Question 1

What are airbags?

Accepted Answer

Airbags are used to secure and stabilize cargo. When inflated and installed, they prevent product damage by filling empty cargo space and restricting load movement during transit. Airbags come in different levels and dimensions. Other industry terms for air bags:  Disposable Inflatable Dunnage (D.I.D), Reusable Dunnage Air Bag, Disposable Dunnage bag, Inflatable Dunnage Bag, or Dunnage Bags.

Question 2

What are they used for?

Accepted Answer

Airbags are used to prevent movement of cargo loads in trucks, overseas containers, or railcars. They protect cargo from damage during transit by filling voids, bracing loads and absorbing vibrations.

Question 3

Why should I use dunnage airbags?

Accepted Answer

The biggest risk commercial goods face is being damaged in transit. Due to the movement of the vehicle, the goods can arrive at their destination in damaged condition.  In addition, load shifting can cause accidents resulting in significant damage or injury to others. Dunnage airbags are designed to preserve the integrity of the merchandise and to prevent load shifting. This saves you time and money, and in an increasingly competitive industry, you cannot afford to lose valuable goods in transit or suffer losses as a result of accidents.

Question 4

Are all dunnage airbags the same?

Accepted Answer

No. There are many differentiating factors that come into play when manufacturing dunnage bags.
First is material supply. Manufacturers have to source their material supply from multiple third party suppliers. This creates inconsistencies in the quality of their materials which in turn creates inconsistencies in the quality of their finished product. Cargo Tuff makes it's own materials thereby ensuring this consistency.
Second is quality control. Do the specs and the quality of the materials used to obtain verification from the AAR match the specs of the materials actually used in the production of the products sold to the customer? Cargo Tuff is transparent with our specs and you can verify them at any point in time by comparing the actual specs of a product with our spec and performance sheets.

Question 5

What are benefits of using dunnage airbags?

Accepted Answer

Protection of merhandise: Dunnage airbags protect your merchandise while in transit.
Cost Savings: Concealed damage, labor costs, safety issues, and customer satisfaction are hidden costs of shipping. With dunnage air bags, you can reduce the amount of these hidden costs.
Reduction of longitudinal movement of cargo: Load shifting is the major cause of transit damage. Airbags prevent product damage by filling empty cargo space and restricting load movement.
Ease of use: Dunnage airbags can be easily installed within minutes and the physical labour required is minimal. Bags can be quickly deflated and inflated, allowing for efficient and easy loading and unloading.

Question 6

Why use dunnage airbags versus other materials?

Accepted Answer

Dunnage bags are more economical, less labor intensive and safer to use compared to primitive methods. Airbags limit movement through air pressure.  Other products shrink void size where products still move which increases box fatigue / failure.

Question 7

Is Cargo Tuff a manufacturer or a distributor of dunnage airbags?

Accepted Answer

Cargo Tuff is a fully verticaly integrated manufacturer of dunnage airbags.

Question 8

How do I know which dunnage bag is the right bag for our application?

Accepted Answer

Dunnage bag selection is based on:
Transportation mode
Product weight
Void size
Commodity type
Please view our dunnage bags page under products for more details.

Question 9

What makes Cargo Tuff different from other manufacturers?

Accepted Answer

Our production facility is fully vertically integrated. This means we extrude our raw materials, weave our polypropylene yarns and confection our finished products under the same roof. This means our quality control and costs are constantly kept in check, allowing us to sell the best product at the lowest cost.

Question 10

How do I place an order with you?

Accepted Answer

We can help you make the right product choice for your unique load type. Email us at info@cargo-tuff.com or fill out our contact form and one of our experts will reach out to guide you through the products that are a fit for your needs.

Question 11

How do I install a Cargo Tuff airbag?

Accepted Answer

Select the correct size and level of the bag, making sure the bag covers as much of the product surface as possible
Use appropriate buffer material between the load and the bag making sure no sharp edges or points can contact the bag
Correctly position the bag in the void space with the bag being placed off floor and  above pallet not extending above the top or sides of the load
Attach inflator tip to the valve. Inflate the bag to the recommended air pressure (recommended pressure varies according to the product and mode of transportation). Check with air gauge before shipping
Deflate bag by depressing valve stem, turn slightly Clockwise to lock open

Question 12

Do you partner with any other protective packaging companies?

Accepted Answer

Rothschenk – Container lashings and custom dunnage products
Laminations - Corner Boards                                                                 
American Container - Corrugated Dunnage                             
Hexacomb - Corrugated Dunnage      
Logistick - Load Bars
RUBBERlogix – TRANSlogix Rubber Friction Mats (AAR Verified)

Question 13

What certifications do you have?

