Not all your treasures fit handily inside a standard box but you can't leave them behind. If you've got an odd-shaped item like an heirloom coat rack, a large piece of glass or a one-of-a-kind surfboard, you'll have to custom pack those items. You don't have to move items without the confidence that you are doing it correctly. Have confidence by using the right techniques and tips for moving your items.

You really can pack anything!
•    For certain items we suggest inserting one inch sheets of Styrofoam on the inside of the box to cushion the box.  We also suggest using bubble wrap around your items before you insert it into a custom made box.  Depending on the item, you may also want to use foam peanuts to cradle the item in the box.
•    You can order a custom made crate or pallet. This is especially necessary if your piece is heavy or has an unusual shape.  Wood crates can be custom built to fit your specific piece. Standard pallets are forty inches by forty eight inches, but you can have a custom built pallet or platform built to fit your specific needs.
•    Invest in double-walled, boxes if your piece is too heavy for a single wall box, but does not need a full wood crate. 
•    Have plenty of foam peanuts, bubble wrap and packing tape on hand for custom packing. However, never tape directly to your furniture or item. Tape can leave a gummy residue behind.
•    If you prefer, you could let the pros custom pack your items for you.

No more worries about transporting that craftsman chair or those important golf clubs. You can truly pack just about everything! Don't wait until the last minute to prepare for your packing or moving, Contact us for more tips and help with your move. We offer a variety of options for custom packing and specialty moving. Our experienced team would love to answer your questions.

 Christmas and Kwanza are now getting quite close, and getting all those gifts to family worldwide is becoming slightly more tedious. No one enjoys spending a fortune to get the gifts to their families, which is why the hunt for less expensive shipping costs is beginning.

If you are one of the many wanting to find inexpensive shipping costs, you will be happy to know that it's actually possible and there are many ways you can minimize the amount you spend this holiday season.

One of the best ways you can greatly reduce the amount you spend for shipping is combining packages. If you have several family members in one local area that you're shipping gifts to, ship them all to one address location. By doing this you are reducing the number of packages being sent out, meaning less expensive shipping charges. This is also a great way to ensure that your family is spending a little quality time together.

 We do recommend shipping packages to a business address when it is permissible. This is due to an increase in the number of thieves following trucks around to residences that are delivering holiday gifts. TV stations nationwide are reporting thieves that simply go to residential doorsteps and pick up the gifts right after the delivery truck has dropped off the packages.

Houston Company recommends that you should consider is shipping early.

By shipping early you won't have to pay the added costs for expedited shipping to ensure the packages get there in time. Many people are known to wait until the last minute, but the holidays are the worst time that you could do this. It is very disappointing to have shopped for wrapped, and shipped your gifts only to have them arrive after Christmas or Kwanza.

 Ground shipping is usually the least expensive way to ship.  For packages valued at more than $500.00 you will need to ask to have the package signed for at the destination. This way you can track your package and see when and who signed for your package.

When you are packing your boxes for shipping, please remember that shipping charges are based on both size and weight. While that holiday sweater may look beautiful placed inside a box with lots of tissue paper, the size of the box alone may add to your shipping costs. 

If you are shipping holiday gifts overseas, you will need to remember to add in time for customs clearance. Items such as perfumes, colognes and nail polish should not be sent.

When shipping overseas, you need to remember to add a Commercial Invoice to your shipment.  You can prepare this yourself or pay a company to prepare this for you. Any individual item valued for more than $2500 will need to have additional paperwork prepared.

The holiday season is a time of year you want to enjoy as much as possible. The last thing you want to worry about is your family not receiving their gifts. If you do not have time to wrap and send gifts on your own, consider taking your hand chosen gifts to a professional gift-wrapping, packing  and shipping company.

 Make this a holiday season you enjoy to the fullest and have  a commercial company help you relieve all that gift shipping stress. They can do everything possible to get your packages arrive on time and do it at a better price then your usual postal services. They can evaluate which shipping service is best for your particular package based on the size, weight and value of your shipment.

For additional hints on holiday shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send in Houston or visit our website at www.pack-n-send.com

While most companies and individuals are accustomed to shipping domestically, international shipping requires different areas of expertise.

When searching for an international shipping company you need to look for a company that possesses experience in dealing with multiple countries as well as multiple currencies. Can the company load household goods into containers?

For starters there is additional paperwork.  Certain shipments require Schedule B paperwork in addition to the usual customs paperwork. Shipments going out of the country require heat treated wood that is not required in domestic shipping.

Transit times are usually longer when shipping overseas. While air shipping is available, it is quite a bit more costly for large items.

Boat shipping requires extra time. Not only does it take longer to ship, but there are often time adjustments once your shipment is booked.  As gas prices have risen in recent years, ships have taken longer in order to save on fuel consumption.

