NMFC Class 65 spans a density range of 22.5 to 30 pounds per cubic foot and represents a broad cross-section of manufactured consumer and industrial goods. At this density, freight is still meaningfully heavy relative to its volume, which keeps rates in the lower portion of the LTL class scale. Class 65 commodities range from densely palletized bottled beverages and canned foods to packaged automotive parts, printed materials, and industrial components like valves and gearboxes. These products are diverse enough that Class 65 sees significant shipment volume across nearly every industry. From a handling standpoint, most Class 65 freight is straightforward — it arrives on pallets, moves with standard warehouse equipment, and doesn't require specialized rigging or oversized permits. The main exception is fragile goods like glass-bottled beverages, where breakage during normal LTL transit is a real risk if packaging is not engineered for the multi-handling nature of LTL. For shippers, Class 65 is often the result of density calculations for a wide variety of packaged manufactured goods. Because the class sits at a moderate-to-low rate tier, it's worth confirming whether specific NMFC item numbers apply to the commodity — some goods in this density range have fixed classifications or table-based classes that could assign a higher or lower class regardless of density. Accurate measurement and solid pallet construction are the most reliable tools for holding a Class 65 rating at audit.
Class 65 freight is generally palletized and handled with standard warehouse equipment. Items like bottled beverages are fragile and require careful handling to prevent breakage during transit.
Stowability: At 22.5–30 lbs/cu ft, these loads mix well with other palletized freight and fill trailers efficiently. Beverage pallets and printed materials typically have uniform footprints that facilitate tight stacking.
Glass-packaged beverages carry elevated breakage risk; single-wall cartons may be inadequate for LTL transit. Printed materials and machinery parts have low theft risk but moderate damage exposure from moisture or rough handling.
Class 65 commonly includes densely palletized bottled beverages, canned food, packaged automotive and machinery parts, printed materials like books and catalogs, and industrial fittings — any commodity with a density between 22.5 and 30 lbs/cu ft.
Beverage pallet density varies significantly based on bottle size, packing arrangement, and pallet height. A loosely configured pallet with air space between cases may calculate below 22.5 lbs/cu ft and move to Class 70 or higher. Tight pack configurations and full pallet heights keep density in the Class 65 range.
It can. Printed materials like catalogs and textbooks are dense enough to reach Class 65 when tightly boxed and palletized. Some printed materials have specific NMFC items; shippers should verify whether a commodity-specific rule applies before relying on the density table.
Class 65 sits near the low end of the rate scale. Moving from Class 65 to Class 70 typically increases the rate per hundredweight by 5–15%, depending on the carrier's class rate tables. Keeping freight in Class 65 through accurate measurement and tight packaging can produce meaningful savings at volume.