Accepted Answer

ISO 9001, Association of American Railroad Verified (AAR)
Member of the Reusable Packaging Association

Question 14

Can I reuse a Cargo Tuff airbag?

Accepted Answer

All though priced as disposable airbags, all Cargo Tuff dunnage airbags can be reused several times. We work with companies to put together reuse programs so that our bags can be reused throughout the supply chain, saving our customers money and preventing unnecessary waste with bags ending up in landfills.

Question 15

Can Cargo Tuff airbags be recycled?

Accepted Answer

All Cargo Tuff dunnage airbags are 100% recyclable.

Question 16

Does Cargo Tuff provide other load securement products?

Accepted Answer

Cargo Tuff offers a complete selection of load securement products to help you preserve your good reputation by having your loads arrive in perfect condition. Our core product categories consist of dunnage airbags, inflation tools, container lashings, Tuff wrap™ and custom products.

Question 17

Does Cargo Tuff offer free consultations?

Accepted Answer

Cargo Tuff is a complete Load Securement provider. We start with a transfer of knowledge by auditing your loads and providing you with solutions that meet industry standards and put you in compliance. All at no cost to you.

Question 18

Are Cargo Tuff airbags verified by the AAR (Association of American Railroad)?

Accepted Answer

Cargo Tuff dunnage bags are AAR verified for Level 1 through 5.

Question 19

Where is the company based?

Accepted Answer

We are a USA based company. For specific address information, visit our company location page here.

Question 20

What type of equipment do I need to inflate a Cargo Tuff airbag?

Accepted Answer

We offer a variety of tools to inflate dunnage bags. Our most popular tool or light weight applications is our PAM 2.0 unit. Alternatively you can select from our gauged or non-gauged inflation tools for which you’ll need access to an air compressor.

Question 21

How do I determine what airbag is right for my load application?

Accepted Answer

The correct size and type of air bag is determined by a variety of factors such as transportation mode, product weight, void size and commodity type. Please view our Dunnage Bags page under Products for details or please contact one of our sales representatives.

Question 22

How do I deflate the airbag?

Accepted Answer

Remove the blue cap, grip the blue part on the valve stem with your thumb and index finger.  Push valve stem down until it bottoms out and slightly turn the valve stem clockwise and it will lock open for deflation.

Question 23

Can airbags be stored outside?

Accepted Answer

Yes, however if they are being stored outside we recommend they are covered with plastic or a tarp.

Question 24

What is a sustainable airbag program?

Accepted Answer

The use and reuse on one airbag throughout the supply chain versus using multiple disposable airbags.

Question 25

Will your airbags burst if they are properly inflated to the recommended air pressure?

Accepted Answer

No, our airbags have more than a 3:1 safety factor (burst pressure to operating pressure) and all our air inflators have a safeguard system where the excess air releases once the operating pressure in the airbag is achieved

Question 26

What is an airbag valve?

Accepted Answer

The airbag valve is where the air inflator tip attaches to the airbag to inflate it.

Question 27

What is an inflator tip?

Accepted Answer

The inflator tip is the piece on the very end of the air inflator which attaches to the airbag valve.

Question 28

How does the airbag valve work?

Accepted Answer

Your Cargo Tuff inflation device tip is inserted into or onto the valve and will depress the valve stem allowing for air input. Once the inflator is removed, the valve will automatically seal.  Our blue cap is a dust and debris cover for the valve.

Question 29

Do I need a guaged inflator?

Accepted Answer

We believe every user should use a gauged inflator to determine the correct pressure for the product being shipped.  Your Cargo Tuff representive can provide more information on this process.

Question 30

How does the non-gauge inflator work?

Accepted Answer

Our non-gauge inflator will not overfill ban airbag and fills to roughly 1.8 PSI. Is this the right choice for your operation? Contact your local Cargo Tuff representive for recommendations.

Question 31

Can an airbag be used as a cushioning device?

Accepted Answer

Although many companies use airbags as a cushioning device, Cargo Tuff does not recommend this due to the fact that when the airbag is not properly inflated, the freight is not locked in, and there is still movement while in transit the load can easily shift and damge can occur.

Question 32

What are the most common causes of freight damage?

Accepted Answer

Freight damage is the result of a variety of factors, including:
A lack of integrity in the primary packaging, for example, using thin walled corrugated boxing. 
A lack of secondary packaging such as corner board or stretchfilm.
Incorrect pallet planning that results in overhang or underhang of pallets. 
Voids in between pallets that are not filled with appropriate dunnage materials.
Double and triple stacked pallets with freight falling forward to backward during transit.
A lack of using dunnage airbags to secure the middle and last rows of cargo in a trailer in order to create bulkheads.

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