Building a pallet for air freight: eight practical rules
Short answer: a thermal cover only works well over a tight, full pallet that was built at temperature. Build in the cold room, fill voids, stay within the pallet dimensions, cover the top and add cooling for long routes.
A good thermal cover over a badly built pallet achieves little. The build determines whether the insulation works. Below you will find eight practical rules, followed by a checklist, a step-by-step plan for shipping day and answers to frequently asked questions.
Start with cargo at temperature
Build the pallet in the chilled space, not on the warm loading floor. Every degree the load rises before the cover goes over it is a degree you will not get back in transit. The cover only preserves what is already there.
Fill the voids
Air between the boxes is space in which heat circulates. A tightly built, full pallet holds temperature considerably longer than a pallet with gaps. Fill remaining space or choose a smaller format.
Keep the build within the pallet dimensions
If the load overhangs the edge, the cover does not fit properly and an opening forms at the bottom. In addition, overhanging cargo gets damaged during transfer. Stay within the contour of the pallet.
Cover the top
Most radiant heat enters from above, especially when a pallet stands on the platform in the sun. Wrapping only the sides leaves exactly the most sensitive side open. A cover that falls over the whole build closes it off.
Think about the underside
Heat also rises from the asphalt or the warehouse floor. On long routes, combine the cover with an insulated base plate, so that the pallet is wrapped all round. See the insulated bases for this.
Secure the load separately
A thermal cover is not a load securing device. Secure the pallet with film or straps and place the cover over it. Both have their own function.
Add cooling on long routes
The cover slows warming but adds no cold. For long transit times or warm conditions, place cooling elements in the load itself, on top of the boxes, because cold sinks.
Check before departure
Does the cover fit properly at the bottom? Is there no opening at a corner? Did the load go into the cover at temperature? Three checks that cannot be corrected an hour later.
What shipping day looks like
- Plan backwards from the departure time. Determine when the pallet must be ready and allow for the build time. Haste leads to gaps in the build.
- Take the cargo out of cooling only when you start building. Do not let boxes stand on the floor for an hour first.
- Build layer by layer. Place the heaviest boxes at the bottom and push each layer tightly against the previous one.
- Put the cooling elements in. Do this while building, not after closing.
- Place the data logger. Put it in the middle of the pallet, not on top or at the edge. Then you measure what the load experiences.
- Pull the cover over it and close it. Check all corners and the bottom edge.
- Put the pallet straight back into cooling or let it depart immediately. Do not let it wait on the loading floor.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the cover over the pallet while it is still waiting on the warm loading floor.
- Mixed box heights, so that the top is convex or concave and the cover does not fit.
- Placing cooling elements at the side, while the heat comes mainly from above and below.
- Not using a logger, so that you cannot demonstrate anything in the event of a complaint.
- Using a cover several times without checking for tears or holes.
Measure and learn
With a data logger, you can see after the journey what happened to the temperature. Compare the data with your planning. If there is a peak on the platform, you know the handover must improve. If the temperature rises slowly, the cooling or the insulation is too tight. That way you improve shipment after shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the pallet hold the temperature?
That depends on the outside temperature, the starting temperature of the load, the build and the amount of cooling. We cannot give a fixed outcome. For background, read how long does a thermal cover keep the load at temperature.
What if my pallet is not completely full?
Fill the space with boxes, filling material or a smaller pallet. A half-full pallet warms up faster, and the cover then hangs loose.
Can I use the same cover several times?
If it is intact and clean, yes. After every shipment, check for tears, loose seams and dirt.
Which cover fits my pallet?
That depends on the dimensions of your complete build, including height. Take the measurements and look at the thermal pallet covers. If in doubt, please contact us.
Should I also use the cover in winter?
You can, because insulation works both ways. If your load is sensitive to frost, the cover also slows cooling down. Assess per route what the greatest risk is: too warm or too cold.
Read more and order
Do you ship by air regularly? Then also read perishables in air freight. For the whole range, look at for air freight and on the page air cargo covers.
