How Courier Packages Are Delivered

Using courier companies is an easy convenient process to expediently dispatch important packages and letters worldwide. Courier companies offer a variety of services from simple package hand off and swift delivery, to intricate systems that forward packages nationally and internationally. Courier companies use tracking systems to ensure correct delivery and provide proof of delivery. They also provide insurance either included in the delivery cost or an optional additional charge based on the specific item being sent.

Packages and letters can be dropped off at specific locations or a pickup can be arranged depending on the company. Paperwork is filled out with recipient information, contents and other information including the required customs forms for international locations. Payment for delivery can be immediate, or billed to an account depending on the agreement with the courier company.

A letter or package has a bar code attached to it and the information is scanned or manually entered into a system. This alpha-numeric information allows for the courier company to track delivery status and ensure packages are routed in the right direction or staged correctly for expedient delivery.

Packages are forwarded to a major distribution center where they are quickly sorted, scanned and staged for local delivery or hub destinations. They are then loaded on trucks, airplanes, and other delivery vehicles and sent onward. For some packages delivery is expedient, for others, due in part to local import restrictions or other legal paperwork, the process is longer and the package may be scanned and reloaded several times. International packages might require customs inspection before release to the final destinations. At the end, all packages, when delivered are scanned or noted as delivered.

Are you ready for dinnerware made of corn?

Corn might be considered part of a healthy, hearty dinner for many Americans. But would you consider it to be part of your dinnerware? One Texas businessman hopes to turn what you eat into what you eat on.

Plastic manufacturer John Pitre, CEO of Variety Global Business Group of Houston, is looking for between $2 million to $20 million to fund his plans to process and distribute corn-based dinnerware in conjunction with a Chinese company. Rather than be created through plastics injection molding like many pieces of dinnerware are, these items will be vacuum formed.

Although the partnership is being done with a Chinese company, production will be handled in the United States because Pitre says that the costs of shipping from China are extensive, and consumers have more trust in products made domestically.

The plants could potentially create up to 120 jobs at each of the locations it will open, which Pitre says will be announced within the next 30 days. Sites in 15 states are possible, including Ohio, Indiana, Maryland and Georgia. Pitre said the company is seeking to build plants in areas with empty industrial spaces and experienced workers.

The Chinese company VGB is partnering with is Dongguan Honghao High-New Technical Development Co. of Dongguan, China, which is looking to expand its plastics technology into the United States. The company opened in 2000 as a plastic manufacturer, creating items such as wholesale plastic containers for food made from biodegradable products. The company is also selling its turnkey products to other bioplastics manufacturing companies in China and abroad.

Unique Service: Aramex Shop N Ship

Many individuals living overseas would like to have the same online shopping options as their friends in the U.S or U.K. Unfortunately most of the companies doing business in those countries won’t ship overseas. The reasons range from dealing with customs issues to shipping costs. Aramex thinks that is just plain wrong, and they have done something about it.

What Aramex offers in their Shop&Ship program is the freedom to live or go anywhere. No more worrying about getting your mail. No more hovering around the post office waiting for a parcel that may not be coming. Shop&Ship offers complete mail and parcel forwarding service with an address in the U.S. or the U.K. This means that no matter where you are at the moment you enjoy the same mailing and shopping privileges as anyone in Topeka or Sheffield.

In addition to the convenience of low-cost forwarding of mail and parcels Shop&Ship also offers online tracking. You can follow your shipment from Aramex’s world class facilities all they way to your door. Previously this sort of convenience has only been available in North America and Europe.

Aramex has offices throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Switzerland. They also have offices in Singapore and Hong Kong covering the Far East. Founded in 1982, Aramex was the first Arab-based international to be traded on the NASDAQ. Returned to private ownership, the company’s management is even more committed to bringing quality, security, and extraordinary service to express shippers from around the world.

LTL vs. Parcel

When you’re obtaining freight quotes, you might find yourself debating between LTL and parcel carriers. Although traditional parcel carriers generally transport packages that weigh less than 70 lbs, they are still able to compete by working to convince shippers to separate a larger shipment into smaller packages that can be processed using “hundredweight” shipping rates. The price of their freight shipping service is calculated by multiplying the weight of the shipment by the rate, dividing it by one hundred, and then rounding that amount up to the nearest hundred.

On the other hand, LTL carriers won’t ask shippers to break apart shipments — the fewer units that the carrier has to deal with, the better. A pallet with one hundred packages that have been shrink-wrapped together is preferable for LTL shipping than a hundred separate packages. There are lower handling expenses and less chance of transit damage with the former.

Submitting A Claim On Lost Courier Packages

Billions of packages are shipped and delivered all around the world daily. Most packages that are shipped make it to their destination, but many are lost. If the contents of a package are valuable, it is essential that insurance is purchased through the courier. This will insure that compensation is given for loss or damage.

Depending on the courier, when a package is lost, a claim must be submitted by email, fax, mail, or online. Their claims department will review the information and make a monetary offer for the lost goods. If any insurance was purchased at the time of initial shipping, the terms of the insurance agreement will factor into the settlement amount.

It is impossible to foresee or prevent the loss of a package, but there are steps that can be taken in the event that an important package is lost by a courier. The most important is for a shipper to always keep a copy of the shipment details. The tracking number, ship date, and recipient address are bits of information that are necessary in the claims process. It is also good practice, that the recipient of a shipment receives this information as well.

The settlement and claims process can take as long as 60 to 90 days. If information is missing or inaccurate this process will be prolonged. Senders need to check with their courier of choice as to how to submit a claim on lost courier packages. As long as their specific policies are followed, couriers companies are helpful in getting these issues resolved timely.

How Often Do Courier Packages Get Lost

It is not often that courier packages get lost. In fact, there are many steps taken to ensure that your packages will arrive to their destination safe and secure. Nowadays, most courier packaging companies use electronic tracking systems. This allows your packages to be tracked from point A to point B. You could even log onto the couriers web site and see where your package is located and what the estimated arrival date is.

However, there are some situations where you package could get lost in transit. Eventually, the package may be found, but if you would rather be safe than sorry there are ways to insure your package in situations like these. Courier companies offer insurance on the packages you send out. For a small fee, you could insure the items you are shipping and get reimbursed if these items do not get to the destination they were planned for or if they were damaged along the way. This is highly recommended if you are sending a valuable item. Even though packages rarely get lost in transaction, it is better to play it safe.

If a package is lost, you should not worry to much. Like stated earlier, there are ways to track down the items, and using an electronic system makes finding lost packages a lot easier. Besides getting your package insured, make sure you keep the tracking number on hand. This will help you in case the package in lost.

Although there are very rare cases where packages seem to disappear, this is very unlikely. So, if you are thinking about using a courier company, do not hesitate, as they will most likely give you the service you need.

Calculating Volumetric Weight Of Packages (Or Dimensional Weight)

Volumetric weight, also called dimensional weight (or dim weight), is an useful formula to have. Generally, this applies in situations where the size of the package grossly outnumbers its actual weight. The reason some postal or other shipping carriers would need this value, is to calculate the space that the actual package is occupies. For example, a smaller box weighing twice that of the larger package, would incur higher shipping rates and the smaller footprint would take less space within the cargo area. Every inch of that freight area has a value based on weight.

For metric units of measurement:
You need to measure width, length and height of the package in centimeters.
Formula: width x length x height / 6000 = volumetric weight in kilograms.

This determination is based the density of water. The formula will analyze whether your package’s is either more than one-sixth that of water, or less than one-sixth of water. Less than one-sixth that of water means your volumetric weight is more than your standard weight.

For standard/English units of measurement:
You need to measure width, length and height of the package in centimeters.
Formula: width x length x height / 194 (Most used by American carriers within U.S.)
width x length x height / 166 (Most used by American carriers shipping to Canada)

This is determined based on the minimum weight allowance for one cubit foot of package, also known as the dim factor. Some carriers use the International Air Transport Association standard, but are free to use whatever dim factor they wish in the competitive free market environment.

Shipping Wooden Objects Internationally

Things to Know About International Shipping:
There are several important things to remember before shipping wooden objects internationally:
1. Weight, size and dimensions of the item to be shipped
2. Value of item to determine if delivery insurance will be necessary
3. Customs regulations of the destination where the item will be shipped
4. Whether the item can be sent air freight or aboard ship

Shipping Options
Information for shipping wooden objects internationally may be obtained from standard carriers such as Federal Express (FEDEX), Airborne and UPS. If the object is unusually large, it can be packed and freighted by large shipping companies. These options allow the broadest range of price possibilities. Bear in mind, that the weight, size and dimensions of shipping wooden objects internationally determines the cost. If the item is somewhat fragile, it may require special protective packing. This can add to the shipping costs. Insurance may also add cost.

Customs Forms
Whenever items are shipped internationally, the destination country must thoroughly inspect them to insure that no hazardous materials or items banned from entering the country are included in shipments. There may also be a VAT tax incurred and other customs fees for special processing, depending on country of destination. Most shippers will advise customers of these issues before shipment is finalized.

Air or Sea Shipping
If items are relatively small enough or non-hazardous to be shipped by air, this is generally a faster means of shipping than by sea. However, customs in the country of entry may delay shipments.

The Scope Of Cargo Insurance Coverage

The general scope of cargo insurance coverage is international. Since it compensates for damage or loss based on the insured goods’ value, it is a contract of indemnity. Cargo insurance covers the goods throughout the whole shipping process, whether the cargo is traveling by air, land, or sea. The specific coverage will depend on the goods (such as commercial freight or cars) that are shipped and the mode of transportation.

Either the buyer or the seller may arrange the insurance, whoever is responsible under the sales contract. Unlike property or liability insurance, the coverage available under cargo insurance is broader and industry specific. How the cargo is traveling with also have an impact on the policy. In marine cargo transportation, for example, specific marine risks are covered that wouldn’t be necessary in air or land transport. Since most goods are transported by seas, this is the most common type. Of course, many shipments use more than one mode of transportation, so broader insurance would be necessary.

The scope of cargo insurance coverage doesn’t cover all damages. There are some restrictions placed. In some cases this is due to certain commodities’ loss records. Other exclusions come from how the shipment is damaged. In general, damages caused by war or hostilities are not covered. The nature of the property and delay is also unlikely to be covered. Though not everything is covered, cargo insurance is a necessity when doing international shipping to ensure the that financial interests of the cargo owner are protected.

Renting A Cargo Van For Your Own Transportation Needs

Renting a cargo van is great for those times when you have a lot of things you need to move or if you have a lot of people that will be traveling with you on a long journey. Cargo vans offer a great deal of space and some will even offer shelves inside for you to place more things. Many companies offer reasonable prices for renting a cargo van and most car rental companies offer cargo vans for rental. If you are planning on moving things they offer cargo vans with no back seats so that you can fill the cargo van as much as possible. Other cargo vans offers seats should you be taking a long car ride with a lot of people or if you have a lot of people needing to get to the airport or something.

Most companies rent by the day and give you a predetermined amount of miles that you can go up to without paying for extra mileage. Other companies can rent you their cargo vans by the hour but often charge by how many miles you use. You always pay for your own gas but they do offer insurance which costs a few dollars more but is worth having. Cargo vans are great for those times you need extra space and they are easy to load. They offer reasonable prices whether you rent by the day or the hour. They often come in four wheel drive as well as two wheel drive.