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Single-Box Packing Method
•Ship nonfragile products like soft goods inside a sturdy outer container.
•Use fillers like Bubble Wrap® or loose-fill peanuts to fill voids and prevent movement of goods inside the box during shipment.
•Place goods that might be affected by dirt, water or wet conditions inside a plastic bag.
•Consolidate small parts or granular spillable products in a strong, sealed container, such as a burlap or plastic bag, before shipping inside a sturdy outer container.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Printed Matter
•Ship small amounts of printed matter like reports, legal briefs or correspondence in small corrugated boxes
•Bundle large quantities of loose printed matter by shrink-wrapping or banding to hold units in place in case the box splits open during transit.
•Place stacks of printed matter in double-wall, full-overlap or telescopic corrugated boxes.
(Single-wall corrugated boxes, gift boxes, bulk paper supply boxes are not recommended.)
•Fill voids with filler to prevent movement inside the box.
•Tape the seams and the perimeter of the box using plastic packing tape or reinforced fiberglass plastic packing tape (kraft or reinforced paper tape not recommended).
•See box strength guidelines for box recommendations.
Fragile Items
Basic Box-In-Box Packing Method
•Wrap product(s) individually with at least 2 inches" thickness of Bubble Wrap® or foam material to fit snugly inside a corrugated box.
•Use a second, outer container that is at least 4-6 inches longer, wider and deeper than the inner box.
•Fill the bottom of the outer box with 2 to 3 inches of cushioning material.
•Place the inner box in the center of the outer box on top of the cushioning material.
•Fill voids on all sides with more cushioning material.
• Seal box.
Box-In-Box Packing Method for Delicate or Thin Parts
•Wrap product(s) individually with Bubble Wrap® and snugly fit inside the smaller box.•Restrict product movement inside the box using filler like crumpled newspapers, Bubble Wrap® or loose-fill peanuts.
•Close and tape box to prevent accidental opening.
•Wrap smaller inner box with at least 4 inches’ thickness of Bubble Wrap® and place inside a sturdy outer container.
• Seal box.
Packing Method for Large, Thick or Flat Surfaces
• Wrap product(s) individually with at least 4 inches thickness of Bubble Wrap® cushioning.
• Place the wrapped item(s) inside a sturdy outer box.
• Fill all voids with additional Bubble Wrap® cushioning so that the wrapped item(s) fit snugly inside the outer box.
• Seal box.
Box-In-Box Packing Method Using Loose-Fill Peanuts
•Start with an outer box that is at least 6 inches longer, wider and taller than the original box.
•Fill outer box with 3 inches of loose-fill peanuts.
•Place inner box in the center of the outer box.
•Fill all spaces around the inner box and top with 3 inches of loose-fill peanuts.
• Seal box.
Stringed Musical Instruments
•Loosen the tension on the strings to remove the stress on the neck of the instrument.
•Place the instrument into its case.
•Fill any voids under the neck, around the body and on top of the instrument with Bubble Wrap® to prevent movement within the case. •Place the instrument in a larger box with a minimum of 3 inches of Bubble Wrap® or loosefill peanuts between the inner and outer boxes if the instrument is in a soft-sided case.
•Wrap hard cases with 3 inches’ thickness of Bubble Wrap ® before placing in the outer box. Then fill voids with additional Bubble Wrap.® Bubble Wrap®
Computers and Peripherals
•Use the box-in-box packing method with manufacturer’s original packaging.
•Wrap the equipment in Bubble Wrap ® and use the box-in-box packing method using loose-fill peanuts if the manufacturer’s original packaging is unavailable.
Packing material (e.g., loose-fill peanuts), minimum of 3-inch thickness on each side
Monitors
•Remove the base and any attachments and ship the monitor face-down.
•Follow packing tips for the box-in-box packing method.
Printers
•Remove printing cartridge before shipping.
•Place cartridges inside sealed plastic bags to prevent ink or powder leakage.
•Tape down moving parts.
•Remove any paper trays and pack separately.
•Follow packing tips for the box-in-box packing method.
Odd- or Irregular-Shaped Items
•Consider placing items that might be damaged by adhesive labels or soiling in an outer container. (Carriers will not be liable for such damage to unprotected items.)
•Wrap sharp edges or protrusions with tape.
•Place rolled goods in protective wrap.
•Wrap pressure-sensitive tape completely around the object to provide a wide, smooth surface to apply the bar code and address label.
•Attach a tie-on tag for airbill pouches.
•Consult a list of items that require tie-on tags.
Examples:
Luggage
Tires
Rugs
Automotive parts
Transit cases
Perishables
Keeping Products Frozen During Transit
•Freeze products prior to packaging.
•Precool the expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulated container.
•Double-bag products if the shipment contains liquid or perishables that might melt or thaw. Use a 2-mil watertight plastic bag or line the inside of an EPS container with a minimum 2-mil plastic liner and absorbent material.
•Arrange products compactly but leave space around the products for dry ice.*
•Place a sufficient amount of dry ice in the insulated container on top of and around the products.
Note: Use 3 to 4 pounds of dry ice for every cubic foot of container volume per 24 hours in an EPS container with 2-inch-thick walls.
Additional dry ice may be needed during hot-weather months.
*Dry ice is considered a hazardous material for air transport and requires special handling.
Keeping Products Refrigerated During Transit
•Freeze the coolants according to manufacturer’s guidelines.
•Precool the expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulated container.
•Double-bag products if the shipment contains liquid or perishables that might melt or thaw. Use a 2-mil watertight plastic bag or line the inside of the EPS container with a minimum 2-mil plastic liner and absorbent material.
•Arrange products compactly inside the insulated container, allowing space for coolants.
•Place a sufficient amount of coolants on top of and around the product. Fill voids with filler to prevent product movement.
•Close and securely seal the insulated container with pressure-sensitive plastic tape.
•Place the insulated container inside a corrugated outer box.
•Close and seal the corrugated box with pressure-sensitive plastic
tape. Apply tape all over box flaps and seams to restrict air movement.
Seal and Label It
Recommended Three-Strip Taping Method
•Use pressure-sensitive plastic tape at least 2 inches wide for lightweight packages.
•Use water-activated paper tape (minimum 3-inch width, 60-pound grade) or water-activated reinforced tape to seal heavier packages.
•Distribute the tape evenly across flaps and seams, using the H taping.
•Apply at least 3 strips of tape to the top and bottom sides of the carton.
•Tape across all seams and flaps.
Note: Sealing your package is as important as cushioning. If the box flaps open in
transit, you’re likely to lose the cushioning.
Restricted Taping and Sealing Materials
• Avoid kraft paper tape, household cellophane tape, masking tape, string or rope. Using these materials may result in torn or missing labels and/or damage to the package.
General Labeling Recommendations
•Use an address label that has recipient’s full address and your full address clearly marked.
•Make sure country or state, ZIP or postal code and street addresses are correct; UPS nor FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. box.
•Identify floor, suite or apartment numbers for multi-unit addresses.
•Remove or cross out any old address labels on the carton.
•Include duplicate delivery information inside the package.
•Avoid carbon-copy or stenciled labels unless you cover them with clear pressuresensitive tape; they can smear and cause delays in delivery.
Note: UPS nor FedEx cannot ensure compliance with orientation markings such as “Up” arrows or “This end up” descriptions. However, placing labels on the top surface of the package increases your chances for preferred orientation.
Size and Weight Limits
The Length and Girth Formula
•Measure the length, height and width of the package.
•Length and girth equals length plus twice the height plus twice the width.
Maximum Dimensions for Shipping With UPS & FedEx Express
– 150 lbs. or less in weight.
– 119 inches or less in length.
– 165 inches in length and girth combined. (Use the length and girth formula.)
Place packages smaller than 7 inches in length, 4 inches in width and 2 inches in
depth in a plastic pack , except where otherwise restricted.
Maximum Dimensions for Shipping With UPS or FedEx Ground
– 150 lbs. or less in weight (70 lbs. for FedEx Home Delivery®).
– 108 inches or less in length.
– 165 inches in length and girth combined. (Use the length and girth formula.)
A package weighing less than 30 lbs. and measuring greater than 84 inches, but equal to or less than 108 inches in length and girth is classified by Carriers as an Oversize 1 (OS1) package. The shipping charges for an OS1 package will be the same as a 30-lb. package being shipped under the same circumstances. A package weighing less than 50 lbs. and measuring greater than 108 inches, but equal to or less than 130 inches in length and girth is classified by FedEx Ground as an Oversize 2 (OS2) package. The shipping charges for an OS2 package will be the same as a 50-lb, UPS the charge will be equal to 70 lb package being shipped under the same circumstances.
A package weighing 150 lbs. or less and measuring greater than 130 inches in length and girth is classified by the carriers as an Oversize 3 (OS3) package. The shipping charges for an OS3 package will be based on the greater of the package’s actual rounded weight or a 90-lb. minimum billable weight. An oversize charge per package will also apply to any package measuring greater than 130 inches in length and girth.
Restricted Shipments
Regulatory and Safety Issues
FedEx & UPS have restrictions on shipments of certain commodities due to regulatory laws or concerns about personnel safety. We’ve included a list of commodities that fall under those restrictions. Consult the current FedEx Service Guide on fedex.com for additional information.
– Live fish – Wine – Alcoholic beverages
– Clinical specimens – Human parts – Firearms
– Batteries – Tobacco
– Currencies – Used medical devices
Hidden Dangerous Goods
While not obvious, these items are classified as Hidden Dangerous Goods and can not be shipped.
– Breathing apparatus — compressed oxygen
– Camping gear — flammable gas or liquid
– Dental apparatus — hazardous chemicals, resins or solvents
– Cylinders — compressed gas
– Photographic supplies — dangerous chemicals, inks
– Household goods — flammable household liquids, liquid lighters,
bleaching powders, aerosol paints
– Car batteries — corrosive, explosive
– Fireworks — flammable substance
– Matches — flammable substance
– Aerosol sprays — compressed gas
– Nail polish — chemical
– Nitrogen-refrigerated liquids — compressed gas
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