Although typically used for the purpose of cushioning tools, equipment or products within an outer case or packaging – which prevents damage in transit – foam inserts can be used for a wide range of additional applications. This includes aiding retrieval of items, presenting samples and even acting as part of luxury packaging.

Plastazote® foam inserts tend to be used with protective cases, including waterproof, aluminium, or custom-built options. They can also be used within sample presentation cases. Saying that, GWP Protective can provide a wide range of foam inserts for boxes – used with high volume corrugated packaging – as well as retail applications and even foam dunnage for use in returnable handling products.

The foam inserts that GWP manufacture are nearly always manufactured from Plastazote® (although for single trip applications where the outer packs are cardboard, Stratocell or Ethafoam is more likely to be used). This is due to the inherent properties of Plastazote® (providing excellent performance), its relatively low cost, the range of options and the high-quality appearance that can be achieved.

Plastazote® comes in a range of more than 20 colours, allowing for you to choose a shade that closely matches your company’s logo and / or branding. Please note however that not all colours are available across all grades. A GWP adviser will be happy to provide information on the options available and suitable for your specific application.

Using layers of different coloured Plastazote® can create foam inserts with a unique and attractive appearance. This is most commonly seen with a black or dark foam laminated on top of a contrasting colour. When machined, the brighter colour underneath shows through to create a striking visual effect (which can also help with identifying missing parts or equipment too).

A shadow board is where different coloured foams are layered on top of each other, with any recessed pockets being a different colour to the foam on top. Apart from looking great, this can actually help the identification of any parts not returned to their specific place within the case or toolbox, due to the area of brightly coloured foam being visible at a glance.

The main way that foam inserts protect items during transit or any form of handling, is by providing cushioning within the outer case or packaging. Not only does this stop the contents colliding with each other, but also with the internal walls of the container. Taking this one step further, GWP Protective can calculate the exact levels of foam required to absorb specific levels of shock or impact – offering a truly bespoke (and optimised) level of protection for your items

Besides foam inserts, GWP can also offer your business a wide range of exterior case options. For example, waterproof cases are ideal for heavy, rough-handling applications, whereas lightweight plastic sample cases are more suitable where handling will be more careful. Other options include metal, custom built flight cases, plastic tote containers and even cardboard boxes. A GWP team member will be happy to offer guidance on the best option for your business.

Pick and pluck foam inserts are a type of foam that is already pre scored, typically into 1 cm cubes, which can be removed by the end user to create a semi bespoke insert. Typically supplied with waterproof cases such as Peli (or Storm, SKB or Nanuk etc.), these are a good choice for a one-off project (e.g. hobby equipment, camera cases and so on). For industrial applications however, GWP would always recommend custom Peli foam cutting / bespoke inserts.