the stern of the ship may experience continuous vibration from the engine and propeller excitations.
Corrosion causes billions of dollars a year in product loss. There are specific preservation techniques that protect cargo from the harsh and random environments products will encounter when exporting by ocean freight.
Consider the Train
Shipping product via rail dates back to the 1800’s and is our oldest form of land-mechanized transportation.
The unique characteristics of rail transport can accentuate the shock and vibration your cargo will encounter from the combination of vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces.
Railcar coupling shocks are considered separate from other transport shocks because they can impose severe loads on cargo. These coupling shocks are a result of impacts between cars during train makeup in switching yards. A minimal impact speed of approximately 2 mph is generally required for actuation of the automatic couplers, while 4 mph is considered undesirable because of potential damage to cargo. In a study of 4,647 observations of coupling impacts over 50% of impacts were measured above 5 mph.
The type of boxcar your cargo will be transported in will also create distinctive hazards during transport. Studies show lateral low frequency, 2-4 Hz, rolling motion in boxcars. This motion is more severe or pronounced in boxcars equipped with standard draft gears. This type of boxcar is predominantly equipped with roller side bearings and allows a greater freedom of movement.
Other concerns during rail transport include crossing of an intersecting track, weight of cars, load configuration, number of active cars, car center of gravity and track orientation.
Consider the 18-Wheeler
Shipping by truck is the backbone of the distribution environment. Whether product travels exclusively by truck or it’s only one of the modes of transport during it’s journey, a package will experience many variables, most of them beyond your control.
Truck shipment exposes product to significant material handling risks. Manual or mechanical handling occurs at the loading, unloading and transfer points. Designing the proper outer container, internal cushioning, warnings, impact indicators and unitization can minimize the effects of the handling cycle.
There is generally very little control over the operation of commercial vehicles and the resulting vibrations, shock and impact transmitted to cargo. Some of the factors that can endanger product include; trailer suspension, tire condition, driver experience, gross load of trailer, location of cargo within the trailer, road conditions and traffic hazards.
Other perils may include the orientation of the package, climactic variations and the static compressive load experience. For example, static compressive load can result in extremely high dynamic loads on the bottom containers, even for the low stacking heights in vehicles. A level of one G acceleration will add the equivalent of a static load twice that existing on the bottom container.
Considering all these factors effects whether a product will successfully be delivered damage- free when traveling through the distribution environment. Balancing the protection level and the cost is where the true savings can be found.
Michael Nyberg
Packnet Ltd.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Nothing like starting right out with a controversial issue. (Oh ya’, and welcome to the new WoodenCRATES.org!) So what’s the difference? Is there one? Did you even know this was a controversial question?
Although most of us have heard both terms, there are many people in and around the wood shipping container industry that don’t know there is a difference between a wood box and a wood crate. When I started in the industry (I was a paper-pusher, not a crate builder) I was taught the difference, but then as I met more ‘crate’ makers around the United States, I learned that different people had different perceptions of the term. So who is the expert when it comes to definitions? How about Merriam-Webster? You know, the Webster Dictionary? Since no one person was put on this planet as the definitive Master of Definitions, the Webster Dictionary is usually accepted to have the last word. After all, who doesn't keep a dictionary near their Scrabble board? (I mean besides people who don't play Scrabble?)
Merriam-Webster defines a crate as “an open box of wooden slats or a usually wooden protective case or framework for shipping”. Another dictionary defines it as “A rugged box (usually made of wood); used for shipping.” Dictionary.com says “A container, such as a slatted wooden case, used for storing or shipping.” Hollywood defines it as something that looks like a plywood box but has diagonals and breaks easily when somebody crashes into it.
Ask somebody walking down the street what a crate is. Chances are the answer you get will be something like “a wood box”!
If I walked up to you and said “Yo’ bro’ whazup?” you’re response would probably be ‘Who the hell are you and why don’t you speak English?’ But you will know what I said and what I meant because it’s a society that determines what a word or phrase means. (You will find ‘Whazup’ in a online dictionary, but I won’t say which one.)
So if the ‘man-on-the-street’ says a crate is a wood box, and dictionaries basically say the same thing, then they must be the same… right?
But wait! Don’t most industries have their own terminology? So as the wood container industry, can’t we create our own more specific definition? Isn’t there someone we can look to? THERE IS! The mighty and powerful US government! They’ll step in for us and give us an even better definition! Right? Well, pretty much.
For years I scoured the government box and crate standards in writing my box and crate software. I read every inch of them and the more I read them, the more confused I got. The government standards clearly stated on the cover, whether the standard was for a box or a crate but if you’ve ever read the standards yourself, you know that they often contradict each other. What is explicitly right in one of them is explicitly wrong in another.
Now you may be an insider in the industry and are thinking “Why are you talking about government standards when they have all be retired and replaced by ASTM standards?” Have they been? Is there a replacement for MIL-C-104? Not yet. Have you ever seen an RFQ that says “Conforms to PPP-B-601 or D6251”? It happens a lot. They may be retired but that’s far from the point.
Many people think the ‘recent’ government wood box and crate standards are the source of the styles found in them. In fact, they are not. Most, and probably all, of the styles found in PPP-B-601, PPP-B-621, MIL-B-26195, MIL-C-104 and MIL-C-52950 were developed before 1930 and by all indications, were all developed by the US Department of Agriculture. For the purpose of transport packaging the difference between a wood box and a crate was defined at that time. The standards mentioned above were the result of people testing the performance of existing styles and developing tables to guide us as to when to use which style.
That’s probably when things got fuzzy. These recent standards, I’ll call them Mil-Specs for short, (even though that’s not completely accurate) define exactly how to construct specific containers in specific situations. The problem is that crating is custom and you can’t clearly specify how a container should be constructed in every possible situation. By being so specific, they have created holes of inconsistency all around the industry.
If the Mil-Specs don’t cover everything then you’re on your own at least some of the time, and if you’re going out alone, you’re going to learn to take care of yourself. And as you learn to take care of yourself, you don’t need the Mil-Specs so much anymore do you? So now you can make your own rules.
And most of you do make your own rules. Speaking just of the United States, A great number of the companies that make boxes and crates don’t make them to conform to the Mil-Specs or the ASTM specs and an incredibly high percentage have never even seen them. Now if the difference between a box and a crate is defined in the Mil-Specs and/or ASTM specs and many, maybe most, manufactures have never read these specs then who or what in our industry defines the terms ‘box’ and ‘crate’?
I don’t really know.
But the funny thing is that most crate makers think they do know… I think.
What do you think? Visit the WoodenCRATES.org discussion forum to voice your opinion. Visit the ‘Let’s Vote on it!’ forum to tell us what you think.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
Do you have a company that fits in one of the categories listed under 'Find A Company'? A basic listing is FREE! Click on "List My Company' at the top of the page and provide your information including which category you want to be listed in.
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index 
There's nothing more valuable than the Forums. Do you have questions? Do you have answers?
Sign up with one or more identities and you're free to participate!
We will be reviewing the posts and placing some of the good ones on the Home page! If you give us the OK - we'll even provide a link to your web site if your question/answer gets picked!
Return to Top of Page or the Article Index
|
|
WCO Quick Notes
We have visited the site www.woodencrates.org numerous times and have
found it to be a valuable resource. We have listed our Handle with Care Packaging Stores on this site already and it has already starting producing results.
Sean P. Hilly
Annex Brands Inc
Senior Vice President
"After using your site we were able to contact a crating supplier in the Miami, Florida area who we could have a reciprocal agreement with. That relationship has proven beneficial to everyone concerned.
Thank you!"
Stuard Gleiber
Abbot & Abbot Box Corporation
"WoodenCRATES.org has proven to be a valuable resource for our company. Two days after registering, we recieved a call from a company that found our information on the website. I am very pleased to say that they are a regular customer for our Chicago facility now. One new customer alone has more than paid for advertising on the website. Woodencrates.org allows proven companies to introduce themselves to larger markets, and better educate themselves with whats going on in the industry. This site is a great tool for the industry and has wonderful information for the end user. I very much recomend registering your company with WoodenCRATES.org."
Dan McDonald
Crate Tech Inc.
|
