Padded Equipment Cases: Why Custom Foam Is Crucial
Think about it – you wouldn’t wrap a diamond ring in a simple napkin and hope it survives a tumble down a flight of stairs, would you? Likewise, when it comes to securing your precious equipment during transport, the regular old pick-and-pluck foam in your case just won’t cut it. Enter the game-changer – Bel-Air padded equipment cases.
At Bel-Air Cases, all of our custom equipment cases include custom foam inserts. Unlike many manufacturers, which simply hand of cases with cheap diced foam, we create custom interiors that cushion and surround your equipment perfectly.
Quality custom case foam plays a crucial role in the protection and presentation of equipment, especially when compared to the standard, one-size-fits-all pick and pluck foam. Here are five compelling reasons why opting for quality custom foam inserts in equipment cases is the best choice:
- Tailored Protection
Custom foam inserts are designed to fit the exact dimensions of your equipment. This precision ensures that each piece of equipment is snugly secured, minimizing movement and the risk of damage during transport. Unlike pick-and-pluck foam, which can leave gaps and loose fits, custom foam offers a made-to-measure solution that significantly enhances protection.
- Enhanced Durability
High-quality custom foam inserts are made from materials that are engineered to withstand repeated use without degrading. These materials can absorb shocks and impact more effectively than the cheaper alternatives used in pick-and-pluck foam. Over time, custom foam maintains its shape and protective qualities, ensuring your equipment is consistently protected from wear and tear.
- Professional Appearance – Enhance Your Brand Image
First impressions matter and opening a case to reveal neatly arranged equipment in custom-cut foam can significantly elevate your brand’s professional image. Custom foam inserts can be designed not only to protect but also to present your equipment in the most appealing way possible. This is in stark contrast to pick-and-pluck foam, which can look makeshift and unprofessional, potentially undermining your brand’s reputation.
- Long-Term Cost Efficiency
While custom foam inserts might represent a higher initial investment compared to cheap diced foam, they offer superior protection, reducing the risk of equipment damage and the associated repair or replacement costs. Over time, the durability of custom foam means less frequent replacements, making it a more cost-effective solution in the long run.
- Versatility and Adaptability
Custom foam inserts can be designed with versatility in mind, accommodating various types of equipment within a single case if necessary. This adaptability extends to the incorporation of features such as cutouts for cables and accessories, ensuring that all components of your setup are accounted for and protected. Pick and pluck foam, with its limited customization options, cannot offer the same level of adaptability and may not adequately protect all elements of your equipment.
Our Equipment Case Options
When it comes to selecting equipment cases, we have three main case categories – carrying cases, shipping cases and trade show cases. If you need a lightweight case for sales kits, demo kits or items that won’t be transported as luggage or freight, a medium-duty carry case can be the perfect option.
If you want the flexibility and convenience of carry case but need a durable option suitable for shipping or as cargo, we recommend the heavy-duty carrying cases, which are built using the same materials as our heavy-duty shipping cases but formed on the tooling we use for carrying cases.
Our trade show cases with wheels are a fantastic option for storing oddly-sized graphics and other materials needed for conventions and trade shows. These are heavy-duty and easily can withstand the rigors of transport.
For heavier items or delicate items that need to be shipped frequently as freight or luggage, our custom shipping cases are the perfect fit. Built to meet or exceed ATA standards, these durable padded equipment cases can handle hundreds of trips via plane, train, automobile, boat or rocket ship (we design cases suitable for aerospace and military clients, and these tough cases can handle all types of environmental extremes).
But, let’s get back to that foam. At Bel-Air, our design team can provide you with any type of case foam you might need and we usually can construct foam sets for around the price you’d expect to pay for cases filled with foam slabs or diced foam. We can create custom die cuts to cushion each piece of your equipment perfectly as well as add features such as interior doors and walls, plastic dividers, windows, shock mounts and panel mounts.
