Freight Shipments
A freight shipment is defined as material or equipment that is crated or palletized. It can be classified as ground or air freight, and either domestic or international.
Purdue University receives discounted rates on inbound and outbound ground truck freight with Old Dominion Freight, FedEx Freight and other carriers. Materials Management staff can assist with obtaining freight quotes and creating the required documentation for a freight shipment.
Contact us to request a Freight Shipping Form. This gets completed and then attached to the freight. Campus customers are responsible for preparing freight on pallets or crates at their building before it is picked up by Materials Management. It will be taken to the Materials Management and Distribution Center (MMDC) for next steps, and staff will band or stretch wrap the freight if needed for transport.
Hazardous Materials Freight
If you are planning freight shipments that contain hazardous materials such as chemicals or dry ice, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department in advance. EHS will be able to provide you with guidance and/or assistance with these types of shipments so that they are in compliance with Department of Transportation regulations. For more information, please visit the EHS website.
International Freight
Export control laws are designed to protect U.S. national security, foreign policy and economic interests. Purdue’s Export Controls office reviews international shipments to determine if a U.S. export license is needed and/or available. International freight shipments are more likely to require an export license and/or the use of a customs broker in the recipient country. Materials Management staff will arrange the logistics, customs brokers as needed and create the shipping paperwork/customs documentation for these types of shipments. Please be aware that these reviews may take a week or more and plan accordingly. If you have a shipment which will rapid review, please reach out to the Materials Management shipping department and Export Controls as soon as possible before you plan to ship.
Receiving Freight
If you are expecting freight to be delivered on campus, learn more about the receiving process.