Crates Basics

Understanding shipping crate basics to know your options and what you need

To ship something valuable, low volume, heavy or fragile, understanding crates basics will make your job much easier. Wooden packaging crates work well as overseas shipping containers and to protect items like engines and other machinery, artwork, electronic equipment, large glass products and much more.

A solid wood or plywood crate typically runs more expensive than other crates but provides the best option for a reusable wood crate. Wooden shipping crates made of oriented strand board (OSB) provide a lower cost option to plywood. If you're packing light objects inside a large crate, consider crates with thin plywood or corrugated cardboard.

1. Save time and effort by choosing shipping crate suppliers or manufacturers that can ship your crated product or that partner with a shipping company.

2. When crating a particularly bulky, heavy, fragile or large item, select a crating service that will crate your product on site.

3. Ensure you're satisfied with interior padding options provided by the crating service you choose.

 

Look for shipping crates made of wood or wood products

By far, you'll find most shipping crates constructed from wood or wood products, though you can get plastic crates for products like beverages or produce. Metal crates carry added weight and rarely provide the optimum shipping crate solution.
Try: Wooden crates used in international transportation must meet certain requirements for fumigation or heat treatment to prevent unwanted harmful insects from making their way into the U.S. Crates made of plywood, particle board or OSB may not fall under the same requirements since the glue and/or heat and pressure used in the manufacturing process of those materials lessens the likelihood of infestation by dangerous insects. For more information on requirements for crates made from wood and wood products, read the Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade from the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures. Check out the patented Sure-Lok Systems crates available in plywood, OSB and corrugated cardboard. Scroll over each crate on the right side to see the benefits and what each is best suited for. Order plastic crates from Rehrig Pacific Company for shipping beverages and produce.

Order crates with optional accessories

Crate manufacturers/suppliers typically offer several options to increase crate functionality and efficiency -- options that offer better protection for the crates' contents or ease of movement. Additionally, manufacturers either assemble or let end users assemble crates using nails, glue, clips or other fasteners. If you plan to reuse your crates, opt first for collapsible ones. They store easier and cost less to ship back since they take up less space.
Try: Caseworks Crating and Shipping offers extras for its wood shipping crates like entry doors, A-frames, D-rings, foam padding/strips, gussets, handles, inspection windows, link locks and more. Order your next wooden shipping crates from Quick-Crate if you need accessories like shelving, dunnage, custom cradles, barcoding, stenciling, lift handles, ramp doors or removable casters.

Find shipping crates suited to your product

Don't settle for one-size-fits all, since most crate suppliers or manufacturers can build you the exact size and shape crate you need.
Try: The Packaging Store specializes in crating fragile, large, awkward and valuable items, and they'll even come to your place of business to pick up the item or crate on site. Innovative Crating Solutions provides reusable or single-use, custom-built solid hardwood crates to your specs. The company specializes in custom wood crates for air, land and sea domestic/international shipments, and its clients include pharmaceutical, manufacturing, government, institutional and commercial companies, as well as galleries, museums and a former U.S. president.

 

• If you've got to crate and then ship an item to a customer, but you're still building the product, go ahead and start your crate shopping. For custom shipping crates, you can still provide the product's measurements and weight to the crate manufacturer, helping ensure your customer gets your product on time.

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