Ships are often delayed as they wait to fill up with cargo.  Due to storms, unloading of ships is often delayed as ships line up to off load cargo.

While some companies have multiple locations, you may want to make sure that the location you are using has been in business for a long time. Experience in packing fragile and delicate items will make a difference in the way that your freight shipment arrives to the final recipient.

Ask if there is an option in ocean shipping for shipping via a cubic meters as well as container shipping. Make sure that the company has experience loading containers. Do they prepare the items before hand, and then stage them for fast loading inside a covered warehouse. The charges for loading a container are based on hours. You want to make sure that you are paying only for the actual loading, not the loading, unloading and repositioning of goods.

You should obtain coverage based on the declared value of your shipment.  The company you choose to ship with should offer pick up service and offer you door to door or door to port service.  Always ask for alternatives as a way to save you or your company money.

If you are shipping cars, ask for containerized shipping s well as roll on roll off service.

When shipping via air, you have many of the same concerns as ocean shipping, but other areas need to be addressed.  You must have a street address, a contact name, phone number or email address.

In both instances, make sure that you check with every foreign country that you are shipping to that the items you are shipping are permitted to enter the country. Fresh fruit and vegetables, flour, jewelry and pancake mix are just a few of the banned items.

Do not plan on shipping hazardous chemicals unless you are planning to use a haz mat shipper. As an example, a shipment of matches can cost over $700 from Houston to Europe. This is simply due to haz mat packing and shipping charges.

 In the course of doing business worldwide, pack n send has realized that both students and business people do not know how to deal with multiple currencies. To help alleviate this situation pack n send has developed a program for class room teachers to use at all levels.   Please go to our website www.pack-n-send.com and click on the far right tab-Students and Teachers. Here you will find flags, facts and currencies for countries and Islands throughout the world. If you need assistance in using this program, please email us at sales@pack-n-send.com.

If you need an experience international shipping company in Houston Texas, feel free to call pack n send at 713 266 1450.  If you need advice for international packing, shipping or freight receiving in Houston or the United States, please feel free to contact us also.

With the holidays rapidly approaching, it is time to pack, wrap and ship your holiday presents.

Some of the more difficult items to pack for shipping are: china, stemware, crystal, silver, paintings, pictures with glass, food, sculptures and chandeliers, and toys.

When searching for a company to help you ship these gifts, look for a company that can offer pick up service when needed.

Ask if the company can build custom boxes or crates in order to fit the exact size of your gift.  Can the company offer packing services as well as offer you the supplies and advice on how to pack the item for shipping on your own?

Can the company you choose give you a price up front, as well as a tracking number once your shipment has been shipped?

Can the company you choose describe the way that they will pack you precious item in a box or crate?

If it is less expensive to freight a large gift, can the company you choose offer this service?

When researching a packing store, look for a store that has been in business for many years.  A company that only sets up a shop somewhere for the holiday season may not have the expertise to pack your presents correctly and safely for shipping.

For more advice on your shipping and packing for the holidays, please feel free to call pack n send in Houston at 713 266 1450.

So you're packing a box to ship an item. Seems pretty simple, right? Actually, packing a box for shipping is a science. You need to keep in mind the weight, size, and even how you tape it up. Here are four solid tips for packing a box for shipping. 

1. Choose the right box. Don't pick a box that's too large -- you'll end up paying much more than necessary for shipping costs. And don't skimp -- be sure your box is the right strength. There are different kinds of cardboard thickness. On the bottom of the box should be its weight capacity. The minimum weight limit should be two hundred pounds per square inch.

2. Tape it up right. Tape your box where the 2 smaller ends are folded first and then the 2 larger flaps after. That way you can have one whole strip of tape across the whole bottom and top of the box. Running the tape across a couple of times is a good idea as well as across the ends. Masking tape, duct tape and scotch tape are not strong enough to hold boxes with UPS and Federal Express. Packing tape is not expensive. It is worth getting a roll of clear or tan packing tape.

3. Make sure your box is full. All boxes should be packed fully. Leaving no extra space within the box is the best way to ensure safe arrival. If your box is too big, cut it down or fill it with paper. Imagine a 50 pound, 70 pound or 100 pound box landing on your box. Could it withstand the impact without caving in? This is surely one of the most important things you should keep in mind.

4. Use the right filler. Packing china and glass is tricky, but not hard. Double bubble wrap the item, pack it tightly in one box, then add it to a double wall box with a minimum of 2-3" of peanuts packed fully. The key is to add a shock absorber and cushion so your items arrive safely at their destination. If you have more than one glass piece, put several pieces into the first box, all bubbled with peanuts to fill any space that might cause the items to move. Then add it to your double wall box with peanuts on the top, bottom and sides. For larger boxes, you may need to sit on the boxes to close them when they're fully packed.

