A skid is one of the most useful industrial tools on the market today.  Skids aid in the transportation and packaging of goods, making them invaluable for any business where product will be moved.  But how much do we know about skids?  Are we using them to their full potential and are we using them at all?  Understanding the packaging tools you’re working with is imperative to using them at maximum efficiency.

Are skids and pallets the same?

Yes and No.  Especially in the custom world.  Both are used to transport goods, but while pallet is typically a generic term, skids are typically custom designed to fit specific equipment, especially in the industrial world.

Why use a custom skid?

Custom skids will be designed by FCA to use the right material, design, engineering and quality considerations for transport.  Product usage, shipment destinations, quality considerations, the value of the product being shipped, and economic/price considerations are all reasons for needing custom designed skids as opposed to standard pallets.  Custom skids will be designed exactly for the use, weight, and intent of your product in shipment.

Are there different types of skids?  What are they good for?

Yes! Custom skids can be anything you need them to be based on the economics, shipment, products and other requirements.  If durability is what you’re looking for, then a steel/wood hybrid skid would be a great option for your business.   Good custom steel/wood hybrid skids are difficult to engineer, in fact FCA has a patent pending for one!  Hybrids are a great innovation by FCA as they lower total packaging costs.