Stillage Freight Services

A stillage is a reusable steel frame or cage used to move parts and components — typically automotive body panels, manufactured sub-assemblies, industrial componentry, or stackable goods that don't suit a timber pallet. Stillages are built to be loaded, moved, unloaded and returned many times, so the freight conversation includes both the outbound load and the empty-return leg.

Yes. Empty-return legs are a core part of stillage freight — dealerships, distribution centres and manufacturers need their cages back to cycle through again. QFM arranges both the outbound loaded lane and the return empty lane as part of the booking, with collection timing aligned to the receiver's cage-pool rotation rather than run in isolation.

Automotive stillages typically cycle between a parts manufacturer or distribution centre and a network of dealerships or workshops. Outbound loads go out full; empties return for restock. Share the stillage footprint, loaded weight, stack configuration (single-tier or double-tier) and the full lane via our quote page so QFM can match the carrier to the cycle frequency.

Yes. Returnable cages need a round-trip plan — outbound loaded, inbound empty — so the quote reflects both legs and the empty-return scheduling. One-way stillage moves (retired cages, new-build deliveries from a fabricator) price as a single-leg job. Flag the intent up front so the lane is set up correctly the first time rather than adjusted after the fact.

Reusable stillage programs typically use asset-ID barcodes or RFID tags that check in and out at each handling point. When a stillage fails to return, the cycle audit flags which lane or receiver it last visited. QFM can integrate stillage tracking into the dispatch workflow for ongoing customers. Send the program details — fleet size, lanes, return SLA — and we'll design the loop.