At Wood Shipping Crates, we’ve seen it all—massive industrial turbines, tall commercial sculptures, delicate scientific equipment, and military-grade assets. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned in decades of work, it’s this: not all cargo fits into a standard crate. That’s where custom crating comes in. Custom crating means your shipping solution is designed from the ground up—engineered to fit your item’s exact shape, weight, sensitivity, and destination. It’s not a stock box. It’s not a “close-enough” container. It’s a precision-built shipping system tailored to protect what matters.
So who needs custom crating?
If your cargo is oversized, oddly shaped, unusually heavy, highly sensitive, high-value, or mission-critical, the answer is: you do.
Why Standard Crates Fail
Standard crates serve a purpose for simple, uniform loads—but when the cargo is complex, standard options put your shipment at risk. Here’s why:
Odd-Shaped Items
From industrial components to asymmetrical sculptures, many items simply don’t conform to typical crate dimensions. A standard box forces an improper fit, which leads to shifting, damage, and stress during transit. Our custom crating services provide exact internal dimensions, bracing, and contours for safe, stable transport.
Unbalanced Loads
Some cargo—like machinery or hybrid assemblies—may have more weight on one side than the other. That imbalance can wreak havoc on basic crates, causing tipping, cracking, or structural failure. With custom crating, we design for weight distribution from the base up, ensuring your load is balanced, anchored, and protected.
Oversize or Ultra-Heavy Equipment
Whether it’s a generator the size of a truck or a wind turbine component stretching 30 feet, large-scale cargo needs more than plywood and nails. Our massive wood shipping crates are built to military-grade strength with reinforced framing, engineered supports, and lift points designed for cranes, forklifts, and rigging systems.
Built to Move
Custom crating isn’t just about protection—it’s about functionality. You need your cargo to move easily through your supply chain without delays, damage, or logistical headaches.
Integrated Wheels and Tie-Down Points
Many of our custom crates come with built-in caster wheels and forklift runners to simplify loading and unloading. Tie-down points ensure secure placement during long hauls and air transport.
Lightweight Air Cargo Options
When weight equals cost—especially in air freight—we engineer lightweight yet durable crating systems to reduce shipping fees without compromising strength.
Collapsible Crate Models
Need to ship there and back again? Ask about our collapsible crate systems. These reusable designs make storage easy and cost-effective between uses—ideal for trade shows, demos, and recurring freight.
Custom Crating Features That Matter
Every cargo type has unique needs, and at Wood Shipping Crates, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all packaging. We engineer every crate with purpose—pairing robust construction with highly specialized features designed to protect, support, and simplify transport. Whether you’re shipping fragile electronics, mission-critical machinery, or oddly shaped components, these are the features that truly make the difference.
Shock Control Systems
Shipping environments can be rough—whether your cargo is moving by truck, plane, ship, or forklift. Vibrations, jolts, and impact events are unavoidable. That’s why we integrate shock control systems directly into the crate’s base and internal supports. These systems absorb impact energy and isolate sensitive equipment from damaging motion. This is essential for delicate instruments, high-precision electronics, and valuable cargo that simply can’t afford micro-damage.
Internal Supports and Compartments
Custom crating is as much about stabilization as it is about protection. We design and fabricate internal compartments, foam linings, and structural partitions that fit your cargo like a glove. Whether you’re shipping a single item or a kit of components, our custom interiors ensure that every part stays exactly where it should. No shifting. No friction. No room for damage.
- Multi-item crates with individual compartments
- Cradles for cylindrical, fragile, or rotating parts
- Foam-in-place options for added cushioning
- Moisture-resistant linings for sensitive materials
Integrated Wheels, Ramps, and Forklift Runners
A strong crate is only useful if it can move efficiently through your logistics chain. That’s why we offer mobility-enhancing features built into the crate itself:
- Caster wheels for easy rolling during loading and setup
- Forklift runners that allow access from multiple sides
- Built-in ramps for rolling or sliding heavy items into place
- Tie-down points and lift rings for crane or rigging access
These features are ideal for industrial plants, trade shows, military deployments, and any scenario where mobility, speed, and handling flexibility are key.
