Built for the Forklift: Why Skid and Runner Design Matters as Much as the Crate Itself
Picture a crate that leaves the dock in perfect shape. The walls are solid, the equipment inside is braced tight, and everything looks ready for the road. Then it reaches a busy receiving dock, a forklift driver comes in at a slight angle, and one of the runners underneath splits. The load shifts, and suddenly a well-built crate is sitting on a damaged base. Most people picture shipping damage happening out on the highway. In our experience, a lot of it happens in the few seconds a forklift lifts the load.
That is why we spend just as much time on what sits under your equipment as on what surrounds it. The skid is the base of the crate, and the runners are the heavy timbers that run along its length so forks can slide underneath. When runners are too thin for the weight they carry, they crack under a lift. When they are spaced poorly, forks can catch the equipment instead of the base. A properly designed skid spreads the load evenly and gives the forks a clean, strong place to lift from, whether the driver approaches from the side or the end.
We also think about where the crate is going, because every destination handles freight a little differently. Some receiving docks use pallet jacks, others use large forklifts, and some heavy pieces are lifted by crane. Knowing that ahead of time changes how we size the runners and where we mark the center of gravity. We have seen firsthand how a simple change to the base of a crate can stop a pattern of damage that had been costing a customer time and money.
If your freight keeps arriving with cracked bases or shifted loads, the fix may be closer than you think. Our team has spent more than 50 years building crates for the real world, forklifts included. Tell us what you are shipping and where it is headed, and we will design a base that holds up from our dock to yours. Request a quote today and let’s get your next shipment off on the right foot.
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