Every export crate is priced from its design, so there is no fixed price list. These are the things that move the export crate cost, and what you can do about each one.
By Matthew Bowes, APS Packaging Ltd. Last reviewed 30 October 2026
The export crate cost comes down to how much material the crate needs, how long it takes to build, and what goes inside it. Two crates of the same outside size can be priced very differently because one carries 200 kg of spares and the other a 2 tonne gearbox. This guide sets out the eight things that decide the price, so you know what to send for an accurate quote and where there is room to save.
| Factor | Why it matters | How to keep it down |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Material grows with the surface area of the walls, floor and lid | Measure the item tightly and tell us what clearance it really needs |
| Weight | A heavier load needs deeper bearers, more uprights and a stronger floor | Give the real shipped weight, not a rounded-up guess |
| Board | OSB and budget plywood cost about the same sheet for sheet; better plywoods and close-boarded timber cost more | Choose the board the route and load need, not the best available |
| Base | A four-way block base or a heavy skid base uses more timber than a two-way bearer base | Ask for four-way entry only if it will be lifted from every side |
| Inside the crate | Foam, blocking, cradles, barrier bags and desiccant are made or bought for the job | Tell us what the item can tolerate; not everything needs foam |
| ISPM 15 | Export timber must be heat treated and the crate stamped | Included as standard in our crate timber, so there is no separate treatment step |
| Quantity | Setting up a design takes the same time for one crate or fifty | Order a batch or a call-off if you ship the same item regularly |
| Delivery | Distance, crate size and whether it needs a tail-lift or a specific time slot | Collect, or let us combine the delivery with a regular run |
Size sets how much board and timber the crate uses. Weight sets how heavy that timber has to be. A tall, light crate is mostly walls; a short, heavy one is mostly base. Getting both right is the single best way to get an accurate price, which is why we ask for the item’s real dimensions and weight before anything else. Our guide on measuring goods for a crate quote explains what to measure.
Board sheets also come in fixed sizes. A wall that fits within a standard sheet is cheaper than one a few centimetres bigger that needs a second sheet and an extra joint, so a small change in internal size can sometimes make a noticeable difference.
Our standard export crate is framed OSB: timber frames on the outside, OSB inside. It is strong and suits most machinery, parts and equipment. Budget plywood costs about the same as OSB of a similar thickness; pine, birch and hardwood-faced plywoods cost more but resist impact and water better. Close-boarded timber is used for the heaviest plant. Our OSB vs plywood guide compares them.
The first crate of any design carries the design work, the drawing and setting up the saws. Repeat crates are cut from the same program, so a batch costs less per crate than a one-off. If you ship the same product regularly, ask us to quote a quantity, or to build and hold a small stock against your order so they are ready when you need them.
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.
Crates for sea and air freight, stamped FC0542.
Crates and bases built around heavy machines.
What to measure and what to tell us.
Which board to choose, side by side.
It depends on the size, the weight inside, the board, the base and the quantity, so we price each crate from its design rather than a list. Send the dimensions, weight and route for a firm quote.
Not always. Sheet for sheet at a similar thickness, budget poplar plywood costs about the same as OSB. Pine, birch and hardwood-faced plywoods cost more. The build and the size of the crate usually matter more to the price than the board.
Our crate timber is bought in kiln dried and heat treated, and every export crate is stamped FC0542, so treatment is built into the price rather than added on.
Yes. The design and set-up are shared across the batch, so repeat crates cost less each than a one-off.
Give accurate dimensions and weight, choose the board the route needs rather than the best available, ask for four-way entry only if it is needed, and order repeat crates in batches.
Send the dimensions, weight and route and we will design and price it.
Email our Sales Team : sales@apspackaging.co.uk
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