Printed materials freight
Printed materials freight moves palletized books, catalogs, labels and printed packaging from printers to warehouses, mail houses and event venues. Send the pallet count, weights and each receiver's address and dates and we quote standard LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload.
At a glance
- Paper is dense, so a short pallet of catalogs can outweigh a tall pallet of other freight, and the declared weight should come off a scale.
- Corner boards and top sheets protect printed stacks from forklift and strap damage, which shows up first on the corners.
- Trade-show freight should leave early enough that the carrier's transit estimate lands before the show's move-in window closes, because standard service carries no delivery guarantee.
How is printed materials freight classed?
Printed materials freight is classed by the NMFC item for the product, and books, catalogs, labels and folding cartons can fall under different items. Many use the 13-tier density scale from NMFTA Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025, while some keep a commodity class. Lane, weight, accessorials and fuel also set the price.
Paper stacks are heavy for their size, which puts a pallet of catalogs at the dense end of the scale. The density scale and worked example on this page show the math for one such pallet.
Freight class by density (lb per cubic foot)
- 0 to 1 lb/ft³Class 400
- 1 to 2 lb/ft³Class 300
- 2 to 4 lb/ft³Class 250
- 4 to 6 lb/ft³Class 175
- 6 to 8 lb/ft³Class 125
- 8 to 10 lb/ft³Class 100
- 10 to 12 lb/ft³Class 92.5
- 12 to 15 lb/ft³Class 85
- 15 to 22.5 lb/ft³Class 70
- 22.5 to 30 lb/ft³Class 65
- 30 to 35 lb/ft³Class 60 example below
- 35 to 50 lb/ft³Class 55
- 50 or more lb/ft³Class 50
Worked example: a pallet of printed catalogs
- Measure the loaded pallet, pallet included: 48 × 40 × 40 inches = 76,800 cubic inches.
- Convert to cubic feet: 76,800 ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 cubic feet.
- Divide the weight by the cubic feet: 1,400 lb ÷ 44.4 = 31.5 lb per cubic foot.
- Read the class off the density scale: 31.5 lb per cubic foot falls in class 60.
Run your own pallet through the freight class calculator, or read how freight class works.
How do you protect printed pallets from corner damage?
Printed pallets arrive clean when the stacks are squared to the pallet edge, capped with a top sheet and wrapped with corner boards under the stretch film. Straps pulled tight across bare cartons cut into the corners and mark the top copies.
Keep stack height below what the cartons can bear, and label pallets do not stack when a second pallet would crush the load. The receiver should check the corners and note any damage on the delivery receipt before signing.
How do you ship printed pieces to a trade show or event?
Trade-show shipments go to the show's advance warehouse or straight to the venue, and each has its own receiving dates and labeling rules. Send the show's shipping instructions with the quote request so the carrier can confirm the address and paperwork.
Book with room before the move-in window, and compare the carrier's transit estimate against the show dates. GET Express cannot promise a delivery date or a venue appointment, so plan the ship date around the estimate.
Which service fits: LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload?
Standard LTL fits most palletized shipments that can share a trailer; volume LTL, partial truckload and full truckload fit larger loads or loads that need their own truck. Price the same shipment details across the four services, and confirm the points in the table before you book.
| Service | Fits | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Standard LTL | Palletized freight that shares a trailer and moves through carrier terminals | NMFC item and class, pickup and delivery accessorials, delivery appointment |
| Volume LTL | Larger LTL shipments quoted as a one-off price for that shipment | Quote terms, space the freight takes, whether it still moves through terminals |
| Partial truckload | Shipments that share a truck with a few others | Whether the freight stays on one trailer, any planned transfers, transit estimate |
| Full truckload | Freight that fills a trailer, reaches its weight limit, or needs its own truck | Trailer type, loading and unloading time, appointments at both ends |
How do split shipments to several receivers work?
A print run split across several receivers ships as one bill of lading per destination, each with its own pallet count and weight. Build and label each receiver's pallets separately at the printer so nothing gets mixed at the dock.
Send a list of receivers with addresses, pallet counts, weights and receiving hours. Destinations along one lane can be compared as LTL, volume LTL or partial truckload on the same details.
What do you send for a printing and publishing freight quote?
A printing and publishing freight quote needs the 8 details below. Complete details let the carrier rate the shipment once, without a reweigh or reclass after pickup.
- Product: books, catalogs, labels or printed packaging
- Pallet dimensions with the pallet included
- Scale weight of each pallet
- Number of receivers and the pallet count for each
- Receiver type: warehouse, mail house, retailer or event venue
- Show shipping instructions and move-in dates for event freight
- Whether pallets can be stacked
- NMFC item numbers, if you know them
What do the freight terms on this page mean?
- Advance warehouse
- A warehouse named by a trade-show contractor that receives exhibitor freight before move-in.
- Top sheet
- A sheet of board laid over a pallet's top layer to spread strap and stacking pressure.
- Bill of lading
- The shipping document that describes the freight, the parties and the terms of carriage.
- Split shipment
- One order divided into separate shipments to more than one receiver.
Quick answers
Can you get catalogs to a trade show by a set date?
We share the carrier's transit estimate before booking and cannot guarantee a delivery date. Ship with room before the move-in window.
Why did my catalog pallet get reweighed?
A carrier reweighs when its scale reading differs from the weight on the bill of lading. Weigh each pallet on a scale before pickup and declare that number.
How do I ship one print run to several warehouses?
Send the list of receivers with pallet counts and weights, and each destination gets its own bill of lading.
Do you deliver to the booth?
No. Inside delivery is available through our carrier network and quoted case by case, and at a show the contractor moves freight from the dock to the booth.
Quote your print shipment
Send the pallet count, weights and receivers and we will price your printed materials freight on the lane.