Imagine when these boxes get on a conveyor belt, one box after another, landing at the bottom, your box should withstand bigger and heavier boxes being stacked on top.

Use quality, strong boxes and tape, bubble your fragile items and pack the box fully. If you can sit on the box and it caves in a bit, add more filling. As full as you might think it is, it will shift during transit and lose a lot of its fullness by the time it gets to the destination.

Good luck and happy packing!

If we can answer questions about packing, shipping or freight, please call Pack n Send in Houston  at 713-266-1450. We sell discounted boxes and packing supplies in our Houston area storefront.

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Packing a box for shipping is a science. You need to keep in mind the weight, size, and even how you tape it up. Here are a few tips for packing a box for shipping. 

1. Choose the right size box. Don't pick a box that's too large -- you'll end up paying much more than necessary for shipping costs. Be sure your box is the right strength. There are different kinds of cardboard thickness. On the bottom of the box should be its weight capacity. The minimum weight limit should be two hundred pounds per square inch.

2. Tape it up right. Tape your box where the 2 smaller ends are folded first and then the 2 larger flaps after. That way you can have one whole strip of tape across the whole bottom and top of the box. Running the tape across a couple of times is a good idea as well as across the ends. Masking tape, duct tape and scotch tape are not strong enough to hold boxes with UPS and Federal Express. Packing tape is not expensive. It is worth getting a roll of clear or tan packing tape.

3. Make sure your box is full. All boxes should be packed fully. Leaving no extra space within the box is the best way to ensure safe arrival. If your box is too big, cut it down or fill it with paper. Imagine a 50 pound, 70 pound or 100 pound box landing on your box. Could it withstand the impact without caving in? This is surely one of the most important things you should keep in mind.

Imagine when these boxes get on a conveyor belt, one box after another, landing at the bottom, your box should withstand bigger and heavier boxes being stacked on top.

Use quality, strong boxes and tape, bubble your fragile items and pack the box fully. If you can sit on the box and it caves in a bit, add more filling. As full as you might think it is, it will shift during transit and lose a lot of its fullness by the time it gets to the destination.

 If we can answer any of box  packing questions, please call Pack n Send at 713-266-1450. We sell discounted  boxes and packing supplies in our Houston area storefront. Pack n send in Houston can also help you with our unpacking, freight and crating services.

Pack n send has reprinted portions this article on the dot med website. This article was written  by: Brendon Nafziger, DOTmed News Associate Editor

  While in the past used medical equipment is shipped country wide,  and up north to Canada, we can for see shipments of equipment now heading towards Japan. 

 Pack n send ships medical equipment world wide, as well as freight, cargo and container of goods.

 For information about shipping medical equipment to Japan, please contact us at 713 266 1450.

BOOMING demand from Asia is keeping aircraft manufacturers happy, with the likes of Hong Kong Airlines and China Eastern Airlines ordering freighters at a rapid pace.

China will help the Asia-Pacific region account for a third of global plane deliveries over the next 20 years, Boeing said. Rival Airbus said it expects airlines in Asia to take delivery of 8,560 aircraft in the next 20 years, representing a third of the global total.

In early March, Hong Kong Airlines agreed to buy six 777 freighters from Boeing. Meanwhile, Boeing’s 747-8 freighter version has won 74 orders from customers including Cathay Pacific Airways, an Air China affiliate.

Also this month, China Eastern Airlines, which operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing freighters, has revealed a massive expansion plan of 250 extra aircraft by 2015. In four years the fleet will total 588 units comprising 531 passenger aircraft, 30 freighters and 27 utility aircraft. As of 30 June 2010, the Shanghai-based carrier operated 338 aircraft, comprising 320 passenger aircraft and 18 freighters.

Once again, Cargo Shipping News has reported upbeat news about shipping in the Asian sector. This article taken from Cargo Shipping News does bode well overseas economies. Any increase in demand is felt worldwide. Pack n send continues to scour the web for upbeat information about cargo and freight.

 For packing crating, shipping, freighting or moving services from Houston, TX, feel free to call pack n send at  713 266 1450.

Exports from Houston and Galveston increased to $95billion last year from $75 billion in 2009, and that's higher than the $90 billion exported from the region in 2008. Oil led the exports, bolstered by stable, relatively high prices. Crude ended the year at $91.38 a barrel, up about $10 from the start of 2010.

Last year's imports of $117

billion, while up from $92 billion in 2009, were below the $151 billion recorded in 2008. Oil also led the gains on the import side.

Rise in drilling equipment

Higher oil prices helped drive more demand for drilling equipment and cargo that crossed the Port of Houston's docks last year.

