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Groupage (LTL) at OTSL is the carriage of part loads from a single EUR pallet, ADR included, with consolidation and scheduled departures across Europe and a strong focus on the route to the United Kingdom. You pay for the space you actually use, not for an empty trailer. It suits companies that ship smaller batches on a regular basis.
What it covers
- Carriage of part loads and single pallets, from 1 EUR pallet (1200x800 mm)
- Consolidation in our warehouses in Legnica and Kielce before departure
- Regular, planned departures towards the UK and across continental Europe
- ADR freight in limited quantities (LQ) and selected classes, under the ADR agreement
- Careful cargo neighbouring, so chemicals, food and sensitive goods do not travel side by side
- Securing and restraint of pallets in transit (straps, anti-slip mats, blocking bars)
- Document handling: CMR, plus export and customs paperwork when shipping to the UK
- Customs clearance and advice for shipments outside the EU, including the UK and Switzerland
How we do it
We start from a quote based on real occupancy: we charge the greater of two values, the occupied pallet spaces or the volumetric weight. To measure trailer occupancy unambiguously we use loading metres (LDM), where one LDM is a strip of trailer floor one metre deep across its full width. That way you know upfront what you are paying for.
Your consignment reaches the consolidation warehouse, where we plan the load together with other batches heading the same way. Neighbouring is decided at this stage: we check what may travel alongside, so food does not sit next to chemicals and heavier pallets stand below lighter ones. The load is secured in line with the stowage and restraint principles that standard EN 12195 refers to. The vehicle departs on the planned date, and you receive the full set of transport documents.
Limits of the service (what it does NOT cover / what to be aware of)
By its nature groupage means more handling than a full truckload, which is why goods must be correctly packed and palletised. A wobbly, overloaded or poorly strapped pallet is a real risk: during transhipment you damage not only your own cargo but your neighbour's consignment too, and then the whole freight becomes disputed. If you need exclusive use of the vehicle or no transhipment, FTL is the right choice. ADR carries limits and exclusions: not every class and not every quantity can move as groupage, and a misdeclared dangerous good ends with the vehicle stopped at inspection and a penalty. We confirm the exact ADR scope before accepting the order.
