Choosing Crate Fasteners to Address Common Shipping Concerns

There are many concerns when manufacturers or retailers look at shipping goods. One of the most common concerns is damaged packages from mishandling by those responsible for moving the shipped items from place to place. The dropping, crushing, and throwing that's a regular part of the package handling process can cause cardboard or plastic shipping boxes to get destroyed, ripped, or torn.  Not only are wooden crates much more up to the challenges they face while being shipped, they're also heavier than either plastic or cardboard boxes of the same size that often require package handlers to handle with more attention and care.

Stacking boxes and crates in the shipping and storage process is another concern identified by manufacturers.  Although cardboard and plastic boxes are square, and, as such, lend themselves to being stacked, they have limited strength. Stacked too high, the boxes on the bottom will get crushed, leading to smashed items, falling boxes, and more damaged product. If conditions are humid, cardboard will weaken, reducing its ability to withstand the additional weight of being stacked.  Wooden crates on the other hand are much more capable of withstanding the pressure of being stacked without getting crushed or falling down.

Cost is another concern, especially when shipping large items over great distances. Cardboard and plastic are less expensive options, whereas wooden crates tend to carry a higher price tag.  Companies that turn to wooden crates, however, find that their investment into sturdy shipping containers pays off in less damage to products and greater customer satisfaction to the recipient of the shipped goods.

A concern that comes with wooden crates however, besides price, is the fact that their use requires more specialized, expensive tools and crate fasteners to seal them. While both cardboard and plastic shipping containers can be easily sealed with tape, wooden crates require you to use screws as crate fasteners to securely seal them up. FASCO America® has a solution to address both the cost and the fastener dilemma with wooden crate:  The SCRAIL® fastener.

SCRAIL®combine the speed of nails driven in by a pneumatic nailer with the holding strength of screws. When driven in with a nail gun, these crate fasteners can be used to build or seal crates at a rate two times faster than collated screws and up to eight times faster than traditional bulk screws driven in with an ordinary power drill or screwdriver. Sealing crates can now be done quickly and effectively.

As an added bonus, SCRAIL® fasteners can be removed almost as easily as they are installed with little or no damage done to the wooden crate or the SCRAIL® themselves. This means that both the wood and the crate fasteners can be reused, reducing the cost of using wooden crates for shipping.  Choosing the right fastener for crating can ensure any concerns over quality and cost are overcome.