Houston's Palletized Trucking has moved more oil field equipment, containers and other cargo lately, and now it's hiring truck drivers again.

It's also planning to increase rates 5 percent to 7 percent this year as prices have increased for fuel, trucks and labor, said Michael Rex King, Palletized Trucking's president and CEO.

His sales were up 20 percent to 25 percent in January compared with the same month in 2010.

For the full year of 2009, sales dropped by 40 percent.

Joachim said World Trade Distribution's business has picked up 15 percent since last October, but it is still 15 percent less than 18 months ago.

"That's still a significant hit," Joachim said.

As trade rebounds, companies must react to find equipment and space on vessels after shippers reduced capacity in the last 18 months.

Pack n send has republished portions of this article written by Houston Chronicle journalist Jenalia Moreno.  We look for positive upswings in the Houston and US economy for both freight and cargo.

 For more information about packing, crating, cargo and freight shipping from Houston, Texas please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

The company aims to replace most of its 14 747 freighters over the next three years with 747-400s. The carrier also operates two 777Fs with four more on order.

Southern Air has committed to leasing five 747-400SFs, with two to be delivered this year and three next year. The carrier is also looking at a potential third aircraft for 2011 and a fourth for 2012.

 Once again, pack n send is able to report more good news in the freight, air cargo and shipping industries for the United States.

 With the purchase of airplanes it shows that companies are now planning on increasing fleets and are anticipating more robust business in the near future.

 We think that infrastructure purchases along with the last few months reports of increase in domestic freight shipping bodes well for both the United States and world wide economy.  While we are optimistic, we are constantly watching fuel price increases to see how they affect the shipping industry as a whole. Air Cargo New originally printed the article above.

 For more information about air cargo, crating and packing and sea freight please cotact pack n   send at 713 266 1450.

When looking for a company to ship your furniture, either domestically or internationally, look for a shipping company that will give you shipping options. Make sure that they can crate your furniture or palletize it and ship it with freight companies. You also want to make sure that they offer an option  of blanket-wrapping domestically so that it can be sent with movers. Check to see if the company you are using has a minimum pound or size limit. You need to look for a company that will let you ship even a single piece of furniture.   

Ask if the company can pack small furniture and send it via UPS, FedEx, or DHL. If you are sending furniture via freight, make sure that the company can  pack the furniture completely and protect  it   on a pallet before freighting it.  

If you need to ship furniture overseas, check and see if the company has the capacity to send the furniture via cubic meters or via containers. See if the company has experience packing the furniture for international shipping. If you have delicate items make sure that the company has expertise in making custom crates with wood that is good for international shipping.

For more information on furniture shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

  US – UK – After the   recent discovery of explosive devices in freight consigned via passenger aircraft at two airports there was a review of security by politicians of both countries with British Home Secretary Theresa May and Transport Secretary Philip Hammond meeting with  U S Homeland  Security  Janet Napolitano during her London visit last week, to discuss the overall situation and the implementation of new techniques and procedures for verifying cargo safety in the future.

Last week Ms Napolitano announced the scrapping of the much derided ‘Traffic Light’ system for identifying security threat levels and its replacement by a threat specific alert christened the ‘National Terrorism Advisory System’ and the high level discussions are believed to have concentrated on establishing unified programmes for cargo inspection centred around securing the supply chain.

New procedures and initiatives agreed with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and with the cooperation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), whose Secretary General Efthimios Mitropoulos also had talks with the Homeland Security secretary whilst she was in the UK, are the first step in ever tightening controls.

The main thrust of the new initiatives seem to be designed to improve the odds for the security services who are currently very dependent on what Ms Napolitano describes as the ‘better intelligence streams’ the authorities are benefitting from by introducing a ‘Trusted Shipper’ programme and redoubling efforts to inspect any freight that lacks a spotless pedigree.

Such a programme may well weigh heavily against smaller freight forwarders who lack the muscle of the major shipping groups to whom the loss of such status might prove catastrophic. The scheme will parallel the trusted traveller schemes in which US residents can volunteer large amounts of personal information, including biometric identity, to ensure a rapid transit through airport passenger security checks.

Pack n send has reprinted this article taken from the Handy  Shipping News as a service to our customers.  With increasing worldwide security, we try and provide our customers with the latest adjustments in shipping.

 For more information on Houston shipping, packing, crating, cargo, freight and container shipping, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 This article from the Wall Street Journal has peaked our interest. While freight and cargo carrriers are consolidating operations and making green choices, the USPS is now taking huge steps for more efficeint and cost effective operations. 

HOLMES MILL, Ky.—The U.S. Postal Service plays two roles in America: an agency that keeps rural areas linked to the rest of the nation, and one that loses a lot of money.

