Category: Complete Packaging Systems News

Get Creative with Recycling: CYCLONE Dunnage Bags

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Are you receiving a shipment with cargo secured by CYCLONE dunnage bags? If you are currently throwing away dunnage bags after receiving a shipment and are looking for a method of disposing of them that is a little more eco-friendly, try recycling our bags! Our CYCLONE dunnage bags are made up of recyclable materials. Just contact your local recycling facility to set up a recycling program with them and help shrink your company’s eco-footprint.

Can’t recycle the bags? Try reusing them at home! Simply cut one end of the bags and slide them over the things you want to cover, like patio furniture or your BBQ to keep them from getting damaged by the harsh outdoor weather. There are many ways you can replace regular tarps with used dunnage bags. In some cases, a used dunnage bag may even be more effective than a tarp because of their sewn sides, ensuring the item underneath is covered completely with no openings along the sides. If you have a camping trip coming up, use an old dunnage bag for storage or as a cover to keep your equipment and/or firewood dry. Don’t let the durability of our CYCLONE dunnage bags go to waste, find ways to reuse our dunnage bags for other applications.

Before using old dunnage bags at home, ensure you have received permission from your manager to take the bags home for personal use. Your company may already have a recycling or reuse program in place.

For more information about our CYCLONE dunnage bags and the sizes we offer, contact our knowledgeable sales team toll-free at 1-866-858-8800.

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

Damage Prevention before Loading Roll Paper

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Our cargo securement products help prevent damage to the goods in your load during transit, but did you know there are steps that should be taken even before you start loading a railcar? Upon receiving a railcar, many people simply open the door, sweep out any debris, and start loading in their product. However, upon receiving a railcar, a thorough examination of the exterior and interior of the car should be completed. After ensuring the car doors are in working condition, the railcar should be inspected for water leaks, holes, large protrusions, bowing sidewalls, or excessive rust indicating a leak. If there are rough surfaces, or small protrusions in the railcar, they can be covered with something such as fiberboard, as suggested in section two of the AAR’s publication Best Practices for Loading Roll Paper, to ensure they won’t cause damage to your product. If a sidewall is slightly bowed, fill the bowed area with the proper cargo securement equipment described in section two of the AAR’s publication Best Practices for Loading Roll Paper, so it’s flush again before loading your product. If you need to use any wall anchors in the railcar, make sure they are fully intact before loading product. By taking the time to do an inspection of the railcar before loading, you can prevent your product from being damaged by water leaks or ripped by sharp objects in the railcar. It is the shipper’s responsibility to reject the railcar and inform the railcar provider of any damage in the railcar. Once the damage is brought to the railcar company’s attention, they can determine if the car needs repairs or needs to be replaced.  Reporting damaged railcars will help remove them from the tracks until they are restored, preventing further product damage. Implementing a railcar inspection procedure and using cargo securement products when shipping via rail can help ensure your products get delivered safely to their destination.

For more information about what should be included in your railcar inspection procedure or load consultation services, contact our knowledgeable sales team toll-free at 1-866-858-8800.

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

The Importance of a Load Plan

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Have you ever wondered how such large, heavy paper rolls can shift so much during transit? Throughout their journey from point A to point B by rail, constant forces are being applied to the paper rolls. As described in the AAR’s publication “Best Practices for Roll Paper”, these forces come from a series of shocks, vibrations, or a combination of both. The force created by shock is caused by the train periodically switching tracks or a buildup of slack between railcars, which can lead to slight tugs on the railcars when removed. Force distributed to the rolls caused by vibrations is typically created at the wheels of the railcar when travelling across the tracks and any non-uniformities in the tracks or wheels.  Force placed on the railcar caused by vibrations and shock is then distributed to each roll within the car. The force travels throughout the paper rolls in different patterns, dependent on how the load plan is laid out. If the rolls are lined up in a lengthwise alignment, then the force will travel lengthwise down the railcar and across the rolls. If the rolls are placed in an offset pattern, the force will be distributed throughout each roll, continuing to travel either lengthwise down the railcar or towards the sidewalls of the railcar. This is demonstrated in the picture below. If a poor load plan is used for a load of roll paper with large open voids in the container, a roll could have the potential to shift into the open void. In turn, the rolls around the shifting roll would then also shift. The slow shifting of rolls during transit could cause unsafe unloading as the rolls can end up leaning against doorways or have the potential to fall over. Movement during transit can also cause damage to the rolls. It is important that railcars do not contain large open voids which the rolls can move into during transit and that certified load plans are in place. The paper rolls should be secured in place by certified cargo securement equipment.  Many factors need to be considered when creating a load plan for paper rolls to ensure they get to their destination safely.

