TRUST and EXPERIENCE are the most important keywords in fine art transport and handling. When giving precious works of art, which have great emotional value, to be at the disposal of a stranger, the owner of the art wants to be convinced that they are dealing with the most skilled and reliable partner. They want to be sure that their art is in the right hands.
This was the principle we established the fine art transportation company Plado Art Services OÜ on. Our goal is to provide the highest quality service, based on all the wishes and expectations of our clients.
I, Raivo Plado, have dealt with fine art transport since 2004 and have gained a considerable amount of experience and comprehensive expertise. I believe I’m known throughout the art community to be a highly reliable partner. Therefore I can guarantee you, Dear Customers, the most professional and highest quality service.
Below is a description of main fine art transport related services that we offer. Only the main services have been brought out, so if you are interested in something else, feel free to let us know and together we can find the best suitable solution.
Sincerely,
Raivo Plado
Secure transport of works of art requires the use of appropriate packaging. More demanding pieces are packed in special packing boxes. We build a dedicated crates for each work of art according to the highest security requirements, customer needs, and our long-term experiences. You can read about the various types of crates on our website on the crate manufacture page.
Many various materials are used for packing works of art. Because there is no single set of international standards for packing art today, the selection of packaging materials may vary greatly from region to region and depending on the customer requirements.
To meet the demands and desires of the widest possible variety of packaging materials, we have created a database of commonly used packaging, materials and accessories, their characteristics and uses.
It is possible to buy packaging materials from our online store in quantities suitable for you.
When it comes to transporting art the most important keywords are security and speed. Road transport is usually the most practical for shorter distance shipments. For more distant destinations, such as the U.S. or Asia, we generally use air transport. For transporting large items we can successfully combine road and air transport. Less time-critical and very large-sized pieces may be shipped by sea, either less than container load (LCL) or full container load (FCL).
For the transport of the most delicate and sensitive works of art we can provide art transport vehicles, which are equipped with climate-controlled cargo space, air suspension, rear lift and a GPS tracking system.
For airline transportation we guarantee suitable temperature, humidity level, and shock and vibration resistance with appropriate climate boxes. We can ensure the security of the shipment by using only the best and reliable partners for transportation and handling.
It needs to be considered that a whole range of different documents need to be filled out for each art shipment. For shipments outside the European Union there are more documents related to the customs procedures, and these require more attention in order to avoid unnecessary shipment delays en route and additional costs due to inadequate or missing documentation.
We offer our clients the assurance that shipments handled by us have all known necessary documents attached and any delays or additional costs are taken down to the minimum. In addition to conventional imports and exports customs procedures we also offer temporary import and export, we help to fill out ATA Carnet and TIR Carnet.
When it comes to art it can be said that no two shipments are alike, this is the same for documentation and customs, each shipment is different and requires an individual approach. Be sure to ask us for more information.
The conditions for both short- and long-term storage of fine art must comply with specified climate and safety criteria. Depending on the characteristics, special requirements and the duration of storage, suitable packaging and materials are selected, and, if necessary, special safety measures and storage conditions are applied in order to ensure conserving the piece of art in its initial condition. We can offer appropriate storage conditions for demanding pieces of art for both short- or long-term storage. In addition we pack the pieces of art using materials appropriate for storage and offer insurance for the duration of the storage period.
The transport of works of art that are of great value and require special attention may need, in addition to the regular security measures, the shipment to be accompanied by an art courier to further minimize any potential risks. Art couriers are generally representatives of the owner of the shipment, but if necessary we also offer professional art courier service.
Our services also include arranging and paying daily allowance, airfare, local transportation and hotel stays for art couriers.
Some art shipments need constant monitoring during the delivery in addition to other security measures. Traditionally, this issue concerns air transport, where a number of different agencies and departments, whose training does not include the treatment of art shipments, deal with the delivery. To this end, we provide art shipment tracking service. We organize sender-side couriers or our trusted employees access at Tallinn Airport to the loading and unloading of the aircraft as well as access to unloading / loading of the shipment from pallet or air shipment container at the freight terminal.
Our experienced staff will help set up and take down artworks for exhibitions and displays. We assist with assembling and dismantling complex installations, hanging and taking down paintings, graphics, photography and other such art, moving and lifting heavy sculptures.
It is recommended and often required to insure works of art for all potential threats for fine art transport, but also, for example, for the duration exhibitions. We mediate the insurance of fine art transport with conditions specifically suited for art insurance to ensure the assuredness of the owner of the shipment.