Export crates and bases for machine tools, pumps, gearboxes, generators and plant. Designed around the machine’s weight and footprint in Bideford, Devon, and delivered across the South West on our own fleet or anywhere in the UK.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
A machine on its way abroad is heavy, often top-heavy, made of bare steel that rusts, and lifted by people who have never seen it. APS Packaging builds machinery export crates that deal with each of those: a base sized to the weight and lifted from the side you need, the machine bolted or blocked so it cannot move, a vapour barrier to keep condensation off for a sea passage, and walls and a lid that take stacking and weather. Every crate is built from kiln-dried, heat-treated timber and stamped FC0542 under our ISPM 15 registration, so it clears plant-health checks at the border.
Lathes, mills, grinders and CNC machines, bolted down through their own feet on a heavy base.
Dense, heavy items on short footprints, blocked and braced so the weight cannot shift.
Skid-mounted sets on bases built to suit the skid and the lifting points.
Tall cabinets braced at the top, with shock isolation where the electronics need it.
Long or awkward shapes on cradle bases with shaped saddles and supports.
Loose parts and tooling boxed inside the main crate so nothing travels loose.
The base carries the whole load and takes every lift, so it is designed first. We pick it from the machine’s weight, footprint and how it will be lifted.
| Base | How it is built | Fork entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bearer base | Timber bearers standing on edge under a close-boarded floor, with a lip the walls stand on | Two-way, from the sides | Most machines up to around a tonne |
| Block base | Stringers on solid timber blocks with bottom boards | Four-way | Loads that must be lifted from any side, or go in a pallet network |
| Skid base | Heavy timber runners full length, with cross bearers on top | Two-way, plus crane or sling | Heavy machines, long items and anything crane-lifted |
| Cradle base | Shaped plywood saddles and angled supports on a heavy base | Two-way or four-way | Tanks, cylinders and curved or uneven shapes |
Bearer sizes, spacing and the number of blocks or runners are worked out for each crate from the weight and footprint.
| Part | Standard build | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | Framed OSB: timber frames on the outside, OSB inside, so the inside is flat and the internal size is exact | Close-boarded timber for heavy plant; plywood for impact and weather resistance |
| Lid | Battened and fixed down to the walls | Removable or hinged lids for inspection on route |
| Fixing the machine | Bolted through its own feet or mounting holes, or held with timber blocking and bracing | Shaped cradles, foam and corner protection |
| Moisture | Barrier bag or VCI film for bare metal, with desiccant | Breathable liners for short, dry journeys |
| Marking | ISPM 15 mark (FC0542), handling symbols | Centre of gravity, sling points and shipping marks stencilled |
We do not fit lashing rings or strap slots as standard: a machine bolted to a properly sized base, or held by the fit of the crate, does not need them. If your forwarder asks for them, tell us when you ask for a quote.
A fabricator needed a 3.8 m tank weighing about 1.9 tonnes moved safely. We built a heavy cradle pallet from kiln-dried, heat-treated timber, with pinned plywood saddles shaped to the tank and angled supports either side, designed for the load and stamped for ISPM 15.
We build at our 300,000 sq ft site in Bideford. Crates go out across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset on our own HGV fleet, and to the rest of the UK by dedicated carrier. We regularly deliver straight to the factory, the freight forwarder or the port, and our export packing service can pack the machine here if it is easier to bring it to us.
Our guide on how to measure goods for a crate quote explains each one.
APS Packaging Ltd
Designs our shock pallet and crate specifications, from the isolator count to the bolt pattern, and wrote our guides on shock protection and ISPM 15.
Sales, APS Packaging Ltd
Your first contact for a quote. Send David the weight, footprint and route and he will come back with a design and a firm date.
The eight things that move a crate price, and how to keep it down.
What to measure and what to tell us.
Which board to choose, side by side.
Crates for sea and air freight, stamped FC0542.
Build a base sized for its weight, bolt or block the machine to it, wrap bare metal in a vapour barrier with desiccant, then build walls and a lid around it from ISPM 15 timber. The base and fixing matter most, because they take every lift.
Yes. Heavy machines go on skid or cradle bases with timber runners sized for the load, and we design the base before anything else. Tell us the weight and how it will be lifted.
Yes, if they contain solid timber and are leaving the UK, including to the EU. Our crates are built from heat-treated timber and stamped FC0542 under our own registration.
Not as standard. The crate is lifted by forklift on its base, and we stencil sling points and the centre of gravity where they are needed. If your forwarder needs lashing points, tell us with the enquiry.
We deliver across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset on our own fleet, and to the rest of the UK by carrier, including direct to ports and forwarders.
Tell us what you need, with sizes, weight and quantity if you have them, and we will come back with a design, a price and a date.
Prefer to talk? Call 01237 423772 or email sales@apspackaging.co.uk, Monday to Friday.
Send the size, weight and route and we will design the crate around it.
Email our Sales Team : sales@apspackaging.co.uk
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