Bel-Air Cases: Setting The Standard For 50+ Years
Don’t settle for the cheap, one-and-done foam that tempts with a lower sticker price but stops short of long-term protection. It may save you a few bucks now, but when it comes to the safety of sophisticated gear, cutting corners can lead to a world of regret. Real peace of mind comes with the assurance of custom shipping cases, equipped with high-grade, dense foam designed to stand the test of time and turbulence.
At Bel-Air Cases, we’ve been designing custom padded equipment cases for more than 50 years for clients throughout a myriad of industries. If you need quality equipment cases, head to our homepage and click on the Request a Quote tab and a member of our sales team will be in touch with you as soon as possible to gather information and provide you with a cost quote.
ATA Shipping Cases: Durable, Reliable Custom Cases
If you need cases that can handle hundreds of trips in the cargo hold of planes, trains, container ships and other forms of transportation, ATA shipping cases are your best bet. At Bel-Air Cases, we design custom shipping cases and carrying cases that meet ATA standards, protecting your expensive gear no matter what the transportation industry throws at it.
Facts About The ATA
The Air Transport Association (ATA) was formed in 1936. Its creation was a response to the growing need for an organization that could represent the interests of the emerging airline industry in the United States, particularly in matters of government regulation and policy. Now known as Airlines for America (A4A), this organization has played a significant role in the airline industry. Here’s a brief look at the history of the ATA.
Role in World War II: During World War II, ATA played a crucial role in coordinating the civil air industry’s contributions to the war effort. This included logistics, transporting troops and materials, and supporting the military’s use of civil aviation resources.
Post-War Expansion & Regulation: After the war, the airline industry experienced rapid growth and expansion. ATA was instrumental in navigating the regulatory landscape, advocating for policies that would benefit the industry while ensuring safety and standardization.
Deregulation & Industry Changes: A significant shift occurred in 1978 with the Airline Deregulation Act, which led to increased competition and changes in how airlines operated. ATA was actively involved in these transitions, helping its members adapt to the new competitive environment.
Safety & Security Initiatives: Throughout its history, ATA has been a strong advocate for safety and security in the airline industry. This includes developing and promoting industry standards, training, and protocols to enhance the safety of air travel.
Environmental Efforts: In more recent years, ATA has focused on environmental issues, advocating for sustainable practices and technologies in the airline industry. This includes efforts to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
Rebranding to Airlines for America (A4A): In 2011, ATA rebranded itself as Airlines for America (A4A). The rebranding reflected a renewed focus on advocating for the American airline industry in a global context, addressing issues like taxation, regulation, and infrastructure.
Current Role: Today, A4A continues to represent the interests of major U.S. airlines. It plays a key role in policy advocacy, industry standards, and public representation of the airline industry.
ATA Shipping Cases – What Is ATA Spec 300?
You may have heard or seen case manufacturers discuss ATA Spec 300 on their websites. The ATA (Air Transport Association) specification 300 is a widely recognized standard in the airline industry for shipping cases, containers, and luggage. Here’s some detailed information about ATA Specification 300 and its relevance to shipping cases and luggage:
- Purpose: ATA Spec 300 provides guidelines for the design, materials, and performance of containers and packaging used for airline transport. The aim is to ensure that these containers can withstand the rigors of air travel, including handling, loading, and unloading processes. Our heavy-duty shipping cases are built to handle any challenge the airline industry can throw at them.
- Durability Standards: The specification sets high durability standards for cases and containers. They must be able to withstand repeated use, typically for a minimum of 100 round trips. This includes being able to endure harsh treatment such as impacts, drops, and exposure to extreme temperatures and weather conditions.
- Material and Construction: ATA Spec 300 specifies the types of materials and construction methods that should be used for air transport containers and ATA cases. This often includes the use of high-strength, lightweight materials like reinforced plastics, aluminum, and high-grade plywood.
- Performance Testing: Shipping cases and containers that claim to meet ATA Spec 300 must pass rigorous performance testing. These tests simulate the conditions the cases will face during transit, including drop tests, impact tests, and tests for water and dust resistance.
- Security Features: The specification also includes guidelines for security features, such as locks and seals, to prevent unauthorized access and ensure the safety of the contents during transport. We have a variety of locks and latches, including TSA-approved locks that we can add to your custom equipment cases.
