[RE-wrenches] wrenches] Hidden freight damage

john cvsolar at aol.com
Tue Nov 5 06:38:25 PST 2013


Luke,
  I agree with Bob,  Just put it on the pile and hope it is in tact enough to sell to someone wanting a "deal".   I have had about a dozen modules over the last 17 years broken.  They seem to happen in multiple close events so maybe you are now OK for awhile.  The classic one is stacking a smaller module or two on top and ratchet strapping it down into the larger module even after specifically telling the sales person to ship the smaller one separately if they can't pack it right. (plywood in between maybe).  Lately I have had scratches on the backing obviously done at the warehouse and the most recent (third in two months) a nail worked out of the pallet, went up through the cardboard and into the bottom of a Solarworld module.   Amazingly the module did not break even though the nail went through the backing sheet and through the cell so that you can see the hole from the front.  The glass did not break.  My distributor wants me to deal with the shipping company but I signed off as the pallet looked fine.  Now I need to look to see if it is the original pallet from the manufacturer.... generally in better shape,or another.  Now that prices are 1/5th what they were years ago, I have decided to not waste a lot of time chasing shippers.  Even picking up from my distributor myself doesn't solve the problem as the pallet I picked up looked OK and I even watched them load it with the fork lift.  Scratches on the backing sheet were prior damage.   I can't see spending the time to reload another pallet at the loading dock when it is end of the day an a long drive home.  Luke, I hope your luck improves as I just went through it twice with the second one being the replacement for the first.

John
CV Solar


-----Original Message-----
From: Tump <tump at swnl.net>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tue, Nov 5, 2013 6:13 am
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Hidden freight damage


One thing we find is asking who our supplier is shipping on we find Fed Ex very careful & willing to admit damages & also process claims quickly. Conway "We never damage anything" we don't use ABF..... always broken freight. Overnight/UPS is questionable. Self insuring trucking companies will always deny damaging freight. We also AVOID like the plauge "interline carriers" again check w/ fed x.
We have our truck freight delivered to a trucking terminal, while this can create problems w/ our relationship IF there is damage,  they are instructed to ALWAYS sign "possible concealed damage" or if things really look bad refuse them outright  & then I will review.

On Nov 4, 2013, at 11:47 AM, Luke Christy wrote:


Wrenches,

We have been in business for about 8 years, and up until now, the shipping gods have smiled upon me, but apparently my luck has run out, as I've had 2 costly shipping nightmares within a month,  and I'm just wondering what other Wrenches have done to protect themselves from the liability involved in trusting expensive shipments to the freight carriers.  Here's my situation:

I recently had a pallet of modules shipped, and it arrived with multiple broken modules, due apparently to careless handling,and having had something heavy set on top of the pallet.  I have my freight shipments sent to a neighboring business which is kind enough to receive them for me, since they have many full time staff who are always available during business hours to fork shipments off a truck.  In this case the forklift driver did not notice the damage (it was not immediately evident), and the delivery was signed for.  However, upon picking up the pallet an hour later, I  realized that the shipment was damaged, called the freight company immediately to notify them of the damage, and subsequently filed a detailed written claim. 

I just got notice that my claim was denied by the carrier, evidently without considering any of the photos or the written explanation I submitted with the claim. They simply cited that the shipment had been signed for without noting damage.  
It is clear to me that the carrier was responsible for the damage, yet apparently because the damage was hidden and the BOL was signed, they can leave me holding the bag for a significant amount of money. 

This particular incident could have been worse, but it is the first time I've had it happen and it certainly makes me worried about future deliveries. It suddenly seems like an unacceptable liability to have others sign for my deliveries without a thorough inspection. 

I asked my distributor whether the shipments have any insurance on them, and the person I spoke with didn't know the answer. So my $50 Ebay shipment is insured, but my $50,000 worth of equipment isn't? My insurance agent says that I can make a claim on my commercial insurance, but advised against it in this case, since the loss was only around $1K, and is guaranteed to raise my future premiums.

I know that things get damaged or lost all the time in shipment, and I'm wondering how other businesses handle it.  Businesses that do larger volume must have damaged freight all the time.  Is it just impossible to get freight companies to take responsibility for damage that is not immediately evident, since they are acting as judge on their own behalf?  Do you just refuse to sign the bill of lading until you've examined all the contents of the packages (this is a logistical nightmare in most cases)?  Do you just chalk it up to the cost of doing business and/or make claims to your commercial insurance? 

Would appreciate your thoughts / experiences with this issue.  
Thanks. - Luke

Luke Christy

NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™: Certification #031409-25 
NABCEP Certified Solar Heating Installer™: Certification #ST032611-03       
CoSEIA Certified PV Installer 

Solar Gain Services, LLC
PO Box 531
Monte Vista, CO. 81144
SGSRenewables at Gmail.com
719.588.3044
www.sgsrenewables.com









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