Purchasing custom shipping cases with wheels is ideal if you have any delicate or expensive items that need to be transported frequently. Of course, there are many types of durable shipping cases to consider, so which one is right for you?
At Bel-Air Cases, we design custom vacuum-formed plastic shipping cases, and our cases have many advantages over other common types of shipping cases, such as roto-molded, injection molded, blow-molded, aluminum or fabricated wood cases, including:
1. Light Weight
For our shipping cases with wheels, we use sheets of high-density polyethylene, a type of thermoform plastic that is very lightweight. Not only does this light weight make it easier for our customer to handle, it also can reduce overall shipping weights, which can reduce your transportation costs. Commonly used cases, such a roto-molded and fabricated wood transport cases, while very protective, these cases also are very heavy and cumbersome.
2. Durability
Whenever you search for shipping cases with wheels, it is best to select cases that are built with ATA standards in mind. These standards, which were set by an organization that represents major airlines, ensure that your cases can withstand the rigors of transport.
Our cases are built to ATA standards, and our vacuum-formed plastic materials are highly durable. Unlike materials such as fabricated wood, aluminum and blow-molded plastics, our cases can handle being jostled about on airplanes, container ships, vans, trains, helicopters and any other method of transportation. Only roto-molded cases are more durable, but these also are quite heavy, which can be a big disadvantage.
3. Design Options
With vacuum-forming, we can design just about any size shipping case you might need. Fabricated wood and aluminum cases also can be built in many sizes, although only fabricated wood cases equal vacuum-formed cases when it comes to customization. Roto-molded, injection molded, blow-molded and aluminum cases aren’t nearly as easy to customize.
For instance, we can provide you with a wide array of colors. Our standard colors are silver and black, but we also have a number of optional stock colors, including green, olive, white, red, yellow and blue. With a minimum order, we also may be able to provide color-matching services or create a custom color. We also can add a molded-in logo or add engraved plates or custom decals on your shipping cases.
We also can add different types of wheels and handles, including telescoping handles. We offer many custom latches, hinges, locks and case feet, and if we don’t have precisely want you want, we can probably get it. It’s all about choice and providing you with a completely custom case that meets all of your needs.
4. Affordability
One of the best things about our custom shipping cases with wheels is the affordability factor. Thermoform plastic is a highly inexpensive material, and with our in-house tooling, we can keep costs quite affordable. You’ll find our cases more affordable than roto-molded and fabricated wood shipping cases and fairly comparable with custom injection molded and aluminum case costs.
Keep in mind, that we don’t sell off-the-shelf cases; all of our shipping cases are custom-made with your specifications in mind. We design each case around your product, providing an ultimate level of protection that you just can’t get with an off-the-shelf case. And this leads us to our next point . . .
5. Custom Foam Interiors
In order to truly protect your expensive equipment or whatever you place in your case, it is important that we customize the interior of the case, as well as the exterior. We never simply toss a slab of pick and pluck foam in your case and hand it over to you.
Pick and pluck foam is common in our industry, but it’s completely inadequate to use as protection for expensive or delicate equipment. With this type of foam, the customer has to pick and cut away at it to make their own cavities for the equipment that goes inside the case. This type of foam is cheap, and tends to break down quickly, and you end up paying for a bunch of foam that you just throw away.
Our custom interiors are made using the highest quality foam, and we usually can construct a foam interior that is comparable in price to the pick and pluck foam. We can provide you with a basic foam liner or a complex design with interior walls, plastic dividers, interior doors, panel mounts, shock mounts and windows.
While our custom shipping cases with wheels are ideal for many types of equipment and delicate items, you may not be sure if a Bel-Air Case is your best option. We can discuss your case needs, and help you decide if one of our custom cases is your best bet or if you would be better off using another type of case or perhaps even an off-the-shelf shipping case.
We design shipping cases with wheels for a wide range of industries as well as the military. In addition to our military and aerospace cases, we can design cases for audio and video equipment, medical equipment, computer equipment, lighting equipment, sales kits, trade show displays and much more.