CHAPTER II WHAT EXPORT MERCHANTS SAY ABOUT R PACKING EPLIES to a questionnaire on the subject of experiences with the packing of American goods for export, addressed while this volume was in preparation to several hundred export merchants, shipping companies and foreign freight forwarders in this country, that is to say, companies and firms engaged solely and professionally in the export business, resulted in scores of replies containing much food for reflection along with some serious criticism which, of course, was to be expected. An examination and analysis of replies received disclosed not a few valuable hints as to desirable practices, improvements in present methods and advice of real constructive value. They may be accepted as representative of replies which would have been received from foreign importers, had time permitted enquiries of them. It is believed that excerpts from some of these letters will be found of interest and value if reprinted at this point, so far as the letters from these export merchants and others are couched in general terms. Other excerpts have been used elsewhere, notably in chapters referring to proper export packing of certain commodities, when the letters related specifically to such stated subjects. EXPORTERS' COMMENTS ON PACKING PRACTICES The Export Packing Department.-One of the largest export merchants shipping to the West Coast of South America declares that there is a general lack of geographical knowledge among manufacturers who seek export business. This merchant believes that the average manufacturer is not conversant even with the location of the principal ports and cities, or, if it happens that his geographical knowledge extends so far, then he does not understand or appreciate the physical conditions governing the transportation of goods. This merchant therefore urges that any manufacturer who desires to have his goods properly packed for export must organize a thoroughly trained packing staff, which must in the first place be taught the rudiments of geography, where cities and ports are located, the means of transportation to foreign ports and of interior transportation in country of destination, and finally educated in methods of packing which will minimize so far as possible likelihood of damage from all causes. An exporter of iron and steel products urges that manufacturers and export shippers must find means of impressing upon the minds of their packing staff the conditions under which goods are handled in shipping to various destinations. He believes that even a visit to steamship docks will go far towards showing the treatment to which cases are subjected in handling from truck or lighter or railway car to the steamer. The packer must know whether goods find their way to ultimate destination by muleback, or by what other means of transportation, and must be taught that packages are handled by manual labor at many foreign ports and at others discharged from steamer to lighter or surf boat and then re-handled. Another large export house shipping to the West Coast of South America urges that manufacturers be impressed with the fact that before dispatching shipments for foreign ports information should be secured as to shipping conditions, both in relation to the handling of the goods by the steamship companies and as to discharging conditions at port of destination. This house points out that shipments to major ports of Chile and Peru can be easily forwarded from New York on steamers sailing directly to such ports, whereas, if such shipments are forwarded by steamer to Panama, transhipment Courtesy of General Electric Co. (5) COMPLETED CASE FOR STATOR ELEMENT. (6) Courtesy of General Electric Co. Note that bracing provides protection if crate is thrown on side or end. Courtesy of General Electric Co. (7) COMPLETED CRATE CONTAINING YOKE. Crate affords a visual survey of contents and provides reasonable protection for semi-fragile material not subject to pilfering. Shows method of guarding against shifting of machinery in case. Note blocking to prevent side strain and blocking of shaft at ends. Note also bracing of top of motor frame. of a strenuous character is necessitated, entailing a considerable amount of extra handling which never contributes to the improvement of export packages when arriving at destination. This house further calls attention to the fact that a method of packing which might be entirely satisfactory for one market, might be just as unsatisfactory for another market and that, therefore, manufacturers must so standardize their export packing as to make it suitable for the most trying conditions. The New York office of one of the largest importing houses in South America, places the blame for poor export packing not on the lack of intelligence among manufacturers but on pure lack of attention and consideration. This office states that a common reply from manufacturers who have been asked to supply special packing for export is, that the manufacturer does not see why packing that is good enough for goods shipped to Brooklyn should not also be good enough for goods intended for Constantinople, and that it is quite impossible to upset the regular packing routine of the factory. When, as not infrequently happens, complaint is received about the condition of goods on arrival at destination, manufacturers almost always place the blame on the transportation companies. A New Orleans export merchant shipping largely to Central America, criticizes the men employed to do the packing for manufacturers, who have not sufficient interest even to inquire what export packing means, nor the slightest knowledge of the correct meaning of gross, legal and net weights, and, furthermore, know nothing about and pay less attention to the packing of cases in such a way as to reduce the import duties in certain parts of Latin America, where such duties are levied on gross weight; and no importer in those countries is particularly delighted at having to pay duties on heavy lumber cases. Per contra, this exporter declares that he has received goods from manufacturers in a great many different states, ordered for export, which have arrived packed in paper cartons or veneer board crates, a ridicu |