Hi all!
It’s Maya again from the do-business and be-event team. This blog will contain a lot of visuals, so I hope it’s more interesting to read 😊
So, I will continue my series: the journey of our first export.
If you remember from my last blog, I mentioned several things that you need to prepare during the stuffing process. I will break it down and explain it one by one.
1. Packing
The 1 ton of cashew nuts and 2 tons of fermented cacao beans had been packed in boxes and sacks. However, it was not enough to just pack them that way because it would be prone to damage during the shipping. I talked about this in the first part of my exporting series. The logistic company told us about the difference between plastic and wooden pallets and as the final decision from the client, she requested to use the plastic pallets. The dimension per plastic pallets is 110*110*12cms. Even though it can contain up to 15kgs, we did not take up space completely, especially for the cashew nuts. Why? From the first time the goods arrived at the warehouse, the producer suggested us not stack the boxes more than 3 boxes tall, because they were afraid that it will press the box underneath and affect the quality of cashew nuts - for the nuts could break. Before we stacked everything into each plastic pallet, we will do the naming and numbering of goods. Ooh right!! we were not only doing that but also grouping the goods based on the IPL. This will make it easier for the receiver or the import company to check the goods with the IPL and other documents. After stacking, naming, and grouping, we covered the goods with plastic. The temperature of the container can be lower during the shipping, so we made sure that it’s wrapped safely, and here are the photos of the packing process. It was fun to see this process ^^
2. The Stuffing Process
Everything is already packed in plastic pallets. I don’t have much to share in this process. At that time we just waited for the container to arrive, saw the staff driving the forklift and placing everything into the container. Because I can drive, this was very exciting for me. All eyes to that forklift, how the driver picked and stacked the goods carefully into the fork. I think it was not easy to predict the size and weight of the goods so it’s not too heavy or light. From the driver's point of view, it is also difficult to transfer the goods into the container. Imagine, you need to lift it precisely to the container. As the driver, you need to do it really carefully. Once you can’t manage and control the stability, you can drop and damage all the goods >,<. I know it sounds dramatic but it was! xD Please look at the pictures below, how smooth was the process of inserting to the container ^^
3. Container check
So, everything was inside the container. We did not just close and seal it, but we had to wait until the temperature was set. As per the client's requested, the logistic company can provide the vent and temperature controller inside the container. While we were waiting for the temperature, we had a chance to chat with the driver and co-driver. As I told you, this was my first experience handling export, I asked them about the exporting process and their experience of delivering goods overseas. I experienced standing in the mid of the machine and they taught me how to operate all those buttons (see the pictures below). They told me about the components of the container and to set up everything. Before I forgot, the driver, the one with the black and white shirt is Pak Agung, and the blue one, the co-driver is Pak Teguh. They are from Surabaya, Jawa Timur and has been handling export and import for years. Thanks to them, I got a chance to climb up the container and learn how the facility works.
After everything is set, we closed the container and sealed it. Once you have sealed it, it can’t be opened by anyone except the receiver. These are the photos of setting up the temperature and vent until it’s sealed.
I think I shared a lot already on this blog. There were still more things to be checked after all the processes above, so I will continue it on my next blog. But again, there is so much detail to look out for in this process! Even after completing all the documents, the procedure of putting the goods in the container really needed careful attention. I learned to have an eye for detail for these things and why it is so important. I have respect for these people, as I cannot imagine having broken products had it been another company with less care for details. Thank you for always reading my blog. Stay healthy and safe, see you!!