How to guide: shipping large medical equipment

An important question to ask is whether you should ship your large medical equipment fully assembled or in component parts.

Whilst the former makes life easier for the recipient, it can make the packaging requirement much more challenging.

Sending items disassembled does mean extra work for the healthcare facility you are sending the items to or potentially having your team of engineers on-site to assemble the equipment. However, it can allow for the equipment to be shipped in smaller consignments or even just in a reconfigured layout within the existing pack.

However, if you do this, your packaging must ensure that no parts are lost or damaged and that your customers can access parts in the order in which they need them for assembly.

Whether you are shipping your large medical device in one piece or disassembled, you must consider how easily your staff and users can pack/unpack the equipment.

For your staff, due to the equipment size, the pack may need to be assembled around the unit at the end of production.

Conversely, the end user is unlikely to have aids such as winches, forklifts, or other handling equipment. As such, it is vital that you consider how they will get the equipment out of the pack and into position. For example, where equipment is on a pallet, could you include ramps so that the item can be “rolled” off and into position?

In a similar vein, if you are sending single-use packs to customers, it can help to consider how they dispose of the pack after unpacking. For example, do they have facilities to easily dispose of timber cases or pallets, or could corrugated cardboard be used instead?

Your device or equipment may be prone to damage caused by humidity, condensation, or moisture. Your packaging should protect against all of this, whether through waterproof materials (cardboard can become water-resistant with specialist coatings), VCI properties, or even the inclusion of desiccants.

Similarly, medical devices can be damaged by electrostatic discharge. As such, you may also need to consider suitable conductive packaging materials.

While it is unlikely that your equipment will be shipped containing or alongside hazardous materials, there are some scenarios where this may occur.

It is also becoming frequently common for devices to use lithium-ion batteries, which are themselves classified as hazardous.

Any packaging you use to send hazardous material must meet specific guidelines (e.g., UN3480 for lithium batteries), and you must also inform your shipping provider.

Beyond your packaging, finding and working with a suitable transport provider is crucial.

There are several businesses that specialise in the shipment of delicate and expensive goods. They will have the experience and knowledge specific to your application to help avoid costly damage during transit.

However, including appropriate handling symbols and instructions on your medical equipment packaging is still helpful, as this can further prevent damage.

This is another obvious point, but insurance for your products during their journey to your customers is essential. This is particularly true when shipping large medical equipment that is particularly expensive or vital for patients’ health.

Tracking shipments can also be helpful, particularly when shipping a dissembled item in multiple packs/consignments.

If you ship large medical devices overseas, several considerations are specific to this.

For example, any timber used in your pack must be ISPM 15 certified. You may need to consider the size of the pallets that the countries you are exporting to typically use. You’ll have to think about additional protection for the conditions your packaging may face (most likely as sea freight). And you’ll also need a suitable export packing list.

Making adequate provisions for these points ensures that your shipment is not delayed (or worse) during its journey.

If you ship the same item semi-regularly and can cost-effectively have your packs returned, returnable packaging should be a strong consideration.

Not only does reusing a pack over multiple shipments significantly reduce your expenditure (by minimising the cost per trip and lifetime costs), but it also minimises your environmental impact. You’ll use less material, send less to landfills, and use less energy in recycling and remanufacturing processes.

However, returning particularly heavy or large packs can be uneconomical and inefficient if you do not already have vehicles coming back to your sites or are shipping overseas.

Why is proper medical equipment shipping crucial? For medical institutions and manufacturers alike, the consequences of damaged or delayed equipment extend beyond financial losses. Patient care can rely on the timely and intact delivery of these assets. Hence, prioritising efficient shipping processes is paramount.

Fortunately, at GWP, we are already well-versed in creating bespoke packaging for individual applications and products for the medical industry. From selecting the right material, technology, and even testing, our designers and packaging experts can provide the guidance you need.

So, if you would like to speak to one of our experts to source packaging for shipping large medical equipment, please do not hesitate to get in touch.