Loading Unit Exchange

In forwarding, reusable loading units such as euro pallets and cages are usually exchanged. The loading units to be exchanged need to meet certain quality standards to be approved for exchange; they may not be damaged or in a bad general state.

This process is significantly faster than if the truck driver waits until the freight is unloaded from the loading units. It is also more economical, since empty trips and unnecessary CO² emissions are avoided. Example: A truck picks up full pallets and, at the same time, drops off a certain amount of empty pallets for exchange at the loading point.

Usually, so-called exchange receipts (pallet notes) are manually filled out and handed out. Afterwards, the loading units are calculated based on the pallet note or the stock in a loading unit account is changed. The biggest difficulty in exchanging loading units are differences between the shipper, freight carrier and forwarder if, for example, these notes are lost or contain incorrect information.

A transport management software helps document exchange processes of loading units digitally and, ideally, even connect them with financial accounting. In the TMS CarLo, you can view loading unit stocks via a pallet account. Additionally, an automatic loading unit posting via Order Entry is carried out, as well as a reconciliation of the accounts with loading unit invoices/credit notes.