Now, with the red ink showing no sign of stopping, the postal service is hoping to ramp up a cost-cutting program that is already eliciting yelps of pain around the country. Beginning in March, the agency will start the process of closing as many as 2,000 post offices, on top of the 491 it said it would close starting at the end of last year. In addition, it is reviewing another 16,000—half of the nation's existing post offices—that are operating at a deficit, and lobbying Congress to allow it to change the law so it can close the most unprofitable among them. The law currently allows the postal service to close post offices only for maintenance problems, lease expirations or other reasons that don't include profitability.

The news is crushing in many remote communities where the post office is often the heart of the town and the closest link to the rest of the country. Shuttering them, critics say, also puts an enormous burden on people, particularly on the elderly, who find it difficult to travel out of town.

The postal service argues that its network of some 32,000 brick-and-mortar post offices, many built in the horse-and-buggy days, is outmoded in an era when people are more mobile, often pay bills online and text or email rather than put pen to paper. It also wants post offices to be profitable to help it overcome record $8.5 billion in losses in fiscal year 2010.

For information about freight, cargo and furniture shipping, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Taken from handy shipping guide WORLDWIDE – Ever the innovators  Dhl Global Forwarding have come up with two solutions to an age old problem. Exporting or importing a car without any of the serious damage that can result even after the smallest bodywork scrape. For decades this particular cargo has been the bane of many a freight operator’s life and now refinement of a double rack system, plus a new innovative box built for motor vehicles, may well prove the answer for many.

The collapsible C3SB transport box and the double car rack facilitate the loading of vehicles and increase efficiency in using transport capacity. In addition, both systems offer protection against damage due to external factors during transport by air, sea and road, such as turbulences, heavy seas or poor roads. Both transport solutions have now been patented by the German Patent Office, (the freight forwarding side of DHL is of course a division of Deutsche Post DHL).

Racks to transport two cars within one container have of course been around a long time but the new model has a movable intermediate level enabling the car rack to be used to not only to store two sedan-sized vehicles on top of each other in a container but also two cars also need only one space in the main cargo hold of a freight aircraft.

Both systems provide for more efficient transport, and therefore increased environmental efficiency, than conventional containers. The advantages of these novel shipping concepts become evident particularly in multimodal transport. Cars no longer need to be unloaded and reloaded during combined road, sea and land transport, since the C3SB box and the car rack are equally suitable for all transport methods.

DHL automotive experts based the C3SB box on the principle of the collapsible boxes used in many households. Their sides fold inward to rest on the bottom of the box. This represents a major further improvement of efficiency compared to the previous C2SB model already successfully used. The movable walls and the cover of the so-called "Customized Car Safety Box" already provided sufficient space and the required flexibility needed when loading the vehicles and making them safe for transport. The C3SB version with its collapsible walls now enables several empty boxes to be piled on top of each other, which therefore occupy only one space during transport.

Hermann Ude, Chief Executive Officer DHL Global Forwarding, Freight said of the new systems:

"The transport box and the car rack offer clients from the automotive sector top-end solutions in terms of safety and flexibility of transport. They again underscore our comprehensive competency with respect to logistics for one of the most important industry sectors worldwide.”

Pack n send has take this article from Handy Shipping  Guide. It is another in our series of article about improvements and efficiencies  in freight and cargo shipping.

 For information about packing freight and cargo in Houston Texas, contact pack n send at  713 266 1450.

With the economy showing signs of improvement, now is the time to look at outsourcing. Pack n send offers professional packing services for artwork, and antiques.  We also provide packing and unpacking service for companies and individuals that are moving.

We have posted this information taken from mfrtech.com as a service to our customers.

By outsourcing, many businesses have been able to slash their business expenses, boost their bottom line and enhance shareholder value.

Still, not every company considers outsourcing as a viable alternative. During down times, some try to save money by completing all tasks in-house, even those outside their core function. In some cases, skilled workers are required to perform menial tasks or handle assignments beyond their knowledge or skill level.

But that is not an efficient way to operate. Every minute that skilled employees spend on such activities is wasted effort. Their employer is not capitalizing on their knowledge, experience or skill in order to add value to the organization. Employees could spend their time more wisely and efficiently by streamlining processes, improving product quality or developing creative solutions that enhance overall customer satisfaction.

For more information about outsourcing your custom packing Houstonand crating needs in Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450. Remember, pack n send offers crating and packing in Houston, Texas.  Pack n send specializes in freight shipping.

When shipping marble furniture, there are a few important things to consider.  First and foremost if it the marble can be removed from the piece of furniture.  You need to look for a company that has the capability to remove the marble. They also must have the ability to custom build a crate to place the marble in for shipping. Below we have listed some standard guidelines for crating the marble.