Find more information on the importance of a load plan, load plan assistance, or rail regulations by reading the AAR’s publication “Best Practices for Roll Paper”, or by contacting our knowledgeable sales team toll-free at 1-866-858-8800.

The picture below shows the different  forces applied to paper rolls during transit and how the force is distributed throughout the railcar depending on the load plan. This image can be found in the AAR’S publication, “Best Practices for Roll Paper”.

 

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

Get Creative with Recycling: LoadSecure™ Friction Mats

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Do you find yourself throwing away LoadSecure™ friction mats after receiving a shipment? You can put them to good use! Our LoadSecure™ friction mats can be recycled or even reused at home!

If your employer keeps a close eye on their eco-footprint then they can work with Complete Packaging Systems to recycle used LoadSecure™ friction mats. Along with our manufacturing partner, Complete Packaging Systems offers a LoadSecure™ rubber matting recycling program. Our customers can send used LoadSecure™ rubber matting to our manufacturer in Lebanon, PA for a chance to receive a rebate calculated by weight returned. The rubber matting simply needs to be free of contaminants and approved by manufacturing for the recycling process. The recycling program is a great way to be environmentally conscious and is sustainable for all parties involved.

 

If your employer does not have a disposal/recycling program in place for LoadSecure™ friction mats and will allow you to take them home, then there are plenty of creative ways to reuse them! Below are just some of the ways you can cut down and reuse LoadSecure™ friction mats:

  • Line the trunk of your car or the bed of your truck. The mats will provide grip, stopping items from sliding around, and they are easy to rinse off!
  • Under furniture! Cut the friction mats and place small pieces under chair legs, tables, couches, etc. to help stop furniture from sliding and protect the flooring underneath!
  • Inside your drawers/cabinets. Use them to line your kitchen drawers and cabinets to prevent damage caused by cutlery and items sliding when opening drawers. They also help prevent damage caused by spills.
  • Place them in or over pet crates. They are easy to rinse off when needed and when placed over a crate they will block the light/noise and help create a sheltered nook for your pet.
  • Re-doing your flooring? Line your floor with friction mats before placing the flooring down. They work well to eliminate noise and provide a protective layer.

When reusing our LoadSecure™ friction mats for personal use, make sure you ask your employer if you are allowed to take the used rubber matting. Although, it may seem like they are being thrown away, your employer may already have another use for them or have their own recycling program in place. If you receive the “go ahead” from your manager, be creative and reuse LoadSecure™ friction mats in your home!

If more information about our LoadSecure™ friction mats or the rubber recycling program offered, please contact us toll-free at 1-866-858-8800.

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

 

C.O.F. Rating on Rubber Friction Mats

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Have you ever wondered why rubber friction mats are printed with yellow numbers and writing? In this blog, we will be covering the C.O.F. value, why it’s important, and a rough idea on how it’s calculated.

The C.O.F. value (the number printed in yellow) stands for coefficient of friction, measured in G force. It’s calculated in an independent laboratory by testing the amount of force needed to move an object across a surface, while taking into account the friction between the object and the surface it is on. In order to measure the C.O.F. rating of rubber friction mats, a weight of 100 grams is placed on a tilt board lined with a friction mat. The tilt board is raised slowly, and the maximum angle is measured at the exact moment the weight begins to slide down the tilt board. The larger the angle, the more effective that particular friction mat is, which means it would be awarded a larger C.O.F. value.

Friction mats are meant to replace wood and block bracing, so the minimum industry standards have been measured to the following for rubber friction mats:

  • 0.5 G in the rearward direction towards the doorway
  • 0.5 G for side to side movement toward the walls of the trailer or container
  • 0.8 G toward the nose of the trailer or container

At Complete Packaging Systems, we believe that a minimum standard is never enough. That is why we have far exceeded industry standards, by a factor of at least 33%, to ensure our customers are confident when using our LoadSecure™ rubber friction mats.

