Dunnage
Material used to protect and secure cargo during transit.
Definition
Dunnage includes pallets, foam, airbags, and other materials that prevent movement and damage of goods inside containers or trucks.
Overview of Dunnage
Dunnage refers to materials used to protect, stabilize, secure, and separate cargo during transportation and storage. The term encompasses a broad range of materials and devices — wood blocking and bracing, inflatable airbags, foam dunnage bags, corrugated dividers, void fill materials, edge protectors, pallet cushions, and industrial packaging inserts — all serving the common purpose of preventing cargo damage by immobilizing it within the shipping container, pallet, or trailer and absorbing shock and vibration forces during transit. Dunnage is as old as maritime trade (ship dunnage was originally wooden planks laid in cargo holds to keep freight above bilge water) and remains essential in modern supply chains. In the context of less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload freight, trailer dunnage — particularly airbag dunnage and wood blocking — is used to fill voids between cargo loads and trailer walls, preventing freight from shifting during transit. Inadequate dunnage is one of the leading causes of in-transit freight damage claims, making dunnage selection and application a cost-control practice as much as a physical requirement. For automotive and industrial manufacturing supply chains, precision dunnage — custom-engineered foam, plastic, or metal racks designed to hold specific part geometries — is a critical quality requirement, as dimensional damage to precision parts can render them unusable. On WareMatch, dunnage is relevant to warehouse operators that perform outbound load building, pack station operations, and value-added packaging services. A facility's dunnage practices directly affect freight damage rates, which in turn affect client satisfaction and claims administration costs. 3PLs that use weight-appropriate dunnage, train packers on void fill standards, and track damage rates by carrier and lane have demonstrably better freight quality outcomes than those treating dunnage as a commodity afterthought.
Role
Material used to protect and secure cargo during transit.
Focus
Dunnage refers to materials used to protect, stabilize, secure, and separate cargo during transportation and storage. The term encompasses a broad range of materials and devices — wood blocking and bracing, inflatable airbags, foam dunnage bags, corrugated dividers, void fill materials, edge protectors, pallet cushions, and industrial packaging inserts — all serving the common purpose of preventing cargo damage by immobilizing it within the shipping container, pallet, or trailer and absorbing shock and vibration forces during transit. Dunnage is as old as maritime trade (ship dunnage was originally wooden planks laid in cargo holds to keep freight above bilge water) and remains essential in modern supply chains. In the context of less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload freight, trailer dunnage — particularly airbag dunnage and wood blocking — is used to fill voids between cargo loads and trailer walls, preventing freight from shifting during transit. Inadequate dunnage is one of the leading causes of in-transit freight damage claims, making dunnage selection and application a cost-control practice as much as a physical requirement. For automotive and industrial manufacturing supply chains, precision dunnage — custom-engineered foam, plastic, or metal racks designed to hold specific part geometries — is a critical quality requirement, as dimensional damage to precision parts can render them unusable. On WareMatch, dunnage is relevant to warehouse operators that perform outbound load building, pack station operations, and value-added packaging services. A facility's dunnage practices directly affect freight damage rates, which in turn affect client satisfaction and claims administration costs. 3PLs that use weight-appropriate dunnage, train packers on void fill standards, and track damage rates by carrier and lane have demonstrably better freight quality outcomes than those treating dunnage as a commodity afterthought.
Example
See the definition above for context.
Benefits
- Reduces in-transit freight damage and associated claims costs, which can represent a meaningful percentage of annual freight spend for shippers with fragile or damage-prone product lines.
- Protects package integrity during LTL transit, where freight is typically handled multiple times at intermediate terminals under conditions less controlled than a dedicated TL move.
- Enables higher stack heights and load densities in trailers and containers by providing structural support and weight distribution between layers.
- Custom precision dunnage for industrial or automotive parts eliminates handling damage that would cause part rejection in quality-sensitive manufacturing environments.
- Reusable dunnage systems (plastic returnable containers, foam inserts, rack systems) reduce ongoing materials cost and packaging waste compared to single-use disposable dunnage.
- Proper dunnage documentation supports freight claim resolution — demonstrating adequate packaging was used shifts liability more clearly to the carrier in damage disputes.
FAQs
Q: What is the most common type of dunnage used in truck freight?
A: Inflatable dunnage bags (airbags) are the most widely used dunnage in truckload and LTL trailer loading. They are inflated to fill the void space between loads and trailer walls or between pallet loads, immobilizing cargo without the labor intensity of wood blocking. Paper airbags are standard for most general freight; woven poly airbags are used for heavier loads where higher inflation pressure and tear resistance are required.
Q: How does void fill differ from structural dunnage?
A: Void fill (air pillows, paper fill, foam peanuts, crumpled kraft paper) is used inside individual cartons to prevent product movement within the package — it's a packaging application. Structural dunnage is used between packages or loads in a trailer or container to prevent movement of larger freight units. Both serve the same anti-movement purpose but at different scales and with different material choices.
Q: When should a shipper invest in custom precision dunnage?
A: Custom precision dunnage is warranted when the product has specific dimensional requirements (precision machined parts, electronics assemblies, fragile formed components), when damage rates with standard packaging are unacceptable, when the product value per unit makes damage costs significant, or when a customer's receiving quality standards require it. Automotive OEM supply chains routinely specify custom dunnage as a supplier requirement.
Q: Are there sustainability considerations with dunnage?
A: Yes. Single-use foam peanuts, plastic airbags, and disposable corrugated dunnage generate significant packaging waste. Sustainable alternatives include paper-based airbags (recyclable), kraft paper void fill (recyclable), mushroom packaging (compostable), and most significantly, returnable dunnage programs where containers and inserts are designed for multiple use cycles. For high-volume, closed-loop supply chains (manufacturing supplier networks, for example), returnable dunnage systems can reduce both ongoing materials cost and environmental impact.