The movement of timber and plywood makes up an extremely important, and sometimes tricky, part of logistics – which is exactly why we ensure to get the process right every time.

The demand and need for timber and plywood transport is high, mostly because of the wide variety of uses they provide. Said materials are used heavily within the construction and home heating sectors among others, therefore, they’re massively in demand worldwide.

So, with this being such an important element of the logistics industry, how exactly does it work? Here are the ins and outs of timber and plywood transport and how they get from A to B…

The History of Sea Freight for Timber & Plywood

Timber and plywood transport refers to the movement of timber and wood usually from a forest/timber producer to the likes of construction sites and product manufacturers. Forest Research reported that Estonia was the largest single source of sawn hardwood imports to the UK, with Brazil, Sweden and the Netherlands providing around two-thirds of wood pulp imports to the country.

As you can imagine, materials like these are typically very large and sent in huge bulk quantities, so it can prove challenging when transporting from one place to another. For national destinations and short-haul journeys, timber and plywood transportation can be carried out by specialised trucks, however, the most popular method of transporting timber and plywood is by sea freight – being a more cost-efficient option.

Sea freight transport of timber and plywood has itself seen a number of changes in recent years. Traditionally, containerised movement was common, however, favour swiftly moved towards break bulk vessels where product is shipped in individually counted units. However, recently, we have seen sea freight rates falling and more customers moving cargo from bulk break vessels to traditional, containerised movements – which in our opinion is a much more effective means of transport for this type of cargo.

Sea freight makes it extremely easy for timber and plywood to be imported/exported abroad, ensuring a safe, effective and efficient mode of transport for materials that hold great importance within the construction industry.

Difficulties with Timber & Plywood Haulage

As with any large, bulky item that is transported on an international level in high quantities, the movement of timber and plywood brings with it a number of challenges.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure you partner with a haulage and logistics company that is dependable and experienced when it comes to such transportation.

Let’s take a look at some of the key mistakes it’s important to avoid to ensure a smooth and seamless process:

Inaccurate Calculations

Timber is very heavy and large in dimension, which means it’s imperative to calculate your shipment as accurately as possible to ensure the most suitable cargo vessel is selected and the process of loading/offloading and securing the timber goes off without a hitch.

Insufficient Packaging

Another critical factor when it comes to timber and plywood transport is the packaging used. Packaging needs to be safe and secure in order for the timer and plywood to arrive in good condition.

Avoiding moisture and any damage to the plywood and timber is key – packaging the materials thoroughly to ensure no corners are been damaged, and no moisture has been allowed to seep into the package is crucial.

Industry Leading Timber & Plywood Logistics

No matter what part of the journey you require assistance with, AGL are on-hand to help. We have complete timber warehousing facilities to store your products before shipment or after delivery. Our dedicated team will ensure it is well looked after, so it arrives and leaves in the same top condition, and is stored correctly until it needs to be transported.

With extensive levels of experience and knowledge in this area, our entire process is completely streamlined regardless of the number of services you require.

We provide solutions – ensuring that the transport vehicles are able to carry timber and plywood, as well as providing short timber options and ensuring a smooth and efficient journey.

How We Can Help

Timber and plywood transport is a large part of logistics, and although it can come with difficulties – we are here to help.

Our extensive expertise in handling timber and plywood products ensures that we are able to advise the best mode of haulage for you. We also have the ability to complete customs clearance paperwork with total accuracy and compliance.

We have many factors playing in our favour; we are positioned in a prime location, seasoned in timber and plywood products, and are well-connected within the logistics industry. All of these qualities enable us to deliver a high-quality service that you can rely on.

We also offer a fully comprehensive customs clearance service, ensuring your shipments are always fully customs-compliant. With a dedicated department of customs clearance agents, you can have complete peace of mind when you hand over your customs clearance responsibilities to us; your international border control transits will be as smooth as possible.

Get in touch with us today at info@aglog.co.uk to find out more about our timber logistics services.