Loading Techniques

Parcel Loading: The easiest loading decisions come with the most labor-intensive types of loads as in parcels. With few exceptions, if shipping parcels you will be floor loading the parcels by hand into trailers or containers, which is the preferred method of the major parcel carriers. Some level of automation to floor loading comes with the delivery of the parcels to the workers doing the loading, which may involve the use of a telescoping conveyor, boom conveyor, or expandable flex conveyor that extends into the trailer, bringing the parcels directly to the loaders.

When shipping parcels, product damage prevention is much more dependent upon the strength of the carton and fill materials than on the loading technique. Since parcels will be loaded and reloaded several times before they reach their destination, it’s impractical to expect to control the loading and handling procedures.

It is typically the unloading and sortation that occurs at the carrier’s distribution hubs that results in damage to the freight rather than the delivery activity.

Palletized Loads:

When it comes to loading palletized product or other unitized loads, there are many more variables that affect the loading methodology. The first variable that needs to be dealt with is weight. If the loads being handled are heavy, it’s possible that the capacity of the trailer or container will limit the loading options. With lighter loads, cube utilization becomes a key variable. Unfortunately it’s not as simple as just determining the method that best utilizes the cube of the container. In most situations, methods that increase cube utilization will also increase the labor required to load and unload the shipment. This is where productivity to transportation costs must be balanced. Loads going further distances will justify putting more effort into utilizing the cube than those going shorter distances. It may make more sense to straight-load pallets for local and regional shipments and to turn the loads or use pinwheeling for more distant shipments, and floor load containers for overseas shipments.

Straight loading: Involves using two-way pallets and loading them straight (in the direction of the pallet stringers) into the trailer or container. With standard 40”x48” pallets this will allow two pallets to be loaded side by side with plenty of extra space between the pallets and the trailer sidewalls. This is the quickest method of loading pallets, but does not fully utilize the trailer cube and may not adequately prevent loads from shifting.

Loading pallets turned (or sideways): Requires the use of four-way pallets. In this method, the lift truck will pick up the pallet from the side (perpendicular to the pallet stringers) and place them in the trailer. With standard 40”x48” pallets, this will allow two pallets to be loaded side by side in most dry trailers. There may not be adequate width in overseas containers and refrigerated trailers to do this with standard pallets. Turning pallets give the best space utilization for loading palletized loads and provides better protection from product shifting than straight loading.