Plastic Carrying Cases & HDPE: 8 Fascinating Facts
At Bel-Air Cases, we’ve been creating top-quality plastic carrying cases for more than 50 years. Our cases are tough and durable and many of our customers are surprised to learn that plastic is one of the best materials available to protect your expensive equipment. At our factory, we create cases using high-density polyethylene or HDPE, which is one of the most versatile plastics on earth. Here’s a quick look at HDPE and why it’s so well suited for custom plastic carrying cases.
1. HDPE Is Durable
While all of our plastic carrying cases are protective and durable, our shipping cases and expo cases, both of which are crafted from HDPE, are capable of handling the rigors of shipping and transport. HDPE is highly impact resistant, which makes it a top choice for any type of shipping case or crate.
2. HDPE Is Lightweight
While durability is certainly a huge advantage of HDPE, the light weight of this plastic also is a benefit. The light weight makes it easy for clients to move our cases from place to place, and the lighter weight also can reduce your shipping costs. Of course, we also can add wheels to our plastic carrying cases to make them as easy as possible to move.
3. HDPE Is Moisture-Resistant
Did someone spill coffee on your case? Did you have to transport your case from your car to an office building in a torrential downpour? Did you store your case in an area where mold or mildew have built up? If any of these scenarios have happened to you, the contents of your case are likely perfectly fine. HDPE is resistant to chemicals, moisture, mildew and mold, so whether you have suffered from a horrible cappuccino accident or got stuck in a thunderstorm, your HDPE plastic carrying cases will weather the storm.
3. HDPE Is A Thermoform Plastic
There are two basic types of plastic – thermoform plastics and thermoset plastics. Both involve the use of heat and this heat is applied to sheets of plastics in order to make the plastic malleable. However, thermoform plastics typically can be recycled and used again and again. With thermoset plastic, recycling is nearly impossible as these plastics are permanently “set” once they have cooled. HDPE is a thermoform plastic, meaning that it can be “re-melted” and used again for a new purpose.
4. HDPE Is Easily Recyclable
Our Bel-Air plastic carrying cases are meant to last a lifetime, so you certainly won’t be recycling your custom cases anytime soon. However, other products fashioned out of HDPE are meant for single usage, such as milk jugs. While all thermoform plastics are recyclable, HDPE is one of the easier plastics to recycle.
All thermoform plastics are categorized with a resin identification code and this code typically is imprinted somewhere on the product or item. Look on some of your plastic products, and you might see a number inside a triangle. That is the resin code, and this tells the staff at recycling centers which type of plastic was used to make a container or product. For instance, those plastic water bottles we all use are made from polyethylene terephthalate or PET, and is designated with a #1. HDPE is known as #2 plastic, and virtually all curbside recycling programs now accept HDPE. While you won’t need to recycle your case, it’s still nice to known that HDPE is one of the most sustainable plastics on the planet.
5. HDPE Is Used For Many Products
Because of its light weight, impact resistance and moisture resistance, HDPE is used for a variety of products. Aside from our plastic carrying cases, HDPE can be used to make bottles for shampoo, detergent and cleaners. HDPE also is a suitable material for use in many food products, including cereal box liners, juice & milk jugs, yogurt & pudding tubs and tubs for items such as butter, margarine, sour cream and cottage cheese. This plastic also is used to make durable plastic lumber for use in playground equipment, park benches and more. While you might be more familiar with PVC pipes, HDPE also is used to produce pipes and cable insulation, as it is highly anti-corrosive and durable.
6. Our HDPE Cases Are Created Through Vacuum Forming
Thermoforming is a process by which large sheets of plastic are heated until they are malleable and then formed using the pressure of a vacuum. We are the first company to pioneer the use of vacuum forming for custom cases and have been using this process for many 50 years. Vacuum forming is a tried-and-true method that produces consistent results every time. Our versatile thermoforming equipment can produce just about any size of case you might need.
