A shipping skid is a fundamental piece of equipment in modern logistics, designed to facilitate the efficient movement and storage of goods. Its primary role involves elevating material loads off the ground, allowing for mechanized handling and transportation across various warehousing and manufacturing environments.
Defining the Shipping Skid
A shipping skid is structurally defined as a low-profile platform used to support and elevate material loads. Its most distinguishing characteristic is the complete absence of a bottom deck. Instead, the platform rests upon a series of vertical supports, often referred to as runners or stringers, which make direct contact with the floor.
These vertical supports serve two main purposes: elevating the load and providing the surface for dragging or sliding the unit. The elevation created by the runners allows the tines of forklifts, pallet jacks, or other lifting machinery to be inserted beneath the platform.
The design ensures that supported goods are lifted high enough for mechanical handling, which also protects inventory from potential moisture or debris accumulation on the floor. The open bottom is the defining feature that dictates its specific applications in the material handling industry.
Key Structural Differences Between Skids and Pallets
While both skids and pallets serve the broad purpose of material handling, their differing structural designs lead to distinct functional applications. A standard pallet incorporates both a top deck and a full or partial bottom deck, creating a double-faced structure that stabilizes the unit from below.
This full-deck design gives the pallet inherent stability, making it ideal for stacking multiple units high in a warehouse setting. The continuous, flat surface of the bottom deck also provides a smooth interface that operates effectively on automated conveyor systems, which require a consistent base for mechanical movement. Pallets are the standard choice for long-term storage and automated distribution centers where stability and stacking density are prioritized.
In contrast, the skid’s lack of a bottom deck historically made it a more mobile unit at ground level. The continuous runners allowed the structure to be easily dragged or slid across the floor. This open-bottom structure also enables the use of specialized lift equipment, such as a single-sided or straddle-leg jack, which might not be compatible with a traditional pallet’s full frame. The skid design trades stacking stability for greater ground-level maneuverability and flexibility with specific lifting tools.
Materials and Configurations of Skids
By Material
Shipping skids are fabricated from several different materials, with the choice often depending on the required durability and the specific environment of use.
- Hardwood skids offer a strong and cost-effective solution for heavy industrial loads.
- Plastic skids are preferred in food processing or pharmaceutical environments where sanitation and washability are required.
- Metal skids provide maximum durability and resistance to harsh conditions, suitable for long-term outdoor storage or extremely heavy machinery.
- Presswood skids are molded from compressed wood fiber and resin, offering a lightweight and often nestable design compliant with international shipping regulations.
By Design
Skids are also categorized by their specific structural configuration.
- Stringer skids feature parallel boards or runners that run the length of the platform, providing two-way entry for handling equipment.
- Block skids utilize nine distinct blocks to support the top deck, typically allowing for four-way entry, improving handling flexibility in tight spaces.
- Simple runner designs use long, continuous pieces of material, often used when the skid needs to be frequently dragged.
- Nested skids are a space-saving configuration where the vertical supports fit one inside another when empty, reducing the footprint of stored inventory.
Practical Benefits in Logistics and Storage
The unique structural characteristics of the shipping skid translate into distinct advantages within specific logistical contexts. The improved ground-level mobility derived from the runner design allows the unit to be more easily maneuvered or dragged into precise positions within smaller warehouses or older facilities.
For warehousing and inventory management, the ability of some skid designs to nest when empty offers a compelling space-saving utility. Nested skids require significantly less vertical storage space than non-nesting units, which is beneficial in facilities where floor space is limited.
The open-bottom structure ensures compatibility with a wider range of lifting machinery, including specialized hand jacks and pallet trucks. The design naturally accommodates four-way entry in many configurations, which simplifies the loading and unloading process in dense areas. Skids are particularly useful as temporary staging platforms or for in-process material transfers on a manufacturing floor where goods are frequently repositioned.