- Customization for Sensitive Equipment: Many ATA-compliant cases are designed to transport sensitive equipment, such as musical instruments, electronic devices, and medical equipment. They often feature custom foam inserts or other protective measures tailored to the specific items being transported.
- Industry Usage: While the ATA 300 specification is particularly relevant to the airline industry, it is also a benchmark for other industries that require high standards of protection and durability in shipping cases, transport cases, custom road cases, and trade show shipping cases.
Our ATA Shipping Cases
The design and production teams at Bel-Air Cases have been crafting durable custom shipping cases for more than 50 years, and we set the industry standard for vacuum-formed custom cases.
We can build your cases to meet ATA standards as well as many MIL specs. In fact, our clients often include the military and the aerospace industry. This means we can design cases that can handle jaunts through the desert on a military vehicle or perhaps even a trip outside the solar system, not to mention the cargo hold of a 747.
Each of our cases is custom-built with your equipment in mind, and each case includes a custom foam interior. Unlike some case manufacturers, we’d never build a case and then hand it off to a client with a chunk of cheap diced foam inside. Instead, we build custom foam that cushions and protects every inch of your equipment.
Equipment cases with foam are essential to truly protect your gear. We are experts at crafting foam interiors, so whether you need a simple foam liner or you need custom die-cuts, shock mounts, panel mounts, interior doors, plastic dividers and more. Our high-quality case foam not only protects your equipment but can display it to its best advantage.
We also can customize the color and look of your plastic shipping cases, custom carrying cases or trade show cases. We can add custom decals, engraved plates and molded-in logos to any case. We offer two standard colors – silver and black, as well as many stock colors, including white, red, blue, green, olive, yellow and orange. With a specific minimum order, we also may be able to provide you with a custom color or color-matching services.
Order ATA Shipping Cases Now
At Bel-Air, we’ve been designing custom cases since 1967, and we can create custom ATA shipping cases that meet all of your specifications. To receive a free cost quote for your made-to-order case project, just click on the Request A Quote tab on our homepage and fill out our contact form. A member of our sales team will be in touch shortly to discuss your project.
The Bel-Air Hard Plastic Carrying Case: 100% Custom Cases
Off-the-shelf cases are fine for some uses, but a custom hard plastic carrying case is the best option for expensive gear, sales kits, OEM cases and more.Read More
The Bel-Air Custom Carrying Case: 50+ Years of Innovation
In the half-century since its inception, the Bel-Air custom carrying case has become synonymous with unparalleled protection, innovation, and bespoke design. Born from a vision to revolutionize the way we transport and safeguard our most valuable items, Bel-Air has meticulously crafted a legacy that blends cutting-edge technology with unmatched craftsmanship.
9 Reasons To Buy Custom Carrying Cases
While off-the-shelf cases have a somewhat lower price tag, opting for a 100% custom equipment case can be the best option for some and here are just a few compelling reasons to consider a custom carry case or custom shipping cases.
- Tailored Fit: Custom cases are designed to fit the exact dimensions of your equipment, ensuring a snug and secure fit. This minimizes movement and potential damage during transportation.
- Enhanced Protection: With custom foam inserts and specific design features, custom cases offer superior protection against impacts, vibrations, and environmental factors like dust and moisture.
- Optimized for Specific Needs: You can design the case to meet specific requirements, such as meeting ATA standards or perhaps MIL specs. If you need an ATA case or a case that meets military or aerospace requirements, we have the experience to handle the requests with ease.
- Professional Appearance: Any custom carry case can be designed with a professional look, including brand colors, molded-in logos, and specific aesthetics that align with your company or personal style, such as custom decals or engraved plates. We make branding custom cases easy!
- Efficient Organization: A custom case foam interior can be designed to hold multiple items securely in an organized manner, which is particularly useful for complex equipment setups. Every custom carrying case you order includes a custom foam interior that cushions every inch of your equipment, and no matter how complex an interior you need, our design team is equal to the task.
