How to Ship Architectural Glass Products…the Right Way
Is Your Glass Manufacturer Taking Every Shipping Precaution?
You’ve invested time, energy, and money into the design and creation of the perfect architectural glass product. Maybe that’s a custom glass countertop. Perhaps it’s the glass floor you’ve always dreamed about. It could even be stunning dichroic glass for a public art installation. Whatever the project, the last thing you want is to discover it’s been damaged or destroyed during shipping. Here are the important questions to ask your glass manufacturer about their shipping policies.
5 Questions to Ask Your Glass Manufacturer about Shipping
1. Where do you ship your architectural glass products?
The first question to ask your glass manufacturer is where they can ship their products. If, for example, they only ship within the contiguous United States and you’re outside those borders, you want to know this right away.
Either you’ll have to choose another glass manufacturer or you’ll have to make separate shipping arrangements. The sooner you plan for this, the better.
2. What does shipping cost? Who is responsible for paying?
Safely and securely shipping architectural glass products, such as glass countertops or glass flooring, is an investment.
Before you agree to work with any specific glass manufacturer, get answers to these payment-related questions:
- How much will the shipping cost?
- Who is responsible for covering the shipping costs (client or manufacturer)?
- Does the estimate I received for my architectural glass product include shipping, or will that be an additional cost?
3. What does your shipping process entail?
Don’t be afraid to ask a potential glass manufacturer to outline their process for ensuring the safe and successful delivery of your glass product.
For example, here’s a quick rundown of what TCG Glass does with every glass shipment:
- Every product shipment is adequately and properly insured.
- TCG Glass hand makes custom reinforced furniture-quality wooden crates for each glass project.
- All glass is packaged with foam.
- Tip-N-Tell indicators are added to the inside and outside of every crate. (Adding them inside as well safeguards against the accidental or intentional removal of the exterior labels.)
- Within North America, our glass is shipped with air-ride common carrier trucks. (This is gentler on packages than traditional steel spring suspension.)
- Photos are provided during packaging and after crating to confirm the condition upon leaving our factory.
- Receiving and inspection instructions and a bill of lading are provided. This allows for tracking and delivery scheduling, where applicable.
4. What’s your shipping success rate?
Just because architectural glass products are made from glass, many assume breakage or damage during transit is common. It doesn’t have to be.
TCG Glass manufactures and ships its products globally and maintains a 98 percent rate of delivery without incident.
Don’t be afraid to press your glass manufacturer to see if their shipping record holds up to your expectations and standards.
5. Can you accommodate other shipping arrangements?
Say you’ve vetted your glass manufacturer, and you’re impressed with what you’ve seen. Their experience. Expertise. Pricing. Portfolio.
You want to work with them, but you’re not happy with their shipping policies.
Don’t hesitate to ask if alternate shipping arrangements can be made. Many manufacturers will be able to accommodate reasonable requests, such as the use of specific carrier services.
Want to Learn More about Shipping Architectural Glass Products?
Do you have any questions about the shipping process TCG Glass uses for their glass products?
Don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to explain our processes.
