
"If you are using any equipment, carry or sample case, adding foam inserts can offer a huge range of benefits - improving protection, eliminating damage, enhancing appearance, boosting productivity on site and much more besides"
Custom foam inserts – for cases, boxes, or totes – can be utilised in a number of ways.
Perhaps you are experiencing high volumes of damage to your products, equipment, or components during transit. Or maybe expensive tools keep going missing on site. Do you need a more professional way of presenting your samples in sales meetings to boost orders? Or are you looking to gain brand differentiation in saturated, luxury retail markets?
Regardless of your application, industry or budget, custom foam inserts can help you achieve all of the above. In turn, this could have a direct, positive impact on the efficiency and profitability of your business.
Custom Cut Foam Inserts
A range of custom foam insert options suitable for any equipment, case, application or budget
Foam Conversion Expertise

CNC Routing
Latest foam CNC routers allow for high quality and cost effective inserts

Water Jet Cutting
Intricate designs manufactured effortlessly using 65,000 psi water jet

Die Cutting
Ideal for simple, high volume foam packs with a high quality finish

Laser Engraving
Add detailed, crisp and well defined logos, instructions and more
Foam Insert Advice & Guides
A huge selection of guides, information and advice to help you source the optimum case insert / foam packaging for your business
One thing you will almost certainly be aware of is the issues your business could face from consistently supplying…

Protective foam inserts can actually take many forms – including those that can be designed and engineered to…

Foam selection / options guide
Discover everything you could need to know about Plastazote® foam inserts / packaging
Using the correct foam inserts can be the difference between your products arriving with your customer in one piece, or being…

Whilst GWP Protective focus on creating custom engineered foams that are precisely tailored to specific items, for one-offs…

Unfortunately, the amount of different ways your products or equipment could be damaged in transit is quite high. For example…

Equipment cases can be the one thing preventing costs to your business potentially running into thousands of pounds…

FAQs / Additional Info
A selection of the most commonly asked questions regarding foam inserts, packaging, material, and protective cases
What are foam inserts used for?
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.
Are foam inserts for use in boxes or cases?
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.
What are foam inserts manufactured from?
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.
What colour foam inserts are available?
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.
I’ve seen two tone foam inserts – how are these made?
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).
What is a shadow board?
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.
How can foam inserts protect my items?
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
How should I choose an exterior case for use with my inserts?
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.
What are pick and pluck foam inserts?
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.
Why should I source my business' foam inserts / cases from GWP?
UK's Leading Independent Protective Case Supplier

Widest Range
You can select from the widest range of branded cases from a UK supplier, including Peli, Nanuk, SKB, Zarges, Explorer and more…

Custom Options
Any case you source from GWP can be customised with foam inserts, print and more. And you can specify custom flight cases too!

Impartial Advice
Being independent means that you can benefit from truly impartial advice on the best case for your application, industry and / or budget
Protective Cases / Outer Container Options
A huge range of protective cases, handling containers and transit packaging, suitable for every application, industry or requirement
Why choose GWP for your Foam Case Inserts?
Engineered foam inserts and packaging products that provide high quality appearance and the exact level of performance you require

Foam Design Expertise
GWP one of the UK’s largest and longest established foam converters, employing an expert design team and cutting edge software / equipment

Calculated Performance
No more guesswork – your foam inserts will be created using advanced software that calculates optimum protection levels for your specific items

UK Manufactured
Your foam inserts will be manufactured at GWP’s Wiltshire production facility, ensuring the highest quality, short lead times, and competitive pricing
Free quotes and impartial advice for your precisely engineered, fully tailored foam inserts
If you are looking for foam inserts, then working alongside the UK’s leading independent foam converter can provide a wealth of benefits for your business. You can take advantage of an expert design team, free impartial advice at all stages of your project, competitive pricing to suit practically any budget and volume, and the latest technology and equipment.
Your complete satisfaction – regardless of your brief, the challenge you are looking to overcome or the market you operate in – is paramount to everything GWP Protective do.
Contact us today to see just how good your foam inserts can be.
Applications for foam inserts
Foam inserts are a surprisingly versatile and widely used for protection of products.
This includes everything from foam inserts for toolboxes that quickly help to identify missing kit, simple lining of containers and all the way through to extra tough moulded plastic cases with foam that provide exact levels of cushioning from mishandling.
Whatever your application, GWP Protective can help your business minimise the cost of expensive, fragile or specialist items becoming lost or damaged.
At the other end of the scale, the precise nature and high-quality finishes achieved during the advanced manufacturing techniques utilised, can make foam inserts an innovative and distinct way to differentiate your brand. This can allow for enhanced presentation of product samples in sales pitches, or even be used to assist sales in sectors where added value packaging is all important.
The bottom line is that whatever challenge your business faces, or project it is working on, GWP Protective foam inserts provide the versatility and performance to help.
Why use Plastazote® for your cut foam inserts?
Plastazote, the foam material of choice for GWP Protective, is unique in that provides both superb cushioning performance alongside high-quality appearance / presentation.
It is well known for being lightweight, tough, flexible, moisture resistant, chemically inert and resistant to oils, solvents, dilute acids, and UV light. It is also available in a large range of colours, meaning you can easily match your business’ branding or specific product ranges.
Besides this, specialist foams, such as conductive, static dissipative and high density are all available in the range.
Using this material, your engineered foam inserts are designed to reduce the effect of shock and vibration on any delicate, highly calibrated or valuable items during transportation and storage.
By using the latest software and performance models, GWP can accurately engineer the precise level of cushioning required for a specific product or item. In turn, by reducing the effect of any shocks generated by mishandling of the exterior case to a specific level of performance, it will allow damage to the packaged article to be greatly reduced (or in many cases, completely eradicated).
Plus, as GWP Protective are one of the largest independent UK suppliers of transit and equipment cases, your foam inserts can be designed to work seamlessly with any exterior case, container, or even cardboard packaging. This greater level of compatibility between case and foam allows for protection from vibration, water and dust as well as providing highly engineered, precise levels of cushioning.
Other Foam Packaging Options
Besides the high performance Plastazote® polyethylene foam inserts as listed above, GWP Protective can – as experienced foam converters – provide your business with a wide range of additional foam packaging and products. Please view all of the foam options here.
Quotes, Technical Info, Advice...
Get your no obligation, tailored quote (or impartial product advice) now
Here to Help
Contact a member of our sales & support team directly

Dan Wellings
Product Adviser
protective@gwp.co.uk
01722 416 440

Richard Coombes
General Manager
richard.coombes@gwp.co.uk
01722 416 440

Ian Heskins
Sales Director
ian.heskins@gwp.co.uk
01793 754 444

01722 416 440
Mon – Fri 08.30 – 17.00

protective@gwp.co.uk
Email a case / foam expert