- Adaptability for Unique Items: If you have equipment with unusual shapes or delicate components, customized carrying cases can accommodate these unique characteristics much better than standard cases.
- Long-Term Durability: Custom cases are often built with higher quality materials and construction standards, which can lead to a longer lifespan compared to some mass-produced cases. Bel-Air cases are meant to last a lifetime and many of the cases from our early days are still going strong.
- Cost-Effective in the Long Run: While initially more expensive, the enhanced protection and durability of a custom case can save money by preventing damage to valuable equipment.
- Convenience Features: You can include additional features like wheels for easy transportation, custom handles, or specific types of locks and latches for security and ease of access.
Your Case Options
We offer two types of carrying cases – medium-duty cases and heavy-duty cases. Medium-duty carrying cases are ideal for sales kits and demo kits, as well as for equipment weighing less than 40 pounds. These cases also are popular as OEM cases, and, remember, we can add a molded-in logo, custom decals or engraved plates to your cases for a completely professional look.
Medium-duty cases are not meant to be shipped frequently as either luggage or cargo, so if you do want a carrying case that can handle frequent transport, we suggest that you opt for one of our heavy-duty carrying cases. For these cases, we form these cases on the tooling for our carrying cases, but we use the same materials and components that are utilized for our heavy-duty shipping cases.
In some circumstances, we might recommend that you opt for our heavy-duty shipping transport cases instead of a carrying case. These cases are ideal for larger and heavier items that need frequent transport. For many size configurations, we can add wheels and handles, to make it as easy as possible for you to move a case from place to place.
Of course, in addition to adding custom wheels and handles, we also can add locks and latches, including TSA-approved locks. And, as stated earlier, we can customize the color of the case, add decals and logos, and completely customize the interior foam.
We never just hand customers a case filled with cheap diced foam. We believe that a custom foam interior is essential to protect your equipment and if you are paying for a custom case, this should include a custom foam interior.
Celebrating 50+ Years Of Excellence
Back in the late 1960s, the world of plastics was just taking off and Bel-Air Cases was at the forefront of this new booming industry. Back in those days, life was drastically different. For instance, to get the word out about our custom carrying cases and shipping cases, we had to advertise the old-fashioned way – in newspapers and magazines, which might have looked something like this illustration to the right.
We set the industry standard in the early days, and we continue to set the standard in the new millennium. Every custom plastic case we build is meant to last a lifetime, protecting your equipment through countless treks by plane, train, ship, tank or whatever method of transport you need.
Bel-Air has been a trailblazer in the case industry for more than 50 years, and we are proud to continue leading the charge as makers of high-quality, durable cases that last for decades. To get started on a custom carrying case project, click on the Request a Quote tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form.
Bel-Air Cargo Cases: The World’s Toughest Shipping Cases
While travel might provide food for the soul, there’s no getting around the fact that transporting expensive equipment can be fraught with peril. Whether you are transporting gear via train, plane or ship, you need cargo cases that can handle the extremes of travel and Bel Air Cases can design shipping cases that meet all of your case needs.
5 Reasons Why You Need Custom Cargo Cases
While you can find many companies that produce off-the-shelf cargo cases, this is not the best option for many types of equipment. Custom cargo cases offer several advantages over off-the-shelf cases, especially for clients with specific needs or high-value items. Here are five reasons why a custom cargo case can be the perfect solution to your case needs.
1. Tailored Protection
Custom plastic cases with foam inserts built to the customer’s exact specifications ensure that the contents fit snugly, minimizing movement and potential damage during transit. This precision fit offers superior protection compared to generic, off-the-shelf cases where items might shift or be subjected to impacts.
2. Optimized Space Utilization
Custom plastic cases can be designed to maximize the use of space, accommodating the unique shapes and sizes of the items being shipped. This can lead to more efficient packing, reduced shipping costs, and the ability to fit more items securely in a given space.
Our custom instrument cases and cargo cases include custom foam inserts. Unlike many case manufacturers, we never hand off a case with cheap pick-and-pluck foam. Instead, we can create a hard plastic case with foam inside that gently cushions and protects every piece of your equipment perfectly, adding an extra layer of protection to an already highly durable case.