7. HDPE Is More Than 100 Years Old
In the grand scheme of things, synthetic plastics are a fairly new material, with most advances in the creation of plastics occurring from about 1880 on. Polyethylene was developed in the 1930s by two British chemists, Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson, and this plastic first was used during World War II as insulation for radar cables. Karl Ziegler, a German chemist developed HDPE during the 1950s, and later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work with plastics, particularly for his development of HDPE. It also might interest you to note that HDPE is what is known as a synthetic polymer and it is constructed entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
8. Our Cases Are More Than HDPE
While the strong, durable outer shell of our cases is vacuum-formed using HDPE, we also include a few other materials in the creation of our carrying cases and shipping cases. Each half of your case is held together with an aluminum valance. Aluminum, much like HDPE, is a desirable material because of its strength, durability and lightweight. It too, is a highly recyclable and sustainable material.
Although, again, your Bel-Air Case is meant to last for decades and we stand by our cases throughout their lifetime, if a case component breaks, we will fix it. We know that transit is tough on packages, so while we can’t guarantee that your cases will never be damaged, we can assure clients that we will always repair the damages for as long as you own your Bel-Air case.
In addition to the aluminum hinges, we also offer an assortment of hinges, latches, handles and wheels. Each case also features a custom foam insert that fits your equipment precisely. We never use die-cut or pick and pluck foam, as this simply does not protect items at the same level as custom foam inserts. From inside and out, your custom plastic carrying cases will feature the highest quality materials and design. We can even customize the color and add a logo or your company name to the case design.
If you are in the market for custom plastic carrying cases, give the team at Bel-Air Cases a call today or request a free custom quote via our website. We design light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty carrying cases as well as heavy-duty shipping cases and expo cases for clients in a wide range of industries. To learn more about our cases, head to our homepage and you will find helpful tabs for each of our products, as well as a tab that will lead you to our “Request A Quote” page.
Custom Carrying Cases: 6 Products That Need Bel-Air Cases
While off-the-shelf cases might be fine for some items, custom carry cases and custom shipping cases are essential tools of the trade in many industries. At Bel-Air Cases, we’ve been designing high-quality cases for more than 50 years for clients from a wide range of industries. Here’s a quick look at just a few industries that would benefit from our custom carrying cases.
1. Audio & Video Equipment
If you are a musician or a filmmaker, keeping your gear safe and protected is crucial. Our custom carrying cases and shipping cases can protect your precious equipment. We recommend using our medium-duty or heavy-duty carrying cases and heavy-duty shipping cases. These durable cases can handle the rigors of transport and shipping with ease. While these heavy-duty cases provide maximum protection, yet they are still lightweight and easy to maneuver.
2. Medical Equipment
Our medium-duty and heavy-duty custom carrying cases are ideal for many different types of medical products. This includes medical supplies as well as any type of equipment. We will design custom foam interiors to protect every component of your equipment. We never use diced foam as this does not provide adequate protection. Your products and equipment are simply too valuable to trust diced foam. We recommend opting for heavy-duty carrying cases or heavy-duty shipping cases if you often ship or transport your medical equipment.
3. Lighting Equipment
Our made-to-order cases can meet virtually any application that requires the protection of your sensitive light equipment. We will construct custom interiors that feature a combination of dividers and foam cavities to ensure that your product is well protected but also easy to package.
4. Military & Aerospace Equipment
We can build custom carrying cases that meet just about any military specifications. The U.S. Military, as well as leaders in the military fulfillment and aerospace industries, have trusted Bel-Air cases for decades to hold a wide range of equipment.
5. Trade Show Components
Our custom carrying cases also include expo transport cases, which provide an ultimate level of protection for your trade show equipment and displays. These custom carrying cases are designed specifically to transport wider and thinner items, and can withstand the rigors of airplane travel and shipping. Add your custom logo to each expo case to ensure that all of your cases are easy for your staff to identify.
6. Sales & Marketing Displays
Our custom expo cases also are a great choice for items such as point-of-purchase displays and any other type of sales or marketing display. If you have a sales pitch and need an expo case that can protect and carry all of your marketing materials, presentation visual aids, charts, maps and any other type of graphics or artwork, our custom expo cases are a perfect choice.
These are just a few types of equipment and items that our Bel-Air custom carrying cases can protect and transport. Just about every carrying case we make can be customized with a telescoping handle and wheels, making transport a breeze, no matter what your case contains. Our heavy-duty carrying cases, shipping cases and expo cases are ideal for any product frequently transported from place to place, handling the rigors of airplane travel and shipping with ease.
