Pack It Like A Pro
Shipping advice
Packing with Care
Parcels can travel many thousands of miles through RDS’s sophisticated global network to reach their destinations. RDS does everything we can to ensure packages are always delivered on time and in great condition.
Packing your parcels with proper materials and care help ensure your shipments arrive safely and intact.
What’s Best for What You’re Shipping?
Quality packaging is key when it comes to preventing damage. Assessing your packing needs is an essential step to determine what’s best for the type of goods you wish to transport.
Weight
Cost
Regulations
Fragility
Packaging Protects Your Shipment
Good quality packaging is critical to protecting your shipment during transportation. RDS provides a range of packaging supplies that are tried and tested. However, if you prefer to use your own materials, the following provides some general guidelines.
Material
Always use high quality corrugated cardboard boxes for parcels. For fragile or heavy items, double-wall or tri-wall constructions are recommended.
Avoid reusing old boxes as they may have lost some of their rigidity.
Strength
Look out for the manufacturer stamp which tells you information about the construction type and strength of a box. Ask your box supplier for more information as required.
Refer to the box specifications below to select suitable packaging for the weight of your shipment.
Size
Under-filled boxes may collapse and over-filled boxes may burst. Prevent this by choosing a box with the right size for the content being shipped.
Apply Packing Techniques
Here are some important principles applicable for packing your shipment contents.
Leave No Empty Space
It is important to completely fill empty space within the box to avoid contents moving during transit which can cause damage to both contents and box.
6 cm Distance
Always place items being shipped in the centre of the box with at least 6cm of separation from any external walls or corners.
Wrap Items Individually and Use Dividers
When shipping multiple items in a single package, always wrap each item individually and separate with corrugated inserts or other divider materials as appropriate.
Protect with a Good Seal
Both the adhesive tapes you choose and how you seal the shipment together makes a difference in protecting your shipment contents from being exposed or damaged during transit.
Use Pressure Sensitive Tape
- Polypropylene tape (brown plastic tape)
- Vinyl adhesive tape (electrical tape)
- Fiber-reinforced paper tape (duct tape)
Avoid Using
- Kraft Paper Tape
- Cellophane Tape
- String
H-Taping
Ensure all seams are sealed using the H-taping method:
Step One
Apply 1 strip of tape along the centre seam
Step Two
Apply 2 strips of tape across both edge seams
Step Three
Ensure all tape is secure around the edges
Applying Shipment Label
Displaying the shipment labels clearly is important in ensuring that your shipment moves swiftly through RDS’s network.
Label Shipment
Fix the shipment label securely on the top surface of the shipment box.
This will help us keep your shipment in an upright position as much as possible during transit!