Depending on the size and fragility of the piece the crater should use up to 3 inches of Styrofoam on the bottom of the crate and 1-2 inches of Styrofoam on the sides and top. Before putting the piece into the crate, make sure that the marble has double or triple bubble surrounding it.

The crate should be closed with staples on the bottom and screws should be put on the top for easy opening.

Metal banding should be secured  around the crate.

 The company that you choose to crate your marble should offer both on site crating as well as crating at their facility.  The company should have a preferred list of shipping companies, as well as preferred movers for your delicate marble.  The company needs to offer valuation protection for your marble piece.

 For more information on marble shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

When you need to ship medical equipment look for a company that has experience packing and shipping high value and delicate items.

 Seek out a firm that ships for doctors offices, universities, hospitals and medical centers. Ask if they can box, crate or even wrap and palletize the shipment.

Do they have the capability to value your equipment for pick up and delivery?  Have they asked you if the equipment can be taken apart for less expensive shipping, or does it need to be kept completely set up and ready to use?  If the equipment can only be moved as a whole piece, can the company you choose send it in a truck for you? 

Due to the delicate and expensive nature of medical equipment, care must be taken when choosing a shipper.

Some of the more commonly shipped pieces of medical equipment that are shipped are:

high value diagnostic equipment

autoclaves

microscopes

physical therapy equipment

Ask if the company can box, crate and freight medical equipment.  Since each piece of medical equipment is handled differently, the company will need to look at each piece individually.  There may need to be protection on the lenses, arms, or feet of the equipment.

If you need to ship the medical equipment internationally, you will need to make sure that company you choose has experience with international shipping.

For more information about shipping medical equipment both domestically and internationally, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

When looking for someone to ship your car, make sure that they can ship for dealers, companies, and individuals.

Individuals taking vacations during summer may want to ship their vehicle to the destination as well as have it returned at the end of the stay.  This helps teenagers learning to drive continue to practice on the car that they will drive when going back to school in the fall.

If you are shipping overseas, make sure the auto shipper researches both containerized shipping as well as roll on roll off service.  Need the car shipped back to the states? Make sure your shipper has this capability as well.

Some other reasons for vehicle shipping may include:

• Corporate relocation
• Private or dealer auto sales
• Death of a family member 
• A cross-country or international move

No matter what the reason for your car shipping needs you need to locate someone with experience. If the price you are offered is too low, you may want to consider doing research on the company offering this low price.

Door to Door Vehicle Shipping

Convenience and customer satisfaction  should be the companies highest priorities.

Make sure to get an auto shipping quote before you ship your car.  If you request that the car be placed inside a container, make sure the company you are using has experience shipping cars.  The company you are contacting should always ask for make, model and year of the car.  They also need to let you know that the modifications to the vehicle must be taken off before loading.

No personal goods may be placed inside the car for shipping. 
The gas tank must contain less than 1/8 a tank of gas.

Pick up and delivery times should be scheduled by the shipping company.

1. Make sure that when shipping domestically, you are offered both door to door and  terminal to terminal service.

For more information about auto shipping both within the United States and internationally, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 Pack n send is posting this article from the Houston Chronicle.  This is the most current update on the closure of the Houston ship channel.  While it was anticipated that the ship channel would be open this morning, it looks like there is a slight delay.

 Ship Channel closure could be lifted today

By ZAIN SHAUK and JENALIA MORENO
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Problems clearing electrical tower delayed plans to reopen sooner

 After encountering unexpected difficulties Tuesday in clearing a damaged electrical tower from the Houston Ship Channel, workers hope today to end a three-day bottleneck at the Port of Houston.

At least 70 ships, including 33 oil tankers, were waiting Tuesday to leave or dock at the port. The U.S. Coast Guard cut off access to about three-fourths of the 150 terminals Sunday after a tug pushing three barges crashed into the 300-foot-tall electrical tower.

An average of two dozen vessels move through the port daily, generating about $322 million in economic activity.

Houston-area refiners receive crude oil shipments through the channel and have said that so far they've been able to continue operations using oil already on hand.

"Certainly having the Ship Channel open will improve conditions for everyone and we're eager to see the channel opened as quickly as possible," said David Harpole, a spokesman for LyondellBasell.

Valero had not expected a crude shipment before today, and a spokesman said its operations were not affected.

Unexpected delays

The Coast Guard and CenterPoint Energy, which owns the tower, had hoped to reopen the channel Tuesday night, but faced delays in cutting down some of the 14 cables — including 12 high-voltage wires — from the damaged structure, which was leaning precariously on one of the barges involved in the collision

An investigation continues into the cause of Sunday's accident.