If you need any type of custom carrying cases, head to our homepage and click the “Request A Custom Quote” tab. A representative will contact you shortly, take down some information and provide you with a free quote for your unique project.
Custom Plastic Cases: 4 Reasons Why You Need Our Cases
Whether you need rugged shipping cases to transport equipment across the world or small custom carrying cases for your sales team, we can design any type of custom plastic cases that you might need. But why choose our cases? Here are four compelling reasons why we believe Bel-Air cases should be your first choice.
1. The Protection Factor
There are many different types of custom plastic cases on the market, but few rival the durability of Bel-Air cases. Our rugged, heavy-duty custom shipping cases and heavy-duty custom plastic carrying cases can withstand the rigors of transport and shipping with ease. Heavy-duty cases are ideal if you need to ship delicate items or heavier items that weigh more than 30 pounds.
In addition to heavy-duty cases, we also design medium-duty and light-duty custom plastic cases. Medium-duty cases are ideal for demo and sales kits and as OEM cases for items weighing between five and 40 pounds. Light-duty cases are our most affordable option, perfect for items weighing from about five pounds up to 20 pounds.
As a side note, don’t let the word “plastic” fool you. The materials we use are extremely impact-resistant and durable. The shells of our custom plastic cases are vacuum-formed out of high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, and this type of thermoform plastic has many advantages. HDPE is highly durable, lightweight and affordable, and it even offers good chemical and moisture resistance.
2. Customization: Inside & Out
At Bel-Air Cases, we can customize every inch of your cases, inside and out, and we offer more options and features than any other thermoform case company. For instance, we offer a variety of hardware options, including several types of wheel and handle options. You also can select from several types of hinges, latches and feet.
Our standard case colors are silver and black, but we also have several optional stock colors, including white, yellow, orange, red, olive, green and blue. In addition, if you need custom plastic cases in a custom color, we may be able to provide color-matching services. We also can add graphics and logos to the exterior of your cases, as well as engraved plates and custom decals.
For the interior of your case, we will provide you with custom foam sets. We never use foam slabs or diced foam, as we believe these simply don’t provide an adequate level of protection. Aside from the protection factor, custom foam sets are simply a nicer way to display your items or products, and for many of our clients, aesthetics are an important factor.
3. Affordability
Because all Bel-Air custom plastic cases are made-to-order, it would be impossible for us to simply list prices somewhere on our website. Each case we build is unique, designed to the exact specifications of the product or parts that will be protected and transported by the case. Once we discuss your project in detail, we will be able to provide you with a free cost quote.
That said, our custom plastic cases are highly affordable. While you won’t walk out the door with a custom case for just $50, we probably won’t be charging you $1,000 for a single case either. Generally, our cases range from about $120 up to about $500, depending on the size of the case as well as the style and classification of the case, such as light-duty, medium-duty or heavy-duty. The type of foam insert you need also can affect the cost of the case. Obviously, a larger heavy-duty case will be more expensive than a small, light-duty case, but we strive to create high-quality custom plastic cases that are as affordable as possible.
While off-the-shelf cases might seem like the most affordable option, these non-custom cases don’t provide the level of protection that Bel-Air custom cases provide. Saving a bit money means nothing if your items or equipment aren’t protected adequately.
4. Experience Counts
We’ve been creating custom plastic cases for more than 50 years, and we set the standard for case manufacturing. In fact, we are the original innovator of vacuum-formed equipment cases and over the years, we’ve created custom plastic cases for a myriad of industries. Our areas of specialization include the creation of custom cases for audio & video equipment, medical equipment cases, lighting equipment cases and military & aerospace equipment cases, but we can design cases for just about any type of equipment or product.
If you are in the market for custom plastic cases, give us a call at any time. You also can request a custom quote through our website. Simply head to our Contact Us page or click on the “Request A Custom Quote” tab on our homepage.
Customizing Plastic Cases to Support Your Branding
In order to brand your business effectively, it is vital to understand who you are as an organization and how you want the consumer to view you. Once you have decided those things, you can make an informed decision about your logos, color choices, packaging and product specs. For the most effective branding possible, it is important to have visually appealing products and logos that capture the attention of your audience.