3. Branding and Professionalism
Custom cases can be designed with the client’s branding, colors, and logos. This not only enhances the professional image of the company but also makes the cases easily identifiable, reducing the chances of mix-ups or losses during shipping.
At Bel-Air Cases, we offer a plethora of custom features. We can design heavy duty cases with molded-in logos, custom decals or engraved plates. In addition to our standard colors of black and silver, we have additional stock colors, including red, green, olive, blue, orange, yellow and white. We also can customize the wheels, handles, locks and latches.
4. Durability and Longevity
Custom cargo case manufacturers often use high-quality materials tailored to the specific needs of the client. Whether the client requires waterproofing, UV resistance, or other special features, custom cases can be built to last, offering better long-term value than many off-the-shelf alternatives.
5. Special Features and Add-Ons
Custom cases can be equipped with special features that off-the-shelf cases might not offer. This can include things like humidity control, shock indicators, reinforced corners, multiple locking mechanisms, or even built-in tracking devices. Such features can be crucial for shipping sensitive or high-value items.
Bel-Air Cargo Cases: Built To ATA Standards
If you need an ATA case or perhaps a case that meets MIL specs, we can design whatever you might need. Through the years, we’ve built custom shipping cases and cargo cases for many military and aerospace clients, and they require cases that can handle all types of extremes. Whether you need a case for your next trip to Mars or a case that can handle a bumpy road in the deepest rainforest or on the coldest tundra, we’ve got you covered.
Bel-Air Cases: 50+ Years Of Quality & Innovation
Back in the late 60s when we were just getting started, hard plastic shipping cases weren’t something commonly used by travelers. In fact, we were the first company to produce professional-quality, vacuum-formed shipping cases, trade show cases and carrying cases.
In those days, if you needed a durable cargo case, your options tended to be heavy and bulky, such as fabricated wood road cases or bulky metal cases. Using thermoform plastics, specifically high-density polyethylene (HDPE), we were able to create an even more durable case that was also extremely lightweight. This not only makes it easier to maneuver a case around a crowded airport or train station, but it also reduces shipping and transport costs.
HDPE also has many other advantages over other case materials. In addition to its light weight, HDPE is water-resistant and moisture-resistant, and resistant to many solvents. This plastic is also one of the most durable types of plastics and even absorbs vibrations, which can damage delicate equipment. HDPE also can handle temperature extremes with ease.
While some companies might include a limited lifetime guarantee or warranty on their cases, we’ve never needed to do that. We simply stand by our cases throughout their lifetime. If a case component breaks, we will fix it. We usually can repair most case defects free of charge.
We know that the transportation industry is tough on cargo, so while we cannot guarantee that your custom cases will never be damaged, we can assure you that we will always repair the damages for as long as you own the case. So, whether you have a shipping case from 1968, 1988 or 2022, we will be happy to fix any issues.
Order Cargo Cases Today!
Whether you need just one custom equipment case or a fleet of cargo cases, the team at Bel-Air Cases can provide you with exactly what you need. To get started with a custom shipping case order, simply click on the Request A Quote tab on our homepage, fill out our quick contact form and a member of our team will be in touch to provide you with a free quote for our services.
Shipping Cases With Wheels: Options For The Extreme Traveler
Whether you need a case durable enough to handle interplanetary extremes or you just need something hardy enough to withstand the horrors of the baggage claim at JFK, the team at Bel-Air Cases can provide you with the world’s most durable custom shipping cases with wheels.
We entitled this article “Options for the Extreme Traveler,” but, to be honest, these days, just about all travel experiences seem a bit extreme. From finding parking in a gigantic parking garage to navigating through security to finding a semi-clean spot in the airport where you can plug in your mobile phone, just getting to your airport gate can feel like a huge challenge.
Meanwhile, down somewhere in the depths of the airport, your shipping cases are bouncing about on conveyor belts, being stacked on trams and then tossed unceremoniously in the hold of a giant aircraft.
