Best Practices for Automotive Parts Packaging

Packaging automotive parts for shipment involves accounting for everything from small, fragile parts to major components. Manufacturers need to secure these parts with the proper packaging. This requires careful planning and, often, a custom-designed packaging solution. At Ready-Made, we want to ensure you have the information you need about current regulations and best practices for automotive parts packaging to make informed decisions. 

General Best Practices for Automotive Parts Packaging

Automotive part manufacturers generally follow best practices for general shipping. Exceptions include when shipping items that include hazardous materials or delicate electronics. 

Packaging Best Practices

• Leave oil and liquids out of parts when possible or put them in a leakproof container
• Packaging materials should be strong enough to protect the intended contents. 
• Reduce chances for damage by packaging in containers sized correctly for the task 

Sturdy Ready-Made plastic trays are one way to keep parts from experiencing dents, scratches, and scuffs. They allow you to package your parts into a wide range of shipping boxes, leaving room for additional packaging materials and your identifying information. 

HazMat Shipping Requirements

Many automotive parts are considered hazardous materials. Anything from shock absorbers to paint can fall under this category, requiring shipping and handling according to the appropriate standards. 

The Department of Transportation established a set of regulations for transporting hazardous materials. According to the DOT, these cover the transportation the Hazardous Materials Regulations cover “the transportation of hazardous materials in interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce by aircraft, railcar, vessel, and motor vehicle.” 

Federal hazmat law 49 U.S.C. § 5125 and the HMR at 49 CFR Part 107 establish rules for the packaging of hazardous automotive parts for transportation. Failure to follow these regulations can result in hefty fines, loss of physical property, and deaths. 

Choosing the Right Automotive Parts Packaging 

When choosing packaging materials for automotive parts, you should take several factors into consideration. These include the size and weight of the components, their fragility, part value, supply chain conditions, and any potential environmental impacts. 

Part Size

The size and weight of your parts are primary concerns when choosing packaging materials. Automotive parts packaging must be able to securely cushion components and keep them from coming loose during transport. 

Plastic packaging trays are an excellent way to keep many types of small automotive parts secure. Small components, such as fuses, wires, and switches, fit well in individual compartments of segmented trays. Choose a tray design that allows for secure packaging of each part to make inspection and inventory easier. 

In general, lightweight tray materials offer adequate protection for these types of small parts. However, larger components may require more substantial packaging material or configurations. 

Fragility and Value

You can often use minimal packaging materials for inexpensive parts or those that are unlikely to get damaged during shipping. However, you will want to use more care for expensive parts, such as electronics and computer parts.  

In these cases, secure packaging that cushions each part helps minimize contact between individual parts during shipping. A snug fit also reduces jostling from rough handling. Our plastic trays provide secure automotive parts packaging for small, fragile, or expensive components. 

Transportation Conditions

The conditions parts will likely face during shipping may affect your automotive parts packaging decisions. For example, there will be major differences if you use bulk carriers versus in-house shipping or if you ship parts by ground or air freight. 

• Temperatures: Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause condensation to accumulate in certain types of plastic materials. This can damage some sensitive components. 
• Type of handling: Many handling areas do not treat shipping boxes with care. Your packaging should protect its contents through whatever kind of rough handling it may receive, whether that is manual or mechanized. 
• Number of trips: Some parts will only take a single trip, while others continue to another, final destination. Packing materials should be durable enough to withstand the expected number of trips it will make. 

You cannot predict every condition that parts will encounter, but you can make an educated estimate. Consider worst-case scenarios, but focus more on what you expect to be typical conditions. 

Environmental Impacts

Packaging materials can significantly alter the environmental impact of shipping your parts. They affect what size boxes you use and the total package weight. This can dictate what shipping method you use, how many parts can fit in a case, and how many cases can fit in a single shipping unit. When fewer parts can fit on a truck, it ultimately takes more miles to deliver a set number in an order.  

Another environmental impact comes from how sustainable your automotive parts packaging materials are. Ready-Made uses recycled plastics when possible. We source our recycled and responsibly sourced plastics from a select group of environmentally conscious suppliers. Additionally, our plastic trays are fully recyclable to reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in landfills. 

Packaging Materials

Another important consideration that intersects with all of the others is the materials used to manufacture your packaging. Some materials are lighter, more durable, or more sustainable than others. You must select base materials that meet your needs for security, weight, and protection level. 

We typically manufacture our stock automotive parts trays from High Impact Polystyrene or Polyethylene Terephthalate. These are both incredibly durable and able to withstand pretty tough transportation conditions without compromising component safety. We use both recycled and virgin HIPS depending on the specific application, and can also manufacture custom trays from these. 

Stock and Custom Automotive Parts Packaging

Ready-Made offers stock and custom plastic trays to meet all of your automotive parts packaging needs. Our trays help keep small parts secure during storage and transportation and can help with inventory processes. We offer a wide selection of packaging trays In most cases, we can deliver stock trays in under two weeks. Contact us to learn more about our products or request a free sample.