Crating Services

At Export Corporation, we specialize in providing custom crating and wood packaging services to ensure your heavy parts, kitted assemblies, and unique equipment are transported and stored safely. With over 70 years of experience, we offer tailored crating solutions that meet the highest standards, including MIL-Spec, ASTM, and ISPM 15 certifications. Serving Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne County, Michigan, and beyond, our expert team is dedicated to protecting your valuable shipments with precision-engineered crates and superior materials, ensuring peace of mind and efficient delivery every time.

What Are Crating Services?

Crating services involve the construction of custom crates or wood packaging to ensure your heavy parts, kitted assembly, or unique equipment are transported and/or stored safely and that throughout the entire process they are protected and remain completely intact.

Depending on your project requirements a crating company can alter the size, framing, shape, load capacity and other elements of a crate or wood boxes specifically to accommodate the items being transported or stored. In addition to custom crating, many crating companies also offer export cratingindustrial cratingcustom pallets, wood boxes, skids, kit packs and more.

Crating Companies such as Export Corporation are particularly adept at creating crates and packaging for military applications. We’ll make sure your package is fully compliant with relevant codes and specs. This includes MIL-STD-2073-1D, Mil-Spec, MIL-STD-129P, MIL-STD-1186, ASTM, and more.

Areas We Serve

If you are looking for “crating services near me” or “custom crating near me” in Macomb County, Oakland County or Wayne County Michigan, our specialty craters provide crating services such as custom cratescustom wood crateswood packagingISPM 15 crates, and export crating for the safe and efficient shipment of products. We also offer industrial packaging services to customers located not just in Michigan but throughout the U.S.

Advantages of Using a Crating Service

It is easy to underestimate the amount of effort and hassle involved with packaging large or fragile shipments and making sure they are delivered undamaged. Export Corporation’s specialty crating services can provide the following advantages:

  • Save time:  A lot of resources, including time, can be wasted if an individual company attempts to ship or deliver its goods without the help of a professional freight carrier or crating service. Not only does transporting goods require crating, packaging, and delivery, but many logistical steps must be followed. Export Corporation streamlines the crating process, resulting in fewer delays.
  • Establish a good reputation: Working with a professional crating company is essential to maintaining good client relations. Export Corporation works quickly and efficiently, allowing companies to ship a broader range of products without a hitch.
  • Allocate resources better: A company’s most critical resource is money, and the proper use of financial resources is essential for all types of businesses, especially companies that are new or have limited working capital. By teaming up with a professional crating service, providers do not need to allocate their resources to transportation. They can utilize the supplies of the crating company and use their resources to grow other aspects of the business.
  • Team up with devoted experts: As dedicated Michigan craters we employ a team of professionals dedicated to providing customers with the best service possible. Working with a team of professionals gives any business peace of mind knowing their project will be completed to the highest standards possible.

Are Crates Reusable?

Not all crates are reusable, but this feature can be requested during the design process. For instance, a manufacturer may arrange to have containers shipped back to them at the end of the cycle and used again on upcoming shipments. In this case, crates should be designed to withstand many loads. Not only does reusing bins save money, but it is also better for the environment. Export Corporation can produce reusable crates for clients according to customer specifications and requirements.

How Much Does a Custom Crate Cost?

Some manufacturers devote 10% of their product expenses to crate costs. However, this percentage is high, and not all crate services charge the same amount. Sturdy products that do not need to be transported in enclosed crates are less expensive, typically about 2% of the total product cost. More fragile items must be packaged in enclosed crates to prevent damage, and shipping crate costs generally are 7% of the total product expense.

The shipping cost also depends on the complexity of the product and how much it weighs. If a manufacturer is shipping an item with elaborate interiors that weighs more than 5 pounds per unit, the crates may cost as much as 10% of the total freight cost. Export Corporation is committed to providing affordable crating services for both low and high-volume shipments.

Why are Crates so Expensive?

In order to make sure your parts or equipment arrive at the end destination safely, quality engineering and materials will determine the overall price. You get what you pay for rings true in the packaging world. Cheap crates can come apart during shipping which may lead to a damaged product. We offer peace of mind with our 70+ years creating custom packaging solutions.

What Type of Wood is Used for Crating?

There are many types of wood that are used for making crates. Plywood and OSB sheets are common for the sides and top of a shipping crate. Many of which are then framed with 1×4 or 2×4 boards on the inside or outside for structural support.

The deck of a crate is typically constructed with 2x lumber boards or a sheet of plywood depending on how the contents is fastened down.

We only use Heat Treated lumber and we are certified to make ISPM-15 Heat Treat certified crates, pallets, skids and wood boxes. Any of our wood packaging can be used for international shipment.

Packaging Crates Securely

At our crating company, we design and manufacture dunnage to protect fragile equipment and parts from extreme shipping conditions. Custom foam products, kit packs, plastic pieces and carpet can all avoid moisture and shock issues while your products are being transported. These services allow you to send a single piece locally or an order for millions of small components across the globe.

Types of Crating Services

Understanding the unique industry requirements which pertain to crating and shipping is essential. When it comes to industrial crating, ensuring your parts and equipment are safely packaged and meet all the required standards, specifications and guidelines is our number one priority. Here are some common industries that our team supplies wood packaging and crating services for:

  • Mil-Spec Crates: Mil-Spec packaging and crating means we meet ASTM, MIL-STD-1186, MIL-STD-129P, MIL-STD-2073-1D and other specifications. As a SAM registered, WAWF documented, ITAR registered crating company, our crating services ensure your military equipment is safe and ready for secure shipment or storage.
  • Commercial Crating: Commercial crating helps you relocate your facility, safely ship heavy equipment or make on-time deliveries of fragile technology. Heavy equipment can be difficult and costly to ship, so work with a global leader in air, land and sea transportation preparation to protect your components
  • Automotive Crating: As an automotive manufacturer or service provider, you need a reliable way to deliver million-part orders, heavy equipment axles and dozens of rebuilt engines. Custom crating keeps each item secure and reduces the costs and risks of all types of transportation.
  • Aerospace Crating: Aerospace technologies need the same uncompromising protection, but often come in irregular sizes. Find out how custom wood crates or boxes, with made-to-order foam and other dunnage, can help you keep your private or military-grade aerospace components safe.
  • Custom crates: We design and build custom crates that are made to a customer’s exact requirements. Our technicians can include a range of components on the container to accommodate the goods while remaining compliant with shipping standards and pricing considerations.

What Are the Requirements for ISPM 15 Crates?

ISPM 15 crates must meet certain standards set forth by the International Plant Protection Convention. These standards are intended to stop insects and disease within wood crating from being shipped to other countries when packages are traveling internationally.

Wood materials must be debarked and heat treated or fumigated to kill any lingering contamination. Once treated, wood will be stamped with a seal that says it meets the ISPM 15 standard.

Custom Crating

Reliable crating services require precision engineering and attention to detail. Work with one of the leading crating companies in Michigan with over 70 years of designing wood boxes, crates and pallets for a wide variety of industries.

With decades of experience and the military-spec certifications you need, our custom crating company is a clear choice for packaging and crating services in your industry. Whether you know all the necessary specifications for military, automotive, aerospace and commercial crating or are sending your first Department of Defense shipment, be sure you work with a Michigan based crating company that understands the necessary components for a safe shipment.