Plan a shipment: from cartons to loading metres and costs

Starting data

40 identical cartons, each 400 × 300 × 250 mm and 12 kg. Pallet: 1200 × 800 × 144 mm, tare 25 kg, maximum loaded height 1500 mm, payload 600 kg. Horizontal rotation allowed; no tipping, overhang or interlayers.

1. Dimensional weight of the loose cartons

40 × 30 × 25 cm ÷ 5000 = 6 kg per carton. Actual weight is 12 kg per carton. Sum of the higher values: 40 × 12 = 480 kg.

Carton volume is 40 × 0.03 = 1.20 m³. Use the divisor and rounding rules from your tariff. For shipment as a loaded pallet, use its outer shipping dimensions and total weight rather than automatically carrying over loose-carton figures.

2. Arrange the cartons on the pallet

Four 300-mm sides along the length and two 400-mm sides across give 8 cartons per layer. Five layers give 40 cartons. Loaded height: 144 + 5 × 250 = 1394 mm. Total weight: 40 × 12 + 25 = 505 kg.

The 480 kg cargo is within the 600 kg payload. A geometric pattern does not establish stacking strength, load capacity or cargo restraint. Pattern search does not guarantee a global optimum.

3. Estimate vehicle floor demand

With 2.40 m usable vehicle width: 1.20 × 0.80 ÷ 2.40 = 0.40 loading metres for one unstacked pallet.

Use actual outer cargo dimensions if it overhangs. Loading metres compare areas; clearances, orientation, weight and the actual arrangement may change the requirement. Use the load planner to check spatial placement.

4. Plan warehouse area for ten such pallets

For ten pallets stored simultaneously without stacking in floor storage: position length 1.20 m, depth 0.80 m, assigned aisle width 2.00 m. Storage plus aisles: 10 × 1.20 × (0.80 + 2.00) = 33.60 m². At an 80% area share: 33.60 ÷ 0.80 = 42.00 m² gross area.

This step explicitly extends the example to ten pallets. The full aisle width is assigned to each position, without automatic aisle sharing. Actual routes, columns, fire protection and storage equipment need separate planning.

5. Compare costs for the one shipment

Example prices for the 40-carton shipment: transport €180, packaging €40, storage €30. Total: €250. With a reference quantity of 40 cartons: 250 ÷ 40 = €6.25 per carton.

The three amounts are line totals, not unit prices. Compare equal services and quantities in scenarios A and B. The €30 storage cost is an independent price assumption, not an amount automatically derived from 42 m². Treat taxes, surcharges and currencies consistently.

Figures to carry forward

For transport and spatial planning: 1200 × 800 × 1394 mm and 505 kg including the pallet. For cost per carton: 40 cartons. Carton volume, loaded pallet volume, loading metres and warehouse area describe different quantities and should not simply be added together.