ABOUT DUNNAGE BAGS
Dunnage airbags are inflatable bags for use in securing and stabilizing cargo transported by land, rail and sea. They are available in a variety of sizes (typically between 3 and 8 feet in length) and various types in order to correctly protect loads under different transport conditions.
It is basically an airtight polyethylene bladder bag that, when inflated with compressed air, serves as a brace to prevent shifting of cargo loads. For most uses, the polyethylene bag is placed inside of a protective outer covering of woven polypropylene, or in some cases, kraft paper. An opening in the bladder bag permits airflow into and out of the bag and is fitted with a stem valve to control inflation and deflation of the bag and prevent leakage of air from an inflated bag. Bags are placed in the void between cargo units, such as pallets, cases, crates, barrels and coils, then inflated to pressures between 2 and 10 psi, depending on the specific type and application.
Upon inflation, the bags serve as a light-weight, yet strong brace to prevent shifting of cargo during movement of a truck-trailer, freightcar or shipping container during transport.The bags are also used to provide a bulkhead between the walls of the transport container and the cargo contained within it.
The use of dunnage bags in transporting cargo (such as consumer goods, electronics, commodities, foods and beverages, and any other items) saves manufacturers, distributors and sellers, and shippers of all types, time and money by reducing losses due to damage of cargo in transit. Moreover, because shifting of loads within containers is a significant factor in transportation accidents, dunnage bags also perform a safety function by decreasing the impact of load shifting.
Dunnage bags are simple to use and require only a compressed air source and a valve-compatible inflator tool (provided by us) for inflation. The ease of use, low-weight and re-usability of our dunnage bags make them some of the most easily-managed and cost effective cargo protection and safety measures available to shippers today.
Dunnage bags are used in transporting products and materials of many industries. For example, approximately 40% of all shipments in the food distribution industry use airbags for damage prevention purposes. Additionally, transportation providers, such as railroads and trucking companies, utilize dunnage bags for load securement. The importance of this use is underscored by actions of government regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (www.fmcsa.dot.gov), as well as standards-setting organizations, such as the Association of American Railroads (www.aar.org), which have established regulations that must be complied with by carriers operating in interstate commerce. The main requirement, which is cargo securement, specifically includes dunnage bags as one measure for achieving compliance.