Furthermore, the rubber friction mats must be clearly printed with a numeric C.O.F. rating and the manufacturer’s brand name, as this is what roadside inspectors use to verify the mats meet industry standards. Another feature of our mats is the printing repetition of the C.O.F. value is every 3 inches down the entire mat and placed only 5 inches from the edge. This becomes important, as inspectors must be able to easily see the rating. If you are following proper loading procedures, and leaving at least 6 inches of exposed friction mat towards any and all voids in the trailer or container, you can be certain that our printing will show the C.O.F. value.

Using our LoadSecure™ friction mats will not only save you time and money, it will create a safe, secure, and approved load every time. For more information on our LoadSecure™ friction mats, contact our load consultation services toll-free at 1-866-858-8800.

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

Square Dunnage Bags

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Are you currently using multiple dunnage products to fill large voids in your cargo load plan? If so, you may be able to replace these products with just one square dunnage bag! Our CYCLONE Square Air Bags™ contain all the great benefits of our regular CYCLONE Square Air Bags™ , but they inflate into a cube instead of the typical cylindrical shape of dunnage bags. The cube shape of the bag allows it to cover more surface area on the product in large voids, compared to standard bags.

Standard dunnage bags are great when trying to fill regular sized cargo voids, but when they are inflated in large voids, only a small portion of the center of the bag makes contact with the surrounding product. This is indicated in red in the diagram below. In order to make more surface contact, many customers use corrugated dunnage or honeycomb dunnage to shrink their voids in combination with a dunnage bag. Although, corrugated and honeycomb dunnage makes the void smaller for the cylindrical dunnage bag, using two different kinds of dunnage to fill a void can be costly and can take up more warehouse space. Unless honeycomb or corrugated dunnage is used to shield the product against abrasive materials, it can become unnecessary when you switch to square bags. Our sales representatives can help you determine if a square dunnage bag is a better fit for your load plan. Just like the rest of our line of CYCLONE Air Bags™, our CYCLONE Square Air Bags™ have quick inflation technology, safe deflation systems, can be AAR approved, and have the same high quality you’ve come to know and appreciate.

Complete Packaging Systems offers a variety of CYCLONE Air Bags™ in order to fit our customer’s different cargo securement needs. We carry small square bags for voids up to 17 inches and large square bags for voids up to 24 inches, both available in several different sizes. For more information about our square bags and to find out if they apply to your load plan, please contact our load consultation services at 1-866-858-8800.

 

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

Breaking the Strata Line

Posted on by teamA-GG

When loading roll paper into a boxcar, many people keep the stacks of rolls at an even height, such that the top of the rolls create a flat surface when placed side by side. The flat line created by the top of the rolls is known as the strata line. While this technique can be a secure method in certain load plans, it is advisable to break the strata line whenever possible. When the rolls are placed at even heights, they have the potential to shift during transit which could lead to unwanted freight claims, product damage, and safety hazards.

Honeycomb risers are a form of corrugated dunnage which is used to elevate a roll or stack of rolls in a cargo container. They are corrugated fiberboards made of fiber sheets which have been produced and/or laminated to a thickness that provides adequate stiffness and strength. To break the strata line, risers can be used underneath roll paper to place the rolls at staggered heights. By using honeycomb pads under the rolls, the load will become more secure and less likely to shift as adjacent rolls will act as a bulkhead. Complete Packaging Systems offers our customers a variety of sizes of strip and square risers to properly fit your cargo securement needs.

Depending on your usage, risers need to meet certain regulations like the ones sent out by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). In their publication Closed Car Loading Guide – Loading Roll Paper in Rail Cars; risers need to be within certain dimensions, placed in a particular way, and have appropriate crush strengths. Our knowledgeable sales team will be able to help you determine which honeycomb riser pad is appropriate for your load of roll paper. Using risers to break the strata line in your load of roll paper can lead to significant improvements to the securement of your cargo.

For more information on the use of risers and how to break the strata line when loading roll paper, please contact our load consultation services or refer to AAR’s Closed Car Loading Guide – Loading Roll Paper in Rail Cars.

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

Railcar Doorway Securement

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At the beginning of the year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Damage Prevention & Freight Claim Committee made changes to Rule 7 in their Doorway Protection, Circular No. 42-K. Rule 7 of AAR’s Circular No. 42-K previously stated that when the cargo within a container has the potential to move towards the doorway or make contact with the sliding or plug type doors of a container, the doorway must be secured with equipment that has sufficient strength to withhold the weight of the cargo. Rule 7 now presents the same statement, but also expresses that lumber wedging is no longer an acceptable method of securing the doorways of cargo containers.

