Bespoke softwood packaging cases and crates
Custom softwood crates are an excellent option for your export packaging, particularly if your business manufactures or supplies industrial parts or products.
Softwood crates are heavy-duty shipping and storage containers made from rough-sawn natural timber sourced from coniferous (evergreen) trees such as pine, spruce, or fir. Softwood crates provide a durable solution for storing and transporting industrial products and parts, and are suitable for export (being ISPM 15 heat-treated).
At GWP, we manufacture softwood crates to your exact requirements. By manufacturing to custom sizes, our softwood crates help maximise warehouse and transport efficiency, reduce space requirements, and lower shipping costs and CO2 emissions. Additional features such as pallet collars, foam inserts, ramps and integral pallets can further improve protection and handling.
Benefits of custom softwood crates
By sourcing your softwood crates from GWP, you benefit from:
What our customers say...
The timber crates combined with foam we received have exceeded our expectations, being much easier to use, quicker to pack and unpack, and reusable across many trips. We’re delighted with the service and packaging we have received.
Dan Barnes | Chief Operating Officer | Bright.Blue
Their service is outstanding—reliable, responsive, and consistently exceeding expectations. We couldn’t ask for a better packaging partner.
Phoebe Hobson | Supplier Account Manager | Stannah
The solution that GWP supplied has significantly improved the efficiency of our operations through ease of use, and it looks more professional, too. Everyone who has seen it has been very impressed.
Police Sergeant Tim Rich | Drone Unit Operations Manager | Wiltshire Police
FAQs
What is the difference between a case and a crate?
There are many definitions of wooden crates and cases, with many suggesting that crates have gaps or spaces in the cladding, making the contents visible, whereas cases do not. However, this isn’t always true; another definition is that crates use a frame that stands without the cladding, whereas cases do not.
How are softwood crates manufactured?
Softwood cases typically use a frame manufactured from timber battens. The structure is then clad with softwood planks or, in the case of ply-batten boxes, plywood to finish the crate. Softwoods like pine and spruce are typically used to manufacture wooden shipping crates because they offer a good balance of strength, cost, and availability.
What can I use instead of softwood crates?
While softwood crates are an excellent option for various industrial packaging applications, including export packaging, heavy-duty corrugated options like triple-wall cardboard and tri-mite are viable alternatives. These paper-based options, while less durable, are considerably lighter and often lower-cost, while still performing well in transit.
What custom options are there for softwood crates?
Beyond bespoke sizing and material thicknesses, you can choose several additional features. Options include custom pallet collars to brace your items, foam inserts (cuffs and collars) for cushioning, and even ramps for unloading heavy equipment with wheels or castors. All softwood cases can also include an integral pallet (standard size options or fully bespoke) to improve manoeuvrability and handling, plus optional lifting gear for larger cases.
Are softwood crates suitable for export?
Softwood cases are suitable for export packaging, provided the wood is ISPM 15-treated (to prevent the transit of insects, fungus, diseases, etc.).
Why GWP Protective?
30+ years of experience
We’ve been designing, manufacturing and supplying wooden shipping crates and similar industrial packaging for over three decades.
UK packaging experts
We have an in-house team of knowledgeable experts with a deep understanding of the requirements for successful industrial packaging.
Competitive advantage
We won’t just sell you packaging – we’ll work closely with you to reduce your costs, improve sustainability, increase efficiency and more.
A business you can trust
We are part of Macfarlane Group – offering you the service and support of a small, specialist business with the backing and resources of a PLC.
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Quotes, technical info and advice
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The information on this page has been collated, checked and approved by several of our case and foam experts:
