Why Grip Matters More Than Most Realise

Cargo that shifts in transit costs money and creates risk. It happens quietly at first—a pallet slides a few centimetres during braking, coils creep sideways on a curve, sheet packs inch toward container walls. By destination, what started as minor movement has become damaged goods, rejected loads, or worse. At Ferrier Industrial, we supply load secure mats and high-friction dunnage to transport operators across Australia and New Zealand who need reliable grip between cargo and deck surfaces.

The fix is often simpler than people expect. Friction is physics, and physics works when you give it the right materials. A well-chosen rubber mat placed between load and floor adds the static coefficient needed to keep weight where it belongs. No complex rigging. No expensive modifications. Just smart placement of proven materials that do the job quietly and repeatedly.

This guide covers what procurement teams and logistics managers need to know when specifying friction mats for road, rail, and intermodal applications. We’ll walk through material choices, placement principles, integration with other restraint systems, and what to look for when comparing suppliers.

The Role of Friction in Load Restraint

Load restraint standards in Australia and New Zealand calculate required tie-down force based on friction between load and deck. Lower friction means more straps, higher tension, and greater risk of movement under deceleration or cornering forces. Higher friction reduces the burden on webbing and hardware while improving stability.

Most transport decks—steel trailer beds, container floors, timber pallets—offer limited natural grip. Painted steel sits around a static friction coefficient well below what most restraint calculations assume. Rough timber does better but varies widely depending on moisture, wear, and finish. Neither provides the consistent, predictable performance that freight operators need.

Rubber and composite friction materials fill that gap. A quality load secure mat delivers a static coefficient significantly higher than bare steel or wood, which changes the restraint equation substantially. Fewer straps. Lower tensions. Less time rigging. More confidence that cargo arrives intact.

The mats we supply at Ferrier Industrial use vulcanised rubber formulations designed for transport applications. They resist oil, fuel, and moisture—common contaminants in real-world operations—without losing grip. They compress under load without creeping, and they recover shape after removal for reliable reuse over multiple trips.

Choosing the Right Mat for Your Application

Not all friction mats suit all cargo types. Weight, surface area, deck material, and environmental conditions all influence what works best.

Weight and contact pressure. Heavy loads like steel coils concentrate weight on small contact areas, requiring mats rated for high compression. Lighter palletised goods spread load more evenly but may need different thicknesses to maintain grip across uneven surfaces.

Surface characteristics. Smooth-faced cargo—machined steel, wrapped plastics, painted panels—bonds differently to rubber than rough surfaces like timber or corrugated packaging. Mat texture and compound matter here.

Deck type. Steel trailer beds, aluminium container floors, wooden rail wagons, and composite decking each interact with rubber differently. Temperature variations affect both deck and mat performance over long hauls.

Environmental exposure. Mats used in mining or agriculture face dust, moisture, and chemical contamination. Food-grade applications may require materials that meet hygiene specifications. Outdoor storage between trips demands UV and weather resistance.

We work with operations teams to match mat specifications to actual conditions rather than generic assumptions. Sometimes that means standard products sized for common pallets. Sometimes it means custom dimensions cut to fit specific trailer configurations or unusual load profiles.

How Load Restraint Mats Integrate With Other Systems

Friction mats work alongside—not instead of—straps, chains, dunnage, and blocking systems. Understanding that relationship helps procurement teams specify complete solutions rather than isolated components.

Straps and webbing. Higher deck friction reduces the force each strap must provide, which extends strap life and simplifies tensioning. For operations with limited anchor points or awkward load geometry, friction mats can make the difference between adequate and marginal restraint.

Chains and binders. Heavy steel transport often combines chains with blocking and chocking. Mats placed beneath coils or bundles reduce lateral creep while chains handle primary retention. The two systems complement each other.

Dunnage and blocking. Timber or LVL dunnage lifts loads for fork access, protects surfaces, and distributes weight. Adding rubber-faced dunnage or placing mats beneath standard timber increases friction without changing handling procedures.

Airbags and void fill. Intermodal containers often use dunnage bags to fill gaps. Friction mats at load bases stabilise stacks before airbags deploy, preventing the initial settling that can loosen bag pressure over transit.

At Ferrier Industrial, we supply each of these components and design them to work together. Our LVL dunnage can include vulcanised rubber facing. Our restraint mats match common pallet footprints. Our teams understand how these elements combine in real operations.

Here’s what our load restraint portfolio covers:

• Rubber friction mats in standard and custom sizes, rated for high-cycle transport use
• LVL high-friction dunnage with vulcanised rubber lining for steel, coil, and sheet applications
• Ratchet strops and cargo straps in polyester webbing with weather-resistant hardware
• Dunnage airbags for truck, rail, and intermodal void fill
• Hardwood and composite blocking materials for specialised restraint

Load Secure Mats: Material Selection and Durability

Rubber compounds vary widely in performance. Transport-grade friction mats need to handle repeated compression, temperature swings, chemical exposure, and abrasion without losing grip or structural integrity.

Vulcanised rubber offers better durability than raw or lightly processed compounds. The cross-linking process that vulcanisation creates makes the material more resistant to heat, oils, and deformation under sustained load. Mats made from vulcanised compounds hold their shape trip after trip.

Thickness matters for uneven surfaces. Thicker mats conform better to slight deck imperfections or irregular cargo bases, maintaining contact across a larger area. Thinner mats save weight and storage space but may lose grip on rough surfaces.

