Freight shipping by industry

How does freight shipping by industry change?

Freight shipping by industry changes in three places: density and freight class, packaging, and what the receiving dock expects. Freight class comes from the NMFC item for the product, and many items are classed by density on the 13-tier scale in NMFTA Docket 2025-1, in effect since July 19, 2025. Each guide below covers those three points for one industry, with a worked density example and the details we need to quote it.

• Building materials: building materials freight. Heavy pallets, long items and jobsite delivery for building materials.
• E-commerce and DTC brands: LTL shipping for ecommerce brands. Moving inventory to 3PLs and fulfillment centers: pallet builds, appointments and what to send.
• Food and beverage (shelf-stable): shelf-stable food freight. Cased goods to distributors and retail DCs, lot codes and appointments, ambient only.
• Furniture and home goods: furniture freight shipping. Freight class for light, bulky pieces, packing finishes and residential delivery.
• Industrial machinery and equipment: industrial equipment shipping. Crating, skids, liftgate limits and non-stackable freight for machines and spare parts.
• Manufacturing: LTL shipping for manufacturers. How parts and finished goods class, what plant docks expect, and what to send for a quote.
• Paper and packaging: paper and packaging freight. Paper rolls, corrugated board, moisture and crush protection, and stacking limits.
• Plastics and rubber products: LTL shipping for plastics manufacturers. Resin in gaylords, light molded parts, freight class and pallet builds for plastics shippers.
• Retail and consumer goods: retail freight shipping. Replenishment to distribution centers, routing guides, labeling and mixed pallets.
• Store fixtures and pallet racking: pallet racking and store fixture shipping. Long steel uprights, bundling, gondola shelving and store-opening deliveries.