Good branding is not just simply an advertising strategy or marketing procedure you learned in school. It is a necessity because it is a key to the success and longevity of your company’s future. At Bel-Air Cases, this is something we strongly believe in and understand. That’s why, in addition to offering high quality, protective custom plastic cases, we offer something else of equal importance.
What is that? It’s the opportunity to use our cases to your best branding advantage. Bel-Air Cases encourages customers like you to customize the plastic cases you purchase from us with a variety of graphics and molded-in logos. Examples of these include:
- Size and Color Specifications
- Engraved Plates
- Custom Decals
- Molded Company Logos
By customizing your Bel-Air Cases product, you can make it align with your branding objectives and still maintain its highly professional appearance. We offer these customized options on any case we manufacture – and if you have questions regarding the customization of your case, our customer service department will be happy to answer them.
Browse through our various selections of styles and colors, and let us make the perfect custom plastic case for you. Call us today at (866) 235-2472 to see how we can help you!
Old Guys Rule
We’ve all heard the jokes, watched the shows and even seen the shirt that reads “Old Guys Rule!” In actuality, the only guys who “rule” are the ones being innovative, the ones keeping up with the now and the ones that understand times change as do consumer expectations.
Business rules and procedures have changed as the world has grown to be more populated and diverse. The way products are marketed, the way we advertise, and even the thought process behind creating a business plan has evolved. Tradeshows, catalogs, phone calls, and in person meetings were once considered the standard means of operations – but the sad truth is that if you still use only that operating system, then your business or company will not get a second glance from the common consumer. The world has become cyber. Everything is either online, on social media, or in text messaging (who still makes phone calls?). As time continues, the old means of standard operating procedures will be considered prehistoric, and so outdated that no one will even know what a printed catalog looks like.
There is an advantage to having “Old Guy” experience, and that is the wisdom and lesson you learned from the mistakes you have already made. So keep up with the times, the new rules, the new marketing strategies, and use those lessons learned to improve your business.
Butts & Chairs
Monthly Business Musings: Butts Don’t Learn Anything from Chairs
We have learned, after 30 years in business, that there is much more to this B2B industry than what Murphy has taught all of us through his ubiquitous “law.” Some of his principles will be broken down here.
We have studied the leaders (managers and executives) of both manufacturing and sales companies, and have concluded that they are in fact very different from each other. For example: Because they are more attentive towards the factory, manufacturers tend to lose sight of the “bigger picture. “They often experience the feeling of complacency or an overwhelming suggestion of restraint keeping them within the factory walls. Without the presence of these feelings, the opportunity for disaster to strike grows exponentially.
The owner of our parent company, California Quality Plastics, is a very business savvy guy who despises the idea of confinement within the building. He once stated, “You will learn a great deal of information when meeting face-to-face with customers, by walking through a vendor’s facility or by sitting down with other executives who are running business. Go to industry trade shows. Go to classes. Get to know the competition.” This could not have been any more accurate.
The importance of mobility must be emphasized, because of the information related to business expansion and improvement can only be learned outside of those walls. Like our owner says: “Butts don’t learn anything from chairs.” In other words, get outside the walls of the company and learn. That’s a principle we try to instill in our employees, and we believe our customers are better served because of it.
Mashup: The New Goal for B2B
Once upon a time, business-to-business customers didn’t mind making a choice between a fair price, a short lead time and a high quality product. As long as they had one of those items checked off their list of “wants,” they were generally satisfied.
But in today’s economy, B2B customers want and expect all three, no excuses. That means it’s incumbent upon B2B providers to provide a “mashup” of those three critical checklist items – and that’s what we try to do here at Bel-Air Cases. To us, a mashup is more than a pop music phenomenon involving a great synchronization of two songs from different genres; it’s a goal we try to meet in order to retain our valuable B2B customers.
We know that if we have a competitive price so that customers can watch their bottom lines, reasonable lead times so that orders arrive on schedule, and durable products that last for decades, then we’re going to keep our
customers satisfied. Whether or not they know it, B2B customers love mashups!
That being said, here’s a list of the top 10 mashup songs for 2016 – because you still have to have fun, no matter what your business is. Enjoy!