Custom Hardware and Fastening Systems
Your crate comes ready to work—with hinges, hasps, latches, and reinforced gussets already in place. We use military-grade hardware for strength, reliability, and ease of use. Whether you need reusability, one-time shipment security, or tamper-evident features, we’ll outfit the crate to match.
Environmental & Load Considerations
Different environments call for different protections. For example:
- Weather-resistant coatings for crates exposed to outdoor storage
- Non-toxic materials for live cargo or museum-grade shipments
- Steel reinforcements for extreme weight or vibration
From sea spray to dry desert conditions, our crates are designed with the final destination and route in mind.
Engineered for Any Cargo
At Wood Shipping Crates, we don’t just build crates—we build engineered solutions that solve real-world shipping challenges across the most demanding industries. From manufacturing floors to military bases and aerospace facilities, our custom crating systems are designed to meet the exact requirements of your cargo, however complex.
Machinery
Industrial machinery rarely comes in neat, symmetrical shapes. It’s often bulky, unbalanced, irregularly shaped, and incredibly heavy. That’s why standard crates simply won’t do.
We custom-build each crate to the machine’s dimensions, factoring in weight distribution, lift points, and safe handling zones. Reinforced bases, steel-reinforced corners, and heavy-duty runners ensure structural integrity during forklift and crane loading. For sensitive components, we add internal bracing, foam padding, and shock-resistant features to minimize vibration damage in transit.
Whether it’s a precision milling machine, a compressor, or a 10-ton engine block, our crates are designed to handle it—and keep it safe every mile of the journey.
Aerospace Parts
Aerospace components are high-value, high-precision, and high-stakes. Even the slightest jolt or environmental exposure can compromise structural integrity or calibration.
Our aerospace crates are designed with tight tolerances and interior precision supports to prevent movement at all stages of transport. We use shock-absorbing foam, vibration-dampening inserts, and anti-static linings when required. Sensitive electronics and composite materials are protected from temperature fluctuation, moisture, and impact.
Whether you’re shipping a jet engine casing, navigation equipment, or delicate composite parts, we understand the regulatory, physical, and logistical requirements—and we design each crate to meet or exceed them.
Military Equipment
Military cargo demands more than just durability—it requires compliance, accountability, and absolute reliability.
We build to MIL-SPEC standards, using military-grade fasteners, impact-resistant padding, and crates capable of withstanding harsh conditions across air, land, and sea. Each crate can be equipped with:
- RFID tracking compatibility
- Tamper-evident closures
- ISPM 15-compliant, heat-treated lumber
- Foam inserts cut to exact dimensions of equipment
- Weatherproof sealing and rust-resistant hardware
Our crates have been used to ship everything from optics and electronics to communications hardware and armored components, ensuring mission-critical gear arrives secure, intact, and ready for deployment.
Computer-Assisted Crate Design: Your Specs, Our Precision
Our design process starts with Computer-Aided Design (CAD)—free of charge. Every crate we build is engineered digitally first, so you can visualize the solution before a single board is cut.
Using CAD, we:
- Calculate exact weight distribution
- Model shock-resistance layers
- Design custom compartments and fastener placement
- Simulate load stress points
- Ensure full compliance with international shipping standards, including ISPM 15 heat-treated certification
The result? A crate that fits your cargo and the realities of shipping it—flawlessly.
Custom Crating Isn’t Optional When Your Cargo Demands Precision
At Wood Shipping Crates, we don’t just build boxes—we solve problems. If your cargo is too long, too tall, too wide, too fragile, too heavy, or just too important to risk… custom crating is the only answer.
From military equipment to museum artifacts, from factory machinery to race car parts—we’ve crated it. And we can crate yours.
Request a quote or try our custom crate selector today! Let’s build the right protection for your cargo—because at Wood Shipping Crates, there’s a crate for that.