International technology and logistics group Omniva has just come through its busiest working period of the year, which began with the November shopping holidays and ended with the arrival of Christmas. Among the millions of shipments handled, some parcelssurprised even seasoned employees with their noise, contents, and packaging.
In addition to the usual gifts, Omniva’s Estonian sorting center received many parcels ahead of Christmas that made themselves loudly known. Radios suddenly started playing, dolls began to cry, and smoke detectors started beeping. Several battery-powered devices inadvertently switched themselves on during transit. One huge, unpackaged stuffed animal also reached the sorting line. Although sending both live and dead animals via parcel services is prohibited, a full carcass of a wild roe deer also ended up on the line, with itshead having slipped out of the packaging.
“People are creative, and ahead of the holidays, we receive a very wide variety of parcels – some make even the most experienced sorter smile,” said Eduard Rešetov, Head of Sorting at Omniva. “At the same time, such cases show the need to remind customers whatitems are actually allowed to be sent via parcel services and how shipments must be packaged. Our employees always do their best to resolve every unusual situation, but with prohibited or improperly packaged items, we cannot guarantee that the parcel will arriveintact.”
Every year during the Christmas period, a significant numberof gifts reach the sorting center packaged in gift bags with handles. Important items can fall out of such parcels during transit or break due to a lack of padding. Parcels with loose strings or handles can alsoget caught on the sorting line and stop the entire line. Incidentally, parcels containing strong magnets can also obstruct the sorting line, as they may stick to the equipment.
“People often think that a courier takes a parcel out of one parcel locker, places it in the car, drives to another locker, and puts it in. In reality, all parcels go from parcel lockers to the sorting center. In Estonia alone, we sort nearly 50,000 parcels per day. Your parcelmoves along an automated sorting line together with thousands of other parcels. The line includes ascents and descents where parcels can fall together. That is why shipments must be carefully packaged,” Rešetov explained.
The holiday season can also be recognized in the sorting center by smell – working days are often accompanied by the scent of gingerbread and smoked sausage. Problems arise, however, when quickly perishable or temperature-sensitive food items are sent via parcelservices – for example, apples, tomatoes, or foods that must be kept refrigerated.
The most common cause of damage to sorting lines and other customers’ parcels is leaking food products. If a parcel contains alcohol, juices, oils, sauces, baby food, cleaning agents, or similar items, they must be very securely sealed and additionally properlypackaged to prevent bottles from breaking.
What products are not allowed to be sent via parcel services?
Omniva’s website publishes a list of goods that are not allowed to be sent via parcel services: explosive and flammable substances, compressed gases, oxidizing agents, toxic, corrosive, or infectious substances, radioactive materials, magnetized goods, lithium batteries, weapons or weapon parts, live or dead animals, narcotic and psychotropic substances, tobacco and smoking products, cash and securities, easily perishable or refrigeration-required food items, counterfeit and pirated goods.
Omniva prohibited items list.
How to package shipments?
Packaging must be durable and take into account the mode and duration of transport. If the packaging is too small, it may not withstand pressure and can break. If it is too large, items may move around inside and break. Packaging must not have protruding parts suchas loose edges, strings, or straps. The package should be box-shaped rather than round.
If the package contains an item that may break under pressure or when dropped, it must be packed so that the contents do ot touch the inner walls of the outer packaging – the space between the inner and outer packaging must be filled with cushioning material.
For particularly fragile shipments, the “Handle with Care” service must be used – in that case, the parcel is sorted manually rather than on the automated sorting line.
Omniva packaging guidelines.
Source: Omniva