Tuesday afternoon, a crew of 40 using four barges, two cranes and three tugboats was removing a cable from the tower when the cable hung up on other equipment, one of several unexpected delays, said Capt. Marcus Woodring, the Coast Guard's sector commander in the Houston-Galveston area.

"That's going to take a little while to untangle," he said. "It's not a showstopper, it'll get untangled, but it's just one of those unforeseen things."

No electricity was flowing through the lines.

After removing the cables, CenterPoint was expected to begin an operation to sever the steel tower from its crumpled base in the waterway, Woodring said.

"We have a shearing tool — like a hydraulic cutter — that hopefully will cut through the legs very easily and then we'll be able to lay the tower down on a barge," he said.

"We have a shearing tool — like a hydraulic cutter — that hopefully will cut through the legs very easily and then we'll be able to lay the tower down on a barge," he said.

Some optimism

Meantime, shipping companies awaited word on when they can resume transiting the channel.

"Every day that goes on, it gets more and more serious and there are more backups," said Niels Aalund, vice president of the West Gulf Maritime Association, which represents 183 shipping industry firms. Still, he said, "there's optimism that this can get opened up quickly."

Buffalo Marine Service, a Houston bunkering company, continues to work in terminals that remain open in Galveston and Texas City. But its business in the closed area of the channel has come to a halt.

"If there aren't any ships coming in that need fuel, we don't have much work to do," said company Vice President Chuck King.

For information about Houston shipping, crating and freighting, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 Pack n send is publishing this article taken from the Handy   Shipping News to show that weather and natural delays in freight do not only occur in the Untied States.

NEW ZEALAND – After our story  earlier this month  on the hardships endured in South Island in the wake of the earthquakes there were immediate disruptions the following day (15th September) when landslips on North Island in the Manawatu Gorge closed State Highway 3 to all traffic, including freight trucks. At that time the road was swiftly cleared and reopened within a few hours.

NEW ZEALAND – After our story earlier this month on the hardships endured in South Island in the wake of the earthquakes there were immediate disruptions the following day (15th September) when landslips on North Island in the Manawatu Gorge closed State Highway 3 to all traffic, including freight trucks. At that time the road was swiftly cleared and reopened within a few hours.

Now however the Gorge is closed to rail freight for the next two days at least after a further slip caused a train carrying a cargo of 400,000 litres of milk to derail yesterday (Saturday). The freight train was heading for Palmerston North from Hawkes Bay when upon rounding a bend the driver saw the blocked track. Despite efforts to stop in time the KiwiRail train ran into the earth slip, fortunately with no injuries to the crew. Another train also hit a slip at Taumarunui on Saturday morning, fortunately again with no injuries and no reports of major delays.

Further interruptions to cargo have occurred due to the persistent bad weather which closed State Highway 73 to high sided lorries and caravans when high winds threatened to overbalance tall vehicles and heavy snowfalls occurred in some mountain areas. The outlook however is good for the next few days with dire weather warnings lifted. Meanwhile the stricken milk locomotive remains stranded after the wagons were removed and towed via an alternative line to their destination and efforts to clear the earth fall using other trains continue whilst the main line at Kaikoura is due to open later today after almost two weeks following the massive landslip there.

Now however the Gorge is closed to rail freight for the next two days at least after a further slip caused a train carrying a cargo of 400,000 liters of milk to derail yesterday (Saturday). The freight train was heading for Palmerston North from Hawkes Bay when upon rounding a bend the driver saw the blocked track. Despite efforts to stop in time the KiwiRail train ran into the earth slip, fortunately with no injuries to the crew. Another train also hit a slip at Taumarunui on Saturday morning, fortunately again with no injuries and no reports of major delays.

Further interruptions to cargo have occurred due to the persistent bad weather which closed State Highway 73 to high sided lorries and caravans when high winds threatened to overbalance tall vehicles and heavy snowfalls occurred in some mountain areas. The out look however is good for the next few days with dire weather warnings lifted. Meanwhile the stricken milk locomotive remains stranded after the wagons were removed and towed via an alternative line to their destination and efforts to clear the earth fall using other trains continue whilst the main line at Kaikoura is due to open later today after almost two weeks following the massive landslip there.

For information on freight and cargo shipping, please contact  pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send is re printing this article first published by the Port of Houston.  Keeping the Port of Houston and Houston Waterways clean is just one way to protect the environment. Maybe even more important, it protects ships from damage due to floating debris, and keeps cargo moving safely and efficiently through the Port of Houston.

 -Freight Shipping & ReceivingTwo events in August showed that keeping trash out of Houston area waterways is an important part of environmental stewardship for Port Commissioner Elyse Lanier, the Port of Houston Authority, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the city of Houston and several other public agencies and private organizations. 