During this perilous journey, they may come into contact with other cargo, extreme temperatures, rain and perhaps even doused with an iced pumpkin spiced latte when the baggage handler trips over a cable and splashes their coffee drink all over your equipment cases (we know this can happen, as we’ve retrieved our share of suspiciously sticky, coffee-scented cases from the airport baggage claim).
No matter what the transportation industry throws at our shipping cases, they are built to handle just about anything. In fact, we build cases for military and aerospace clients, and those cases have to be built to handle the most extreme conditions on earth. Here’s a quick look at how a Bel-Air shipping case can protect your equipment.
Protection Against Humidity
Humidity can wreak havoc on us all. It can lower our energy levels, cause dehydration and even cause our hair to frizz – gasp. If you are transporting expensive equipment in a humid environment, this moist air also can damage your items, as many types of equipment are particularly sensitive to humidity. Our heavy duty shipping cases can protect your equipment from humidity, even in the middle of the Amazon.
Protection Against Rain & Liquids
If your shipping case is left on a rainy tarmac, it absolutely must protect whatever is inside. Our shipping cases with wheels can handle everything from a light misty fog to a torrential downpour or a massive blizzard. Your plane might not be able to take off in these conditions, but your Bel-Air shipping cases will be able to handle the weather with ease.
Protect Against Temperature Extremes
While cargo holds in airplanes are temperature-controlled, this isn’t the case with some cargo holds. It’s also possible that you will be taking your cases to someplace with extreme temperatures, such as Death Valley, Antarctica or perhaps even the Moon. Our cases are built to handle temperature extremes and won’t crack, buckle or melt no matter where your journeys take you.
Protection Against Jostling & Vibration
Delicate equipment can be damaged easily, but our case exteriors and quality custom foam interiors protect delicate items from jostling and vibrations. We never pass off one of our custom cases with a chunk of cheap diced foam. Instead, we craft custom interiors to protect every centimeter of your equipment.
We also can provide you with features such as interior doors, panel mounts, shock mounts, windows and much more. Whether your plastic case with foam is traveling across the desert on a horse with no name or bouncing along the El Camino de la Muerte in Bolivia, the items inside your Bel-Air shipping cases will be safe and secure.
The Bel-Air Difference
Our shipping cases with wheels, however, are crafted from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is one of the most durable materials on earth. This hardy plastic is resistant to moisture and many chemicals and solvents, as well as able to handle extreme temperatures.
It’s also a highly versatile material, providing us with nearly endless case configuration options. Additionally, HDPE is extremely lightweight, which makes it easier and cheaper to transport. Other common types of transport cases, such as fabricated wood cases and roto-molded cases are extremely heavy, which makes them difficult to maneuver (even with wheels) and more expensive to transport.
Wheel Options
We offer a wide variety of wheel options, and, with many case sizes, you also have the option of adding a telescoping handle. With cases larger than 30”, however, we do often recommend a 3” or 7” end handle instead of a telescoping handle as this case size is already sufficiently long for easy and comfortable maneuvering.
Additional Customization Options
At Bel-Air Cases, we have no off-the-shelf cases. Everything we make is 100% custom, from the exterior size to the interior foam, as well as wheels, handles, latches and locks. Of course, we also can customize the aesthetics of your case.
We offer standard colors of black and silver, as well as a variety of stock colors including white, yellow, orange, red, blue, olive, green and blue. Selecting shipping cases in a bright hue can make it easy to identify and adds a professional touch to your case.
Additionally, we can create shipping cases, trade show cases and carrying cases with molded-in logos, custom decals or engraved plates. These can be eye-catching features that further promote your brand.
Order Shipping Cases Today!
Our custom shipping cases with wheels can be your best protection against the rigors of transportation. Whether you need just one custom case or multiple shipping cases, the team at Bel-Air is ready to provide you with a case design that meets all of your specifications. To get started, just click on the Request a Quote tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form.
Off-The-Shelf Vs. Custom: Selecting A Hard Case With Wheels
If you need to protect expensive and/or delicate equipment, a heavy-duty shipping or carