How to Receive a Freight Delivery of Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Parcel or freight: how equipment ships

Commercial kitchen products travel one of two ways. Smallwares, supplies and lighter countertop equipment go by parcel courier, like any other package. Ranges, refrigeration and other heavy equipment ship by freight carrier, strapped to a pallet or built into a wooden crate, on a truck shared with other shipments. The trade calls this LTL, for less than truckload.

Norpex ships to delivery addresses across Canada. Equipment ships from distributor warehouses, so dispatch timing depends on the supplier and the destination. When an order includes equipment from more than one supplier, it may arrive in separate deliveries, so check each one against its own paperwork.

How shipping is priced depends on how the item is bought. For items that can be bought online, shipping is calculated at checkout from live carrier rates for the delivery address and confirmed before payment. Large equipment and anything that cannot be bought online is priced on a quote, with freight included.

Delivery options: dock, curbside, liftgate and inside

A standard freight delivery ends at the back of the truck. Where there is a loading dock the pallet can roll straight off; where there is not, getting it down to the ground takes a liftgate or your own crew. Bringing it into the kitchen, uncrating it and putting it in place are not part of a standard delivery. What you get depends on what the receiving address has and what was booked.

• Dock delivery: a loading dock at trailer height lets the driver roll the pallet straight off. The simplest option where a dock exists.
• Liftgate: a hydraulic platform on the back of the truck lowers the pallet to street level. Needed wherever there is no dock, which includes many street-front restaurants.
• Delivery appointment: the carrier calls ahead to book a window, so someone is there to receive. Useful for any site that is not staffed all day.
• Inside delivery: the carrier brings the shipment inside the building, usually just past the entrance rather than to the final spot. Stairs, tight corners and elevators limit what is possible, so describe the route when it is booked.
• Arrange a liftgate, an appointment or inside delivery with Norpex before paying. Carriers schedule these services when the shipment is booked, so asking the driver on the day is usually too late.

Prepare the site before the truck arrives

Many receiving problems are decided before the truck arrives. Measure the route from the curb or dock to the final spot against the crated size, not just the equipment size, because a pallet and crate add width, depth and height. Doorways, hallways, corners, stairs and elevators all need to fit, and doors may need to come off their hinges.

Make sure someone who can inspect and sign is on site for the whole delivery window, with the tools and help to move the unit safely once it is on the ground.

• A clear path from the street or dock to the final location, with floors protected where needed.
• A pallet jack, an appliance dolly or a hand truck, and enough people to move the unit safely.
• A utility knife, a pry bar, a drill or screwdriver for crates, and work gloves.
• A phone or camera for photos, and the order confirmation to check against.
• A plan for the crate, pallet and packaging, but keep them until the unit has been checked.
• Your electrician, gas fitter or plumber booked to connect the unit once it has been inspected.

Inspect before you sign

The paperwork the driver asks you to sign, the delivery receipt or proof of delivery, is where the condition of the shipment is recorded. A clean signature generally tells the carrier the shipment arrived in good order, which makes a later claim harder to support. Take a few minutes before signing, even if the driver is in a hurry.

• Count the pieces against the paperwork; a missing box is easy to overlook when it is a small one.
• Walk around every pallet and crate. Look for crushed corners, holes, broken slats, torn wrap, and tip or shock indicators that have been triggered.
• Where packaging is damaged, look inside with the driver present if you can, and photograph the damage before anything is moved further.
• Write the damage on the delivery receipt in specific words, such as crate crushed at rear corner or side panel dented. A vague note like "subject to inspection" often carries little weight with carriers.
• Keep a copy of the signed receipt with your notes on it.
• Call Norpex the same day about anything you noted. Photos and specific notes are the evidence a damage claim relies on.

Hidden damage and what to do next

Some damage does not show until the packaging comes off: a dent behind intact cardboard, a cracked glass door inside a crate, a bent refrigeration line. Unpack and inspect the unit as soon as possible after delivery, the same day if you can, and photograph anything wrong along with the packaging it came in.

To start a return or a damage claim, email Norpex with the order number and photos of the damage, and Norpex replies within one business day. Keep the unit, the crate and the packaging until the claim is settled, because carriers commonly ask to see them. Do not install or use a damaged unit in the meantime.

Special-order and freight equipment is not returnable once it has been delivered in good condition, which is one more reason to inspect carefully on the day: the delivery receipt is the record of the condition it arrived in.

Handling and setting up equipment after delivery

Move equipment upright wherever you can, and check the manual before tipping anything. Refrigeration is the main concern: a refrigerator or freezer that has been on its side or back should stand upright for the time the manufacturer specifies before it is plugged in, so the compressor oil can drain back. The wait varies by manufacturer and by how the unit travelled, so use the figure in the manual for that model.

Remove all the shipping materials. Some units have brackets, bolts or blocks holding compressors, fans or moving parts in place for transport, and the manual says which ones must come out before start-up. Peel protective film off stainless panels before the unit heats up, because film baked on by an oven or fryer is very hard to remove. Level the unit on its adjustable feet, keep the documents together, and register the warranty if the manufacturer asks you to.

New equipment sold by Norpex carries the manufacturer's warranty, passed through in full, and terms vary by manufacturer and product line. Installation by a qualified electrician, gas fitter or plumber, following the manufacturer's installation manual, is commonly a condition of that warranty.

Common questions