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Industrial Crating & Packing

A machine that survives the rig-out can still be ruined in the truck. We drain, lock, wrap, skid, and crate industrial equipment on site — built around the machine's real weight and center of gravity, and packed for how it's actually going to travel.

ISPM-15 LUMBER CG ↓ MARKED VCI WRAPPED FORK ENTRY BOTH SIDES
4x6 SKID RUNNERS LAG TO FEET CG MARKED

Quick answer: Industrial crating and packing is the preparation of machines and equipment for transport — draining fluids, locking moving parts, protective wrapping, and building skids or custom wooden crates sized to the load. Badass Logistics crates and packs equipment on site or at staging as part of a rigging or project-freight job, including export packing with ISPM-15 compliant heat-treated lumber when freight is leaving the country.

Packing built around the machine, not the box

Most shipping damage on industrial equipment doesn't happen in a crash. It happens slowly: a machine that shifts an inch every time the truck brakes, a crate built too weak for the weight on top of it, moisture that condenses on bare ways over a two-week ocean transit, a forklift driver who picks a crate from the side where the load is heaviest. Good packing is designed to stop each of those before they start.

Because we're riggers first, our crating starts with the same numbers our rigging plans start with — the equipment's weight, its center of gravity, its lift and tie-down points, and what parts can't take load. The skid gets bolted to the machine's real mounting points. The crate is sized so fork entry lines up with the weight, and the center of gravity gets marked on the outside so the next person handling it knows where it is.

Crating is almost always part of something bigger: a machine move between plants, a plant relocation, or equipment staged after a container unload before its final delivery. We do it on site at your facility or at a staging location, timed to the rig-out and the trucks.

Crating & packing services

crates

Custom Wood Crates

Open and closed crates engineered for the weight, dimensions, and handling of each piece.

skids

Heavy-Duty Skids

Runners and decks bolted to the equipment's mounting points for safe forklift and rigging handling.

export

Export Packing

ISPM-15 heat-treated and stamped lumber, sealed barrier wrap, and marking for international freight.

protection

VCI & Moisture Barrier

Corrosion-inhibiting wrap, desiccant, and sealed barrier bags for machined surfaces.

prep

Machine Prep

Fluids drained, axes and moving assemblies locked, loose components removed and tagged.

securement

Blocking & Bracing

Loads blocked, braced, and secured inside trailers and containers so nothing walks.

VCI BAG SEALED DESICCANT IN HT STAMP ✓

Does your equipment need a crate?

Not everything needs a full crate, and over-packing costs time and money too. The right level of protection depends on the equipment and the trip:

Skid and wrap

Rugged machines moving a short distance on air-ride or enclosed equipment often only need a proper skid, protective wrap, and good securement.

Open crate

A frame crate protects edges, controls panels, and projections from impact while keeping weight down — common for domestic moves of mid-size machines.

Closed crate

Sensitive, high-value, or open-deck freight gets fully enclosed, with barrier wrap and desiccant inside when moisture is a risk.

Export packing

Freight leaving the country needs wood packaging that meets ISPM-15 (heat-treated and marked), protection for long transit times and humidity swings, and marking that survives multiple handoffs.

TILT INDICATOR NO FORK HERE PACKING LIST TAPED

Machine prep that prevents damage

Packing starts with the machine itself. Before anything goes in a crate, the equipment is prepped the way its builder expects:

Our guides on preparing a machine for shipping and blocking, bracing, and dunnage go deeper into both.

CRATE 3 — 11,400 LBS SHOCKWATCH ON LID SCREWED NOT NAILED

How a crating job runs

  1. Survey the equipmentWeights, dimensions, center of gravity, mounting points, and anything that can't bear load.
  2. Pick the packingSkid, open crate, closed crate, or export packing matched to the equipment and the trip.
  3. Prep the machineDrain, lock, remove, tag, and protect before the crate is built around it.
  4. Build & markCrates built on site or at staging, then marked with weight, CG, handling, and destination.
  5. Load & secureRigged or forked onto the truck and blocked and braced for transit as part of the project freight plan.

What we crate

CNC machines & machine toolsProduction line sectionsControl panels & switchgearMedical & imaging equipmentLab & test equipmentMolds & diesCompressors & generatorsSpare parts & toolingExport equipment packagesElectrical enclosures

Crating & packing FAQ

What is ISPM-15?
An international standard for wood packaging material in cross-border shipping. Lumber used for crates and skids must be treated (commonly heat-treated) and stamped with the certification mark. We use compliant lumber for export crating.
Can you crate a machine at our facility?
Yes. Most of our crating happens on site, right after the rig-out, so the machine is only handled once before it goes on the truck.
Do I need a crate for a domestic machine move?
Not always. Many domestic moves only need a skid, protective wrap, air-ride equipment, and proper securement. We recommend the lightest packing that actually protects the machine.
How do you protect machines from rust in transit?
Clean and oil exposed surfaces, then use VCI wrap or sealed barrier bags with desiccant, especially for long transits, ocean freight, or equipment going into storage.
Do you crate equipment as a standalone service?
Crating is part of our project freight work — tied to a move, relocation, install, or equipment package — rather than one-off crate orders.

Related services

Straight answers from our blog

CRATE 7 OF 12 ✓ CG MARKED

Need equipment packed right?

Send the equipment list and where it's headed. We'll spec the packing around the machines and the trip.

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