Palletized Vs. Floor Loaded Shipping Containers

Many goods are delivered using full truckload (FTL) or less than truckload (LTL) freight or shipping containers. The difference in loading methods can increase the cost of your e-commerce fulfillment. However, you often aren’t given the option to pick whether your shipments are floor-loaded or palletized. The difference between them is explained here.

Meaning of floor-loaded container

When the contents of a container is loaded, it’s placed on the floor of the container. In this packing technique, the goods are stacked from floor to ceiling inside the shipping container. Another name for this technique is the floor stacking technique.

The benefits and drawbacks of floor-loaded shipments

Your freight shipping costs can be decreased by using the floor-loaded shipment method. Since you fill the full container with goods, you avoid paying for pallet shipping preparation. By using fewer containers to convey the same amount of merchandise, floor loading can reduce shipping costs.

Floor loading, however, is not always effective for all products. Anything that is delicate or fragile should not be floor loaded because there is a high risk of damage during shipping. In addition, you will probably incur additional labour expenditures because it takes longer to load and unload a freight shipment.

Floor loading containers has the additional drawback of taking longer to receive and log in stock because they require more effort to load and unload. Forklifts can be used to transfer pallets onto and off of trucks and shipping containers, but floor-loaded cargo must be manually loaded and unloaded.

Meaning of palletizing

Palletization is the process of stacking several boxes or items on a pallet. Products that are palletized are bound together using metal bands or plastic wrap. The pallets are then loaded into the container.

The benefits and drawbacks of shipping on pallets

The most common method for international or domestic freight shipping is the pallet. It is safer to load a freight container with palletization since it makes a collection of smaller boxes into one large unit that is stronger than each box separately. Also, by raising the goods off the container floor, pallets safeguard your shipment while it is in transit.

Because pallets are available in standard sizes, fitting them into containers is simple. Palletizing a trailer or container doesn’t require complex mathematical calculations. It also has the advantage of being easily transported to and from the loading dock. Pallets can be used to transport FTL and LTL freight, as well as full containers of goods.

When to use floor loading vs. palletizing

In most cases, palletizing is a great option for e-commerce freight transportation. Your 3PL will handle the processing of your incoming shipments more swiftly and without additional processing fees. Even on multi-modal trips where pallets are moved from ship to rail to truck, your goods will remain safe.

Floor-loaded containers, however, are occasionally the better option for the following reasons:

• Because container space is limited and shipping is expensive, you floor loading allows you to fill the container to its full capacity. However, the higher labour expenditures for loading and unloading can offset the savings on shipping.
• Because of the nature of your goods and their packaging, you can stack your products easily.
• A floor load may be a better option for items that are difficult to box.