Protect Your Trade Show Materials with Trade Show Cases
Presenting your company at a trade show can be a critical first step to increasing visibility and credibility. Trade shows provide a powerful platform for acquiring new customers, reaching out to your existing clientele and showcasing new products. Putting a face to the company is essential for establishing your brand as reliable and trustworthy.
Your booth will tell your potential clients a lot about your company and your presentation needs to be professional. Your banners and poster, TV screens and other visual aids, sales and marketing displays and other trade show components require special care to ensure that your investment in these materials last a long time. Transporting these materials properly can be a daunting task without the right trade show cases to keep them safe. And just think, with the right equipment to hold and transport your materials, set up and tear down will become easier and more organized.
Bel-Air Expo Travel Cases are made of high density polyethylene plastic for strength and impact resistance that will not only survive the rough treatment they will get at the airport or in shipping facilities, they’ll exceed your expectations at protecting your wares. Built with a sturdy spring-loaded steel handle and featuring durable nylon straps with tough plastic buckles and set atop built-in 3″ skate wheels with a metal housing, our trade show cases were built for convenience, ease of use and exceptional performance that will last many years to come.
With different sizes and shapes, you are sure to find the perfect case to fit your particular needs. From shallow and small to larger equipment options, our team has put together a line of trade show cases to fit all your transportation needs.
Not sure what you need? Call or email and we’ll be happy to help!
We Advise Against Pick and Pluck Case Foam Interior
Many case manufacturers use what’s call Pick and Pluck foam in their interiors because it easily creates snug, special shapes and and can conform to many sizes for cases and packaging. At Bel-Air Cases we advocate strongly against using Pick and Pluck foam.
There are two reasons we don’t agree with using Pick and Pluck foam (sometimes called Diced foam too) in our case interiors.
The first reason is the quality of the foam itself. Pick and Pluck foam is die-cut foam that results in foam slabs with perforated cubes. The idea is that by being able to tear away (or pick and pluck) the foam cubes, you can easily create foam cavities for a case interior. It’s actually not a bad idea. However, from previous customer experience it usually results in a terrible overall interior solution. Mainly because a customer will pay for a case completely full of die-cut foam but will end up removing up to 90% of the foam interior. Adding to this problem the remaining foam interior has a bunch of tiny holes or slices left in it. Eventually, with use, it starts coming apart. From customer experience you’ll soon be replacing the case foam interior, if not the entire case itself. There is almost always a better solution than a diced foam interior for your packaging requirements. Bel-Air Cases works with our customers to find the best case interior solutions.
Last, but not least, the other main reason that we recommend against Pick-n-pluck foam is that as custom case manufacturers we associate this method as an easy and lazy foam case solution. Be cautious of any company that advises you to purchase a diced foam case, as manufacturing cases with diced foam requires very little effort, and that shows that they have very little concern for what you’re storing or transporting in your case. Besides that it’s just a bad and lazy design habit.
Custom Medical Device Cases
Throughout the medical and pharmaceutical industries special medical devices are used constantly, and the need to transport these expensive devices is critical. At Bel-Air Cases we are consistently tasked with manufacturing specific made-to-order cases so that those in the medical profession can ship and transport devices without worry of breaking or damage. In pharmaceutical cases we are often required to build cases that can withstand temperature changes, so that sensitive material can be shipped without fear of damage. These cases need to be visually appealing while being fully functional at the same time. We build shipping and transportation cases for all situations. Including expensive medical devices for sales representatives, implants, and emergency medical services (EMS) case solutions. At Bel-Air we follow best practices in the engineering of custom transportation cases and we are equipped to engineer and build literally for any situation.
At Bel-Air we pride ourselves on designing, building and delivering the best custom medical cases. We’ve been satisfying the needs of medical and pharmaceutical professionals for over 50 years. All of our medical shipping cases are manufactured using high density polyethylene plastic which provides strength and impact resistance. We build in molded bumpers for unsurpassed medical devices protection. We mold-in ribs and channels for stacking stability when multiple cases need to be stored or shipped. Our cases can withstand temperatures from -80 degrees F to +180 degrees and we have nearly limitless custom options available to satisfy the unique needs of our clients. At Bel-Air Cases we’ve worked with the top brands in the medical community and we’d love to help you with your custom case needs.