When shipping items like furniture and appliances, protection is everything. Something as minor as a small bump or rough handling can lead to costly damage. Without the right precautions, businesses risk lost inventory, delays, and unhappy customers. Fortunately, moving blankets can give your freight the protection it needs.
Key takeaways
Now that you know the basics of blanket wrap shipping, let’s jump into the details!
Blanket wrap shipping is a specialized freight service designed to protect fragile and high-value items during transit. Instead of using pallets or crates, items are wrapped in thick moving blankets before being loaded into a trailer This method reduces the risk of damage from vibrations, impacts, or stacking pressure.
You might not realize it, but shipping blankets are used to transport a variety of items. Common items can include:
Sensitive electronics like server racks, control panels, and manufacturing equipment require special handling to prevent damage. Blanket wrap shipping ensures these items stay secure while in transit.
Exhibitors frequently transport booths and displays to trade shows across the country. These pieces are often fragile and uniquely shaped. This makes them difficult to ship using traditional methods. Blanket wrap shipping ensures that trade show materials arrive intact and ready for setup.
Retailers and manufacturers ship high-end furniture that can easily be scratched or dented. Blanket wrap delivery eliminates the need for bulky crates and reduces packaging costs while ensuring products arrive in showroom condition.
Fine art and household goods require extra protection to maintain their value. Moving blankets provide a secure cushion that prevents damage. As a result, they’re frequently used in galleries, auction houses, and specialty furniture stores.
Finally, hospitals and medical facilities typically transport expensive and delicate equipment such as imaging machines and lab instruments. With blanket wrap shipping, these sensitive devices receive the careful handling needed to prevent malfunctions caused by rough transit conditions.
Blanket wrap shipping offers several advantages over traditional freight methods, such as being:
We’re going to give you more details about each of these benefits in the following sections.
Unlike disposable packaging materials, moving blankets are reusable. This makes them advantageous for various reasons.
These include their:
Despite being made of fabric, shipping blankets are quite durable. You’ll be able to get multiple uses out of your blankets before replacement is necessary. Since they’re not thrown out on a regular basis like other packing materials, shipping blankets will save you money on transportation expenses.
Blankets add minimal weight to the shipment compared to crates or heavy-duty packaging. Most moving blankets only weigh between 4.5 to 8 pounds. Due to their lightweight nature, your freight won’t be that much heavier after the blankets are applied.
Moving blankets don’t take up very much space. They can be easily folded into compact sizes, which allows for convenient storage when they’re not in use. Your moving blankets won’t make the physical size of your shipment much larger, either.
As a result, they only occupy a minimal amount of space in storage areas or transport vehicles.
This makes it possible for multiple blankets to be used as needed for extra cushioning.
One alternative to moving blankets is the use of crates, often filled with protective dunnage. This form of protection provides a sturdy layer of defense that shields freight from severe types of damage.
Even if the walls of a crate are much stronger than the protection offered by moving blankets, they’re more expensive and may not be reusable. We’ve provided a table that shows how much different sized crates will cost.
For comparison, consider how these prices differ from moving blankets in the table we’ve provided.
Keep in mind, more than one moving blanket might be kept in one set. This can raise the price of blankets of the same size, but it will still be the cheaper option. Aside from the cost benefit, moving blankets can be used repeatedly. Crates are typically only used for one shipment at a time. This means you’ll have to purchase a new one for each shipment.
Although moving blankets do offer extra protection, that doesn’t mean fragile freight should be loaded and unloaded recklessly. You should have the assurance that each item that in your shipment will be handled carefully.
Some additional services that will increase the safety of your cargo includes:
If you don’t have a loading dock at the pickup or delivery location, a carrier with liftgate service is crucial. This allows shipments to be loaded and unloaded safely without requiring special equipment.
For businesses that require flexibility, drop trailer service is a valuable option. Carriers with this service can leave a trailer at your location, allowing shipments to be loaded at your convenience before pickup.
At USA Truckload, we utilize a variety of carriers that can perform both of these services for your blanket wrap shipments.
If you’ve never used blanket wrap shipping, there are a few things that you’ll need to know before you use it or request it as a service, usually as part of white glove shipping.
This includes:
Because blanket wrap shipping requires specialized handling, scheduling in advance is recommended. Many carriers are on set schedules and their capacity to perform this service can vary. Scheduling ahead of time gives carriers the opportunity to gather their resources and plan the shipment.
Blanket wrap freight may take slightly longer than traditional transportation services due to the extra care involved in handling and securing items. Make sure you consider shipping times when booking your load.
Related: Is Expedited Freight Service Worth It?
USA Truckload Shipping provides reliable blanket wrap freight services designed to protect your most valuable shipments. Whether you're moving high-end furniture, delicate electronics, or trade show exhibits, our experienced team ensures your freight arrives safely and on time.
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Start your relationships with USA Truckload Shipping. Fill out a Request for Proposal (RFP) and we’ll get your freight moving safely and efficiently! If you have more questions, call us at (866) 353-7178 or reach out to us using our contact page.
R+L Global Logistics
315 NE 14th St., Ocala, FL 34470
I am needing a blanket wrap shipping quote. shipping high end kitchen cabinets with a volume of approx. 1800 cubic ft. shipping from Warsaw Indiana to Port Charlotte Florida.