Industrial & Manufacturing Blog
A shipping container is usually required for overseas shipments that don't fit into a standard box or on a pallet; even if not legally required, they can offer more protection for your items than shrink-wrap or any other type of packaging. When you're ready for a one-time shipment, you might simply hire a shipping container rather than buy one. Note a few questions to ask before you do, so you ensure you get a container that will work for you.
Ask what was shipped in it previously
Some items may leave behind foul odors when shipped, even if bundled in plastic. This can include furs, certain foodstuffs, anything with motor oil, and chemicals. Ask about the previous shipment of a container and avoid these if you're shipping anything that might collect this odor during its transit.
Ask if it offers ventilation
This is very important for shipping during the summer or to anyplace tropical or humid. This humidity can get trapped inside a shipping container and cause early rust on metal parts, damage fabrics, or affect items like flowers. It might also raise the temperature inside the container so that a freezer needs to work harder or frozen items might start to thaw if not properly protected. Ask about a container with a vent on the roof or sides and if it has a fan or other such mechanism for venting the inside of the container and protecting your items.
Ask if it's certified
A used container will go through certain inspections to ensure that it's certified; this means it is able to be shipped internationally. If a container is used domestically but is going to transport goods and not be used for a temporary storage on your site or in a warehouse, it typically still needs to be certified. Ask about this for any container you might hire and ensure you have a copy of the certification paperwork, to ensure there will be no holdups at the border because of your container.
Along with certification, you'll want to ask about the grade of the container. This will tell you its overall condition as well as if it's usable for your product. Containers shipping foodstuffs and biological material usually need to have a food grade certification, and containers that are rusted and which have some holes or dents will have a lower grade than one that is virtually new. Check the grade so you know your container will be usable and in good condition, or see if a lower grade that is cheaper for you will be workable.
Share24 August 2016
Almost everybody engages with industry and manufacturing in some way or another. You may work in the manufacturing industry, you may source industrial goods for your business, you may buy housing materials, or you may simply use the products created by these industries. Regardless of how directly or tangentially you are connected to industrial and manufacturing concepts, I think there will be posts in this blog that appeal to you. Hi! My name is Jeb, and in this blog, I am going to cover virtually anything and everything about these two ideas. I hope you don't mind if I write whatever appeals to me on a day-to-day basis related to what I've been thinking of or what I've read in the news or trade journals.