If you previously used lumber wedging as a mode of securing doorways and are now in need of an alternative method, you can use synthetic strapping. Non-metallic strapping may be the preferred method as it’s a safer and more cost effective solution to steel strapping. Approved and recommended by the AAR, our Tex-Steel Cord Strapping™ is an excellent way to replace steel strapping and lumber wedging used for doorway protection in railcars.

The AAR Approved markings on our strapping are visible and can be easily referenced when needed. When using Complete Packaging Systems Tex-Steel Cord Strapping™ to replace other doorway securement practices, be sure to use the appropriate application methods and buckles. It is also important that our customers use the proper conversion when replacing steel with synthetic strap. When threading the buckles, our customers can refer to our online resource videos for step by step instructions. Furthermore, to tighten the strap, confirm that the correct tensioner is used with the appropriate strapping.

We have a variety of different widths, lengths, and break strengths of strapping for other cargo securement purposes and applications. To find out more about the variety of strapping we offer, visit our websites Tex-Steel Cord Strapping™ page.

Complete Packaging Systems always recommends our customers follow and try to exceed the standards set out by the AAR when securing their cargo containers. For more information about the use of Tex-Steel Cord Strapping™ in doorways, please contact our load consultation services by calling toll-free at 1-866-858-8800. To review the details about Rule 7 in Doorway Protection, Circular No. 42-K, please visit AAR’s website.

 

Edited by: Stephanie Irvine

2016 AAR Conference

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This year has been full of changes and growth both within our own company and throughout the industry. We are excited to share some of the highlights from this year’s AAR Meeting regarding some of the newest changes and advancement in our industry today.

In this industry, load securement and customer safety are our greatest concerns. It is important to always stay up to date with the latest technology and product standards to ensure all safety requirements are met. Each year the industry comes together to discuss these important advancements within our industry so we all are able to serve our customers with their safety in mind.

This years AAR Conference touched on a wide variety of subjects regarding why rail transit safety is so important, updated best practices for product use, and which products are best for which situations. Our very own Darren Burden was able to shed some light on how to properly use our Dunnage bags in closed car settings. Some others discussed which risers and void fillers work best and the safety improvements of loading paper into boxcars. Our industry has created strategic research initiatives to consistently improve our everyday damage prevention procedures.

However, there are many more layers to the AAR Conference that touch on many other subjects regarding customer safety. A portion of the discussions, for example,  focused on automotive improvements, some of which reside in Mexico and also how the railway advancements can positively affect customer security. We have learned there is always more we can do as an industry to grow and advance in damage prevention.

Complete Packaging Systems understands the importance of damage prevention when it comes to what matters most, our customers. This is why we take pride in our involvement with the AAR Conference every year so we can better learn how to help our customers in the future and to teach others how they can do the same.

 

To learn more about Complete Packaging Systems and how we can help you and your business,

Call Toll Free: 1-866-858-8800

 

Drafted & Edited by: Makenna Wolowich

 

 

We’ve Moved!

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20160704_150139_PanoFor the last 9 years we have made 1375 Hopkins Street our home, but now it is time to move on… to just down the street! Complete Packaging System has said goodbye to our previous location and has recently moved into a brand new building where we hope to continue to produce brand new ideas!

During the railway rush in 1876, a contractor had our new home, formally known asRingwood Manor, built in the town we now call Whitby, Ontario. Unfortunately, after an economic decline in that arena, the bank foreclosed the property before the turn of the century. Since then, the building has seen a great many owners and curators but after a house fire this majestic manor was left alone for a time. After numerous renovations this beautiful structure was completely revitalized and new residents moved in. As the most recent tenants we couldn’t be happier to be a part of it’s rich history.

The move took place on June, 20th 2016. Now, as we settle in to our new home, we ask that you update the current address with our new one. Our phone numbers and other information will all continue to be the same, it is only our address that you will need to update.

Below you will find our old and new addresses for your convenience.

New House

Old Address:

1375 Hopkins Street

Whitby, ON L1N 2C2

 

New Address:

1601 Hopkins Street

Whitby, ON L1N 9N1

 

If you would like to learn more about our new location or have any questions, please call us toll free at 866-858-8800.