For African distributors and contractors: when consolidating tiles + sanitaryware + hardware + roofing into one 40HC saves money, when it costs you in breakage, and how to brief the loader.
TL;DR. Consolidate tiles + sanitaryware + hardware in 40HC routinely. Do not consolidate heavy steel with ceramics. Palletise per SKU for fast distributor break-bulk. ISPM-15 wood is mandatory.
African distributors (Cotonou, Lagos, Mombasa) refreshing inventory across porcelain + sanitaryware + plumbing + electrical + hardware: one 40HC palletised per SKU lands for a single CFR price and breaks down in 2–3 hours.
Site-based contractors fitting hospitality: sanitaryware + tiles + faucet sets + door hardware in one shipment beats three smaller shipments on freight admin alone.
Heavy on floor, lighter on top. Ceramics on pallets with edge protection. Sanitaryware in OEM cartons, single-layered. Hardware in shrink-wrapped pallets banded to floor. We brief against a written loading plan, photos sent post-load.
Abidjan, Lagos, Dar es Salaam hold containers with non-compliant wood. We default to ISPM-15 on every shipment.
For distributors at Cotonou, Lomé, Mombasa: palletise by SKU. Two-hour break-bulk versus two-day sorting.
If your Cotonou container forwards to Niamey / Ouagadougou, split packing list per onward destination. Second border faster.