Surface texture affects initial grip and how the mat sheds contaminants. Some applications benefit from smooth-faced mats that wipe clean easily. Others need textured surfaces that maintain grip even when dusty or damp.

Edge reinforcement prevents mats from curling or tearing at corners where forklifts and handling equipment contact them. Rounded or sealed edges extend service life in high-traffic operations.

We’ve refined our mat specifications through long-term relationships with steel mills, logistics operators, and freight carriers who use these products daily. What we supply now reflects that field experience—compounds and constructions that survive the realities of Australian and New Zealand transport conditions.

Placement and Handling Practices

Even the best mat fails if placed poorly. A few practical principles keep friction working effectively.

Getting the Most From Cargo Grip Mats

Full contact matters. Mats should sit flat between load and deck with no folds, curls, or lifted corners. Trapped debris underneath defeats the purpose. Workers need enough time and access to position mats properly before loading.

Alignment with load footprint. Mats should extend slightly beyond the load edge to catch shifting weight. Undersized mats create points where cargo can slide off the friction surface and contact bare deck.

Stacking considerations. For multi-tier loads, friction material between layers prevents upper pallets or packs from sliding relative to lower ones. The same principles apply at each interface—clean surfaces, flat placement, adequate coverage.

Retrieval and reuse. Mats left on trailers between loads get damaged by subsequent cargo or handling. Building retrieval into unloading procedures keeps mats available for reuse and extends their service life.

Storage between trips. Flat storage away from direct sunlight and heat sources prevents mats from curling, cracking, or degrading. Hanging storage works for smaller mats; stacking works for larger formats if kept clean and dry.

These practices sound simple because they are. The challenge is embedding them in standard operating procedures so they happen consistently across shifts, sites, and staff changes. Good training and clear SOPs matter as much as product quality.

Key Considerations for Procurement Teams

Specifying friction mats for transport operations involves several evaluation factors beyond initial price:

• Service life under expected load types, weights, and handling frequency
• Static friction coefficient on relevant deck surfaces, verified by testing or supplier data
• Resistance to oils, fuels, and chemicals common in your freight environment
• Compatibility with existing restraint systems, anchor points, and handling equipment
• Availability in sizes that match your trailer, container, and pallet dimensions
• Supplier capacity for custom cutting or non-standard specifications
• Delivery reliability for JIT operations or consignment stocking arrangements
• Spares and replacement lead times for high-turnover operations
• Sustainability credentials if circular material sourcing or end-of-life recycling matters

Evaluators should ask for material data sheets, friction test results, and references from similar applications. Site visits or samples help verify fit before committing to volume orders.

How We Approach Freight Restraint at Ferrier Industrial

We’ve supplied load restraint equipment to steel mills, logistics carriers, and heavy industry operations since the early nineties. That history shapes how we work today.

Our process starts with understanding the actual problem. What cargo types, weights, and routes are involved? What’s the current damage rate, and where does movement occur? What constraints exist around trailer configurations, loading time, and labour availability?

From there, we design solutions rather than push products. Sometimes the answer is a standard friction mat sized for common pallets. Sometimes it’s custom-cut pieces for unusual load geometry. Often it involves combining mats with our LVL dunnage, restraint hardware, or edge protection to create a complete system.

We prototype and pilot before scaled rollout. Controlled trials on actual routes with real cargo reveal issues that drawings miss. Adjustments made at pilot stage save significant cost and frustration later.

Our Auckland and NSW facilities maintain stock for JIT delivery across Australia and New Zealand. Consignment arrangements suit operations that need assured supply without carrying large inventories. When spares or replacements are needed, we respond quickly—because transport doesn’t wait.

We at Ferrier Industrial supply load secure mats as part of a broader restraint portfolio. That integration matters. Components designed to work together outperform mismatched parts sourced from multiple suppliers.

Practical Steps for Specifying Friction Materials

For teams evaluating friction mat options, a structured approach helps compare suppliers and products effectively:

• Document current cargo types, weights, deck surfaces, and route profiles
• Review existing restraint systems to identify how friction mats would integrate
• Establish target friction coefficients based on load restraint calculations and standards
• Request material specifications, test data, and application references from shortlisted suppliers
• Obtain samples for fit-checks against actual pallets, trailers, and handling equipment
• Pilot preferred options on representative routes before volume commitment
• Define stocking arrangements—JIT delivery, consignment, or periodic replenishment
• Plan for spares, replacements, and end-of-life material handling

This sequence reduces the risk of specifying products that underperform or fail to integrate with existing operations.

Moving Forward With Confidence

Specifying load secure mats solves a straightforward problem in a straightforward way. Friction keeps cargo where it belongs. The right materials, sized correctly and placed properly, reduce damage, simplify rigging, and improve transport safety.

What matters is matching products to actual conditions rather than assumptions. At Ferrier Industrial, we supply restraint mats alongside the dunnage, straps, and hardware that complete the picture. Our teams understand freight operations because we’ve partnered with carriers and shippers across multiple industries for decades.

If you’re reviewing load restraint options for steel transport, general freight, or intermodal operations, we’re happy to discuss your requirements. Share your cargo profiles and route characteristics, request samples or drawings, and let’s work through what fits. No obligation beyond a useful conversation about what works.