When it comes to shipping your goods, you are given a plethora of options for packaging. There is no single option that is always better than the others, but for certain products or applications, there is often a choice that remains supreme. Custom wood crates may be worth consideration, particularly if you are seeking a balance between protection, customization, and affordability.
Protection
Wood is, naturally and hands down, stronger than cardboard. If what you are transferring is extremely large, heavy, or fragile, a wood crate should be near the top of your list when choosing a container for shipment. There is certainly some cardboard out there that is stout, particularly double wall corrugated cardboard, however, no cardboard is going to be able to withstand the same load that even weaker woods such as softwood and particle board can withstand. Some crates come with framing on the exterior for added strength. With these, you can transport thousands of pounds in a single container, something that would never be plausible with cardboard.
Customization
Cardboard boxes certainly come in many different shapes and sizes, however, none can match custom wood crates should you require a specific or unusual form factor. If you choose to go the cardboard route, you will be limited by the size and options available to you which are pre-fabricated. This almost always means a box that doesn’t fit quite perfectly which means excess space shipping and additional packing material inside the box. On the other hand, custom wood crates can be built to your specifications. Whether a specific size or material that you need, a wood crate can be constructed for almost any application.
Affordability
Cardboard at face value is likely cheaper than wood, however, you shouldn’t look at the material alone. Consider the hidden costs that come with cardboard such as increased shipping expense due to large an inefficient cardboard box sizes, increased cost required to protect contents in a weaker form factor, and increased cost when your contents are damaged because of a weaker container. Also consider the impact left on your customer when your container arrives. A wood crate is certainly more impressive than cardboard, and while this might not save you money up front, it can certainly generate more sales down the road!