Custom protective packaging · Oak Ridge, Tennessee · Since 1991 (865) 481-3801
Vol Case, Crates & Cases

Custom industrial packaging

Custom wood crates.

Built around your equipment and shipment.

Vol Case designs and builds ISPM-15 certified custom wood shipping crates for machinery, large assemblies and sensitive equipment. We size the base, supports and openings for your equipment and how it will be loaded. We supply crates throughout the eastern United States. Order a completed crate, have it supplied knocked down, or discuss on-site assembly at your facility.

Explore on-site crating

Free design & quoting. No obligation.

Closed plywood crate with a framed front panel, metal latches and orange pads beneath the base.

Support for the weight and shape

We build the base and supports for the equipment’s weight and shape, using places that can safely carry the load.

Room to load and unload

Removable panels, ramps and lifting access make it easier to get the equipment in and out.

Domestic and export packaging

Tell us where the crate is going and how it will be stored so we can plan the wood treatment, markings and protection needed.

Ways to order

Choose how the crate is supplied.

A completed crate

Have a crate built to fit your equipment and delivered ready for loading. All openings, supports and lifting access are designed and approved by you before production begins.

Crating at your facility

On-site crating handles packaging that needs additional skills or equipment. A crate may be too large to transport fully assembled, or the shipment may need waterproof barrier bagging that requires specialized tools and skills. We can plan this work at your facility.

See on-site crating services

Reusable or knocked down crates

Crates designed for repeated use let you get more out of each crate. We can also supply crates knocked down, so they take up less warehouse space and are easy to assemble when needed.

How we build your crate

Support and protection inside the crate.

A custom wooden crate needs to hold the equipment in place as well as enclose it. We design the base based on the equipment weight and handling requirements. Then we add supports and blocking where the equipment can safely rest or be secured.

  • Base and frame

    We design the base for the equipment’s weight, where that weight sits and how it will be lifted. All our crate bases provide clearance underneath for forklifts and pallet jacks.

  • Holding the equipment in place

    Blocking, bracing, shaped cradles and bolts hold the equipment at strong points. Padding protects the surfaces that touch the supports. We can also use bands or straps where the equipment and contact surfaces allow.

  • Protection inside the crate

    We add foam or other protective material where the equipment touches the crate. Waterproof barrier bagging and desiccant, which absorbs moisture, can protect sensitive shipments. We choose the approach for the journey and storage conditions.

Explore in-house crate design
Two open wooden crate interiors with shaped cradles and dark padding.

Shipment planning

Define the load, handling, and transportation plan.

Send these details so we can design your crate and prepare a quote.

Dimensions and weight
Send the equipment’s full dimensions, weight, center of gravity if known, and a list of components. We can work from your 3D models or take measurements on-site. Include fittings, covers and accessories that travel with it.
Support and attachment points
Show where the equipment can be lifted, supported and secured, and which surfaces cannot take weight. Tell us if it must stay upright or cannot be moved in certain ways.
Loading and unloading
Tell us which forklifts, cranes or other handling equipment are available at both ends of the journey. Include doorway sizes, the direction of loading and anything that needs to remain accessible after packing.
Route and environment
Tell us the destination, shipping method and storage conditions. Include any export paperwork, moisture protection or customer documentation needed.
Delivery, reuse and production
Confirm the quantity, delivery date and current equipment version. Tell us if a complete crate would be too large to deliver or store, or if you need it supplied knocked down for assembly later. Include plans for return shipping or reuse.

Export planning

Treatment, marking and shipment requirements.

ISPM-15 treatment

Export crates subject to ISPM-15 will need approved treatment of regulated solid-wood components, including framing used with plywood panels. All wood crates we make are ISPM-15 certified and stamped.

Official marking

In addition to the ISPM-15 stamp, we can add part numbers, center-of-mass markings, handling instructions and nameplates. Tell us what identification and handling information the shipment needs.

Other shipping requirements

Tell us the destination and customer requirements before ordering. Meeting wood-packaging rules does not cover every rule for the cargo or its import. We also plan moisture protection and how the equipment is held in place.

Your options

Loading, access and reuse.

Choose how you will load the equipment and open the crate again.

Openings, ramps and reusable crates

  • Removable panels and latches

    Removable sides or tops let you reach the equipment for loading and unloading. We can add latches so the crate can be closed again for repeat use.

  • Ramps and forklift entry

    A ramp lets wheeled equipment roll into the crate. We size and support it for the load and wheel positions. Tell us which sides a forklift needs to enter at pickup and delivery.

  • Quick Crates

    Quick Crates use clips to hold the walls together, so assembly and disassembly require no tools. Two people can assemble or disassemble a crate in about three minutes, and the crate can be reused.

Common applications

Crates for machinery and technical equipment.

We build industrial wood crates for individual parts, complete machines and equipment that needs to ship together.

Aerospace and defense assemblies

Crates for large or awkwardly shaped systems, with the packaging and documentation each project requires.

Explore military wood crating

Electronics and research systems

Crates for large instruments and research systems with sensitive connections or moisture-control requirements.

Explore electronics packaging

Crating project examples

Construction choices from completed projects.

Each example below has its own equipment, handling and shipment requirements.

View into a long wood crate containing equipment covered in silver barrier material beneath wooden crosspieces.

Die molding machine

Restraint for a 60,000-pound machine.

For a 16-foot machine moving from Tennessee to Japan, Vol Case used the equipment's base flanges for restraint, added blocking and enclosed it in barrier bagging with desiccant.

Wide open plywood crate with a lowered ramp and a metal strip along the ramp's outer edge.

Tradeshow equipment

An 8-foot-wide loading ramp.

A boat manufacturer needed to roll display components into a reusable crate. The design used an 8-by-8-foot ramp, supports positioned beneath the wheel paths and a folding metal tip.

Wood shipping crates of different sizes loaded on a flatbed trailer outside an industrial building.

Production-line closure

58 crates for 120 equipment pieces.

An automotive production-line project required 30 crate sizes. Equipment was grouped for shipment, and serialized crates were documented with their contents to support identification and unpacking.

Our process

From equipment information to finished crate.

We prepare the design and quote, make any changes with you and arrange the build and delivery.

  1. Send the equipment and shipping details

    Use the shipment-planning checklist and include any drawings or photographs. We will let you know what else we need.

  2. Review design and quote

    We recommend the crate design and features. Review what is included and the price before approving the work.

  3. Approve the design

    Resolve any design questions before we build. If you need a physical prototype, we agree what to make and quote it separately.

  4. Build and arrange delivery

    We build the crate or carry out the agreed work at your facility. We keep the design for repeat orders and can update it when your equipment changes.

Design assistance and quotes are free. We agree delivery and any on-site work for each project.

Worker beside a large wooden crate and a red ladder.

Related products

Gray foam inserts with rectangular slots and circular cutouts.

Custom foam inserts

Order custom foam to cushion your equipment, with or without a new case or crate.

Explore custom foam
An open black Pelican 1745 Air case without foam.

Injection molded cases

Choose a hard case with custom foam for equipment that fits a portable case.

Explore injection molded cases
Stacked black ATA cases with metal edging, recessed handles and latches.

ATA / Road cases

Consider a custom case for equipment that needs repeated transport and access.

Explore ATA / Road cases

Frequently asked questions

Wood crate design and ordering.

Contact us to discuss product selection, design requirements or an order.

Use the shipment-planning checklist above and include any available drawings or photographs.

Keep the public inquiry to general, non-sensitive information. Arrange an approved transfer method before sharing controlled technical files.

View the shipment-planning checklist

Tell us about your project

What do you
need to protect?

Tell us what you need to pack, how it will travel and when you need it. We can help you choose a case, foam insert or wood crate.

  • Free design and quoting
  • Direct access to our team
  • No obligation to purchase
Prefer to talk?(865) 481-3801

Start your project

Provide a general project description. Do not include CUI or export-controlled information.

PDF, images, CAD files, or ZIP. Up to 5 files, 20 MB each.

Use non-sensitive sample files only. Do not attach CUI or export-controlled technical data. Contact our team to arrange an approved transfer method.