Packaging Advice
External Packaging
Ensure that items are properly enclosed using protective bags, padded bags or bubble bags. Such bags have are made for shock absorption, and to a good degree of waterproof and anti-static capabilities. They will be suitable for packaging sensitive items like diskettes, tapes and electronic parts.
To ensure the ease of sorting for small parcels or documents, carriers provides flyers upon request for customers to pack their shipments in. These flyers also have security sticky seals to prevent tempering during the delivery process.
Tips on using the flyers:
- Cardboard should be placed together with any documents content, to protect the documents from being bent or folded easily.
- Shipments with sharp edges should be covered or wrapped properly so that they will not cause the flyers to tear easily.
- Place compact discs or similar items in proper casing before inserting into the flyers, for additional protection.
- Fitting shipments of excessive weight or size into one flyer is discouraged, as it will cause flyers to tear easily. Usage of packaging boxes is encouraged for such shipments.
Corrugated boxes are made to provide adequate protection to the shipments from any rough handling during the forwarding process. Make sure soft materials are used for proper internal cushioning to prevent movements of the contents in the box. Proper taping and sealing must be done.
Internal Packaging
Adequate spacing should be kept between the packaging and the shipment item for proper cushioning or fillers. Filler materials can be any form of light and loose materials. Some of more economical methods are using shredded or crumpled newspapers.Proper cushioning provided by these fillers helps to keep the shipments in the centre of the packaging, and also provide necessary shock absorption.
When there are multiple items packed into one box, dividers should be used to that items are arranged in proper partitions or stacks. Corrugated sheets or layers of cupboards can be used for such purposes.
Sealing Packaging
Proper sealing and taping is necessary so that the items in the packaging do not fall out easily. The better the taping is done, the less chances of packaging will break or open during transit. For heavy shipments, heavy-duty taping materials should be used.
Customers should not use paper-backed tape, household cellophane tape, masking tape, paper activated tape, strings or ropes for sealing as they may be cut or torn easily. String and ropes may also damage the boxes and in turn expose the items inside.
Good tapes should be pressure sensitive and approximately 2 inches wide and be applied on all seams and flaps of the packaging.
Strapping is important to strengthen the package of heavy shipments. The same tapes for sealing can also be used to strap the packages. Other materials such as polypropylene, polyester or metal can also be used depending on the nature of the shipped items and packaging materials.Metal straps should only be applied if wooden boxes are used, as they can cut through any paper materials. Strings and ropes should also be avoided for strapping as they can be cut easily.
Wrapping should be done on packages or items to prevent any damage by dust or water. Examples of such items are rolled-up textiles or drawings.
Addressing / Labeling
Ensure that all shipper and consignee information are properly provided and printed on the shipping labels.
Remove any old shipping labels or irrelevant labels to prevent any confusion during transshipping.
Shipping labels should be placed on the top or the side with the biggest surface area of the packaging. This is to ensure the ease of identifying the details on the shipment.
Do not place the shipping labels around the corner or over the seams of the package, as they can be scratched or torn easily during transit.
Make sure that the consignment notes are properly stuck to the packages, apply pressure to all adhesive tapes used on the sticking of the consignment notes. However, do not places the tapes over the shipper/consignee information, as the information may not be read by the barcode readers properly. Customers should also avoid wrinkling, scratching or mark the consignment notes.
Packaging Do's and Don'ts
- Choose the right size and material for the package to hold the content. Remember to leave adequate space for proper cushioning.
- Balance the weight and the strength of the boxes, and also the nature of your shipments for proper packaging. Use corrugated boxes for most common items.
- Cushioning materials is a must. Use fillers, sponges, shredded or crumpled newspapers.
- Use water-proof and pressure sensitive tapes for sealing your boxes.
- Strap the heavy boxes to strengthen the package.
- Stuff cushioning materials in hollow and fragile items. Place them in the center of the box and packed the rest of the box with fillers. Don’t let them hit the sides.
- Tightly seal any liquid containers, make sure they do not leak. Wrap them in plastic if possible.
- Wrap any sharp objects with layers of papers or cardboards and secure with adhesive tapes so that they do not cut the packaging and damage other shipments.
- Place documents on cardboards before putting them into the flyers. This will ensure them from being bent or folded easily.
- Make sure cushioning it done between multiple items when they are stacked together in one shipment.
- Indicate which side of the box should be on top. Place the consignment notes on the top of the boxes to increases the chances of being placed at a proper orientation.
- Packaging for expensive gifts should be packed properly to prevent any unnecessary attention.
- Avoid using round cylinders, try triangular tubes ones instead so that they will not move about easily during transit.
- Complete shipper and consignee information clearly. Make sure proper contact details are provided.
- Complete the address clearly and completely, using uppercase letters when handwriting labels to improve readability for personnel.
- If a recycled box is used, make sure all old labels are removed or cross out. Make sure extra strapping is done to strengthen the packaging of the shipment.
- Don’t use non water-proof bags.
- Don’t ship liquids or spillable items in envelopes or LWE flyers.
- Don’t ship fragile or breakable items in envelopes or LWE flyers without any proper padded packaging done.
- Don’t use paper-back or house-hold cellophane tapes which are not strong seal the shipments properly.
- Don’t use strings or ropes to seal any corrugated boxes, they can damage the boxes easily.
- Don’t consider "Fragile" and "Handle with care" labels as a substitute for careful packaging. They are only appropriate for information purposes.
- Don’t cover the shipper and consignee information on the labels.
- Don’t tape anything over the consignment notes.
