Container loading: how windows actually pack

The two ways a container gets loaded

Flat-processed units load denser: profiles, glass, hardware and gaskets as separate packs, assembled on site. Factory-assembled sashes load as finished units, which is slightly less dense but converts container space into site-hour savings. On a coastal or multi-storey job the assembled route usually wins on total cost even though the flat pack fills more of the box.

How a frame stack works

Frames load on their long edge, interleaved with protection at the corners and along the face, banded so the stack cannot shift in the crossing. The extruded profile is strongest along its length, so the load is carried by the frame, not the mitre. Heavy members — the barrier-free threshold housing, the large fixed stiles — go in their own bundle with the handling marks the crane crew reads.

The crate list and the loading report

Two documents do the work at the dock. The loading report is issued per bay as the container is filled, so the position of every bundle is on the record before the doors close. The crate list runs per crate, matching crate to floor and to the shop drawing, which is what the site agent claims against. If a lite is damaged in transit, the report puts it on the record at the bay, photographed before the unit reaches the opening — which is what the claim runs on.

What changes the container count

• Assembled or flat: assembled sashes add the bench work but cost little volume; flat packs denser but moves labour on site.
• The glazing: impact and laminated lites are heavier and travel crated to a higher standard, which affects both the pack and the lifting plan.
• The timber face: wood-aluminium (WA-70) travels with the timber protected against the humidity cycle, which adds wrap and can add a fraction of volume.
• The destination: the same pack loads to a 20 ft or 40 ft box depending on the run, and the packing list is issued to match the container actually booked.