What Is Container Stuffing

If you are new to logistics and transport, you may have questions about the process by which products are readied for transit and also delivered to the retail outlet. Commonly, questions arise around what is involved with container stuffing, container de-stuffing and cross docking services. These terms and their associated processes are easily defined.

Container stuffing is the process by which goods are loaded into a container to be shipped. Container stuffing isn’t just a matter of randomly placing items in a container until it reached capacity. It is a process that requires careful planning that takes into consideration the unloading or de-stuffing process. The container also has to be well balanced for transit and it is important to make sure that incompatible and dangerous products aren’t shipped together. This planning process is crucial to ensure that products aren’t damaged while they are in transit and that the de-stuffing process can take place safely on the other end.

On arrival of the container at its destination, the inverse process is called container de-stuffing. This is where products are inspected for damage, catalogued and unloaded by personnel. It isn’t just taking things out of the container, there’s a process and system to the removal of goods to ensure that products are without defect.

Cross docking services is the process by which containers are transferred from one transport to another with minimal intervention, with staging and warehousing taking place at the destination where the products are ultimately sold. This reduces central warehouse requirements and means that products take less time to make their way to shelves.

A working understanding of the processes referred to as container stuffing, de-stuffing and cross docking services provides a fuller picture of the journey that a product takes as it moves from manufacturer to retail stores. At Pacific Coast Distribution in Langley, we can work with you to plan and carry through with all of your container stuffing, de-stuffing and cross docking needs.