When was the last time you thought about crating? If you're like the majority of clients and building professionals that I talk to, the answer is likely never. But be careful - this seemingly small component can have BIG repercussions when it's not done properly.
And when this happens, there's a good chance that you could be the one footing the bill for replacement product. But hopefully we can avoid that!
First off, make sure you're ordering all of your cast stone and GFRC products from Ravacast - OK, just kidding. Well, kidding/not kidding. Let's try that again, shall we?
First off, let's establish a few basic facts:
- Cast stone & GFRC products are (some would say) costly to make
- Cast stone & GFRC products are (some would say) costly to ship
- The journey on delivery trucks isn't always a smooth one
Considering these factors, it's pretty mind-blowing to think that some companies would ship thousands of dollars in Wall Caps, Columns, and other cast stone products - LITERALLY, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS - without examining (and questioning) their own crating practices.
Luckily, we've learned from their mistakes, and it inspires us to crate our products responsibly to help ensure they arrive damage-free, and to continue to make our crating even better than it already is. Here's some of the philosophies we employ in our packaging methods:
- Products are stacked carefully and methodically
- Pallets are not overloaded
- Products fit within the perimeter of the pallet or are enclosed within a plywood "box"
- Cast stone and GFRC products are NEVER stacked face to face (without the use of foam slats or foam sheets to seperate)
- Oversized pallets are reinforced with additional supports and industrial bolts
- Finished crates are tightly wrapped with heavy-duty plastic wrap for extra security
Now, even with all of these precautions in place, we understand that things can still go awry in transit from time to time, and that's why Ravacast purchases additional, full-coverage insurance for all of its shipments, which is important to note. Without this optional insurance coverage (that most architectural precast companies don't even know about), clients would only receive a small fraction of the damaged item's value, leaving THEM to cover the majority of the cost to order and ship replacement product.
So, in closing; if you're already working with another cast stone company, ask about their crating and find out if it's a priority for them. If it's not, you might want to re-evaluate the quantities you've ordered just in case some items arrive damaged. It may be wiser to absorb the cost of a few extra Window Sills, Balusters, or Stair Treads, than to risk having to re-order more material and paying for another round of shipping charges.