Why glass arrives broken — and why packing matters more than price
Nearly every breakage claim traces back to one of four packing decisions made before the container was loaded. None of them show up in a quotation.
Glass is strong in the plane and weak at the edge. Almost all transit damage starts at an edge or a corner, then propagates. That single fact explains most of what goes wrong in export packing — and why the cheapest quote often costs the most.
Decision 1: standing or flat
Glass must travel standing, at a slight lean, in a crate that supports the full face. Flat-stacked glass carries the weight of everything above it on the bottom sheet, and vibration over 40 days at sea does the rest. Any supplier who ships flat to save crate cost is transferring that cost to your claim.
Decision 2: what sits between the sheets
Pearl wool (EPE) between every sheet, not cardboard. Cardboard absorbs moisture, compresses under load, and once it is damp it transfers grit to the glass surface. A mirror packed with cardboard will arrive with a scratched coating even if nothing breaks.
Decision 3: edge protection
The corners carry the load. EPE or foam corner profiles on all four edges, then strapping that does not bear directly on glass. A crate that is well made but has no corner protection will still chip edges when the forklift sets it down hard.
Decision 4: moisture
A container crossing the equator cycles through large temperature swings. Moist air condenses on cold glass; silver mirror coatings and Low-E films are the first to suffer. Desiccant in the crate, and stretch wrap around the closed crate, cost very little and prevent the failure mode that only shows up three weeks after installation.
What to ask a supplier
- Is the glass packed standing? Ask for a photo of a loaded crate.
- What is between the sheets — pearl wool or cardboard?
- Are all four edges protected, or only the top and bottom?
- Is desiccant included, and is the crate wrapped?
- Will you photograph each crate before closing it?
If the answer to any of these is vague, the price difference you are comparing is probably the packing. Ask for both quotes with packing specified — then compare like with like.
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