If you regularly get heavy equipment and machinery transported, you may think that there is nothing you can do to protect your equipment once it leaves your facility. This is far from the truth.

Effective packaging is crucial for transporting and shipping fragile items. Creopack gives you more information on how to transport heavy equipment and machinery.

Heavy equipment and machinery shipping

Transporting and shipping heavy equipment and machinery is no small task. Your items must be prepared adequately, and you may need to abide by certain standards.

There are some steps you need to take before you think about packing up your heavy equipment for transport.

Check standards and requirements

You first need to check if your equipment or machinery transportation is subject to any industry standards and regulations. Disregarding these can result in some hefty fines and put any parties involved in danger, so it is best to do your research beforehand.

You should also check the owner’s manual, which should be included with most of your heavy equipment. The manual may include specific transportation instructions. If so, these should be followed closely since the manufacturers have perfect knowledge of equipment parts that may need extra protection, for example.

Depending on your location, you may also have load and size limits to follow. This can include restrictions on the size or weight of the equipment being transported or required permits for some materials.

Transportation arrangements

This step is especially important if you are dealing with a third party to transport heavy equipment. Depending on how large the transportation truck is, some routes may not be suitable. Though the company you are working with will also help you in this aspect, doing your own research cannot hurt.

You will also get a better idea of when your equipment will arrive at its destination. This will help you prepare and assign one or more individuals from your team to be present and sign off on the transport at the departure and arrival.

You should also make sure that external companies you are working with can send you proof of any permits required to transport your heavy equipment.

Preparing your equipment for transport

Once you have all the information required and assigned everyone their roles, it is time to prepare your equipment. Those in charge of transportation will secure your equipment load, but it is up to you to prepare your equipment adequately for pickup and transportation.

This can involve making sure that all parts and alarms are disabled, washing the equipment and taking photos to identify any potential damage, and finally, choosing the right packaging.

Ideal packaging for heavy equipment

Your heavy equipment packaging should not be overlooked. Custom crating is your best option to prevent any damage to your items, especially is these are expensive and fragile.

Shipping crates and boxes can take different forms. The best one for you will depend on your items and needs.

Custom wood crates

Wood crates can be custom-made and comply with most industry regulations. They are very resistant to the shocks of shipping which makes them the ideal option for transporting heavy and fragile items.

Additionally, they can be up to 60 ft long and carry items of up to 50,000 lbs.

Hybrid boxes

Weighing 75% less than wood crates, custom hybrid corrugated boxes combine the lightness of corrugated cardboard with the resistance of wood. They therefore still offer study protection along with freight savings.

They are manufactured at low volume, unlike wood crates which can typically be made in very large quantities.

Reusable crates

Reusable crates are ideal if the items are being transported but will remain in your possession. Our wooden reusable shipping crates are made in custom sizes and can even include padding based on your needs. They can also be easily taken apart with our patented snaps and inserts to save storage space.

Creopack: trusted packaging partners

In the end, there are a lot of things to consider for the transport of heavy equipment and machinery. It is therefore important to do business with an experienced crating company, such as the team at Creopack.