The August 7 Eco Bash on the Bayou brought out more than 200 volunteers — including 20 Port SupPORTers — who helped bag sand for hurricane preparedness and collected debris along the Sabine Promenade of Buffalo Bayou.

Shell Oil Company and PHA were the anchoring partners of the August 13 celebration on Houston’s East End that marked the start of the fourth year of the Clean & Green Port of Houston Program. The ongoing public-private partnership uses community service workers from the Harris County judiciary system to clear debris from the banks along Buffalo Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel. Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the managing partner with support from the Greater East End Management District, Harris County Constable Precinct 6, and the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department.

For more information about cargo shipping and cargo loading from the Port of Houston, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

US - Despite much wrangling the pollution statistics around the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles speak for themselves. Even critics of the way California has introduced clean air regulation, and these include trucking bodies who lost a Court appeal on Wednesday over the contentious issue of independents having to be employees of LA port approved organizations  must admit that the quantity of atmospheric pollutants in the air has fallen dramatically with newer or newly modified vehicles mandatory and improvements in  fuel grades employed by  companies.

Now the same fight is being taken on by other major ports around the States.

The next phase is to see a  nation wide standard for fuel. This is the only  way to ensure problems are not simply transferred around the country.

We have taken excerpts of this article from Handy Shipping Guide. Pack n send has been at the forefront of maintaining a clean environment since opening business in 1981.

For more information on both helping the environment and shipping, crating and freight, please contact pack n send  in Houston at 713 266 1450.

www.pack-n-send.com

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The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will receive a stronger surge in imports than expected in the first half of 2010, rising as much as 28% over previous year levels, as the long-awaited economic recovery continues to gather strength, according to a report released Monday by the National Retail Federation.

Overall, imports into the nation's major container ports is expected to rise 25% during the first six months of the year, compared with the year-earlier period.

The projection shows that at least some economists are expecting steady progress at a time when others are fretting over the possibility of a double-dip recession. Previous forecasts for the local ports and for the nation's busiest harbors for container cargo had predicted lukewarm improvement at best for the first half of the year.

But Hackett Associates, which tracks import data every month for some of the nation's biggest retailers, said that it was noticing positive signs from a number of indicators. One of those was the fact that the record number of ships that were laid up or idled for lack of work last year has begun to drop substantially.

"This forecast assumes that we are not in a double-dip recession and that a recovery is underway," said Ben Hackett, founder of the consulting firm. "The forecast for 2010 points towards growth."

The National Retail Federation, which had previously been quite cautious about the pace of the economic recovery, let go of those inhibitions Monday.

"This is a dramatic turnaround over what we've seen during the past two years," said Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy for the retail federation.

Gold cautioned that increases in import volumes don't mean that retailers will record the same improvement in sales. "But retailers are clearly expecting to move more merchandise this year," he said.

Hackett's monthly report, called Port Tracker, covers imports at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach - the nation's largest - as well as Oakland; Seattle; Tacoma, Wash.; New York/New Jersey; Virginia; Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Houston.

Those ports handled a combined 1.1 million containers in December, the latest month for which actual numbers are available. That was unchanged from November but represented a 2.6% increase over December 2008.

Hackett said those numbers broke a 28-month streak in which monthly import totals were lower than the same month the year before. In 2009, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled 6.75 million and 5.1 million cargo containers, respectively, their lowest totals in several years.

• n Ronald D. White

 Article on Improved outlook for imports taken form the L. A. Times

If you are looking at importing into the United States, or exporting worldwide, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

http://www.pack-n-send.com/

It is time to get rid of all your old papers, tax returns and documents you want to dispose of. Clean out your closets and find your old bank statements, credit card bills, and tax returns.

Protect your identity!

You should shred all documents with personal information to protect your identity from fraud.

Until January 15, 2010, Pack n Send is offering $.65 a pound for document shredding. We want you to start the New Year with a clean household.

We offer personal service along with bargain document shredding services.

Bring your old documents in bags, sacks or boxes and we will unload them from your vehicle. Please contact us with any questions. For information about packing, shipping, freight, and moving, please call pack n send  at 713 266 1450.

Today we have the pleasure of shipping 50 boxes of truffles for Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland!

We wish we could eat all of these chocolates ourselves, they smell so tasty. Teuscher Chocolates was founded over 70 years ago by one of the world's greatest chocolatiers, Dolf Teuscher. He searched the world for the finest cocoa, marzipan, fruits, nuts, and other ingredients. After years of experimenting, he skillfully blended them into his now famous recipes.

Pack n Send can ship, move, and freight any item anywhere in the world. If you need a chocolate fix, visit the Teuscher Las Vegas website. If you need a shipping fix, call us at 713-266-1450 or request a shipping quote.