Connecticut-based Packaging and Crating Technologies is helping to mitigate moving costs for military families by offering a lightweight, durable and reusable corrugated cardboard container system that transports all household items and equipment more cost-effectively, safely and sustainably. Photo courtesy of PACT LLC.Approximately 450,000 military families move each year due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, while around 200,000 service members transition to civilian life. According to MissionRollCall.org, the total cost of a PCS can range from a few thousand to over 10 thousand dollars, depending on fluctuating freight rates. One Connecticut manufacturing company is helping to make moving more affordable and effortless for our military heroes by offering a unique line of lightweight cardboard moving and shipping containers that reduce exorbitant freight costs, maximize warehouse storage space and increase environmental sustainability. Specifically, Packaging and Crating Technologies (PACT®), emphasizes the importance of eco-friendly shipping, crating and packaging systems during November National Military Families Month.
“We have supplied our patented moving crates to all branches of the military for the past 18 years,” said Rodger Mort, CEO at PACT. “Our customized cardboard containers are half the weight of a full wooden crate, which can mean sizable savings. What’s more, their durable nature allows easy stack-ability and reusability for hundreds of moves, which has helped make them the only military approved corrugated crates for household goods.”
Mort notes that PACT’s line has helped counterbalance recent spikes in freight rates even with carriers implementing General Rate Increases (GRIs) this month by averaging savings of $700 per load going coast to coast.
Most importantly, the corrugated container systems have been proven to keep even the most fragile items secure during transport as the structure has a stacking strength of 4,000 lbs. In addition to inherent sturdiness, the corrugated material is a better shock absorber than wood, meaning vibration-related damage that can result as packages are jostled throughout the supply chain is greatly diminished.
PACT’s various patented shipping containers, which range in price between $40 and $2,000+, can be brought to any recycling center for final disposal versus their wooden counterparts, which can seldom be recycled and often come with hefty disposal fees.
Besides moving military families from post to post, PACT is Department of Defense certified to ship any type of military equipment. “From submarine doors and firing systems to flight simulators and combat systems, we can build a custom solution for any military need,” said Mort.
PACT® is a global leader in manufacturing sustainable, packaging products for the commercial, industrial and military industries. With more than 30 years of experience, the family business was founded by three green packaging professionals and continues to embrace a green future by designing cost-effective, patented, crating solutions like LiftVans and PleatWrap, as well as custom packaging for the aerospace, medical, electronics, tooling, machinery, furniture, fine art and automotive sectors. The company’s newest innovation is PACT® Thermo Shield TM, a sustainable, paper-based packaging material that suppresses and controls lithium-ion battery fires by mitigating thermal runaway.
PACT is a member of the Commercial Relocation Network, the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials and the International Association of Movers. It is also a preferred vendor for the US Department of Defense and has been awarded a special permit from the US Department of Transportation for the shipping of lithium-ion batteries, as well as passed the proposed SAE-G-27 test standard.
