Totes
What are some important factors when choosing a small handheld returnable container?
Some of the considerations should include the display of the parts for the user- both for loading and unloading. If part separation is required, the dunnage should be ‘green’ (recyclable/sustainable), and collapsible for consolidation and return. Additionally, the dunnage should be of a design which allows for easy part removal-meaning it may be lower than the top or grab point of the part, or there are cutouts for a gloved hand.
Beyond display, a cover should be considered. If parts are very small, such as washers, o-rings, or nuts, a snap lock cover may be your best option. Although most totes are shipped with a pallet lid, this provides assurance the part count, or density, remains accurate though the supply chain.
Do you go with straight side, or tapered and stackable? If you will benefit from consolidated empty returns, nesting totes may be your best option from the standpoint of space utilization. Otherwise, returning straight wall totes upside-down provides for a bit of self cleaning, and if your carrier has dedicated round-trip runs, nothing is lost.
What about the footprint? The predominant shipping mode should prevail as the deciding factor. A facility’s total tote usage should be considered before making this decision. AIAG standards make sense in the automotive industry, but may not be appropriate for food service, service parts, or the food industry.
Leave 2 inches of clearance in the width and 3 inches in the length of a trailer, seatainer, or railcar. Divide accordingly, and see what makes the most sense. The 48×45″ and 32×30″ standards for pallet size do make sense for many applications, but depending on the volume of sales of your product, you may be able to justify new tooling for your unique pallet and tote sizes.
What about height? Inventory should be the deciding factor here. There’s nothing wrong with shipping pallets one-high! If the totes have lids, you don’t need to be concerned with shipping level layers – a full layer -on a pallet, but if totes are open-top, ship on the fewest numbers of full layers which will minimize carrying inventory-generally no more than 2 days worth of production.
For more information, or if you want your small lot containerization evaluated, contact me at www.transivit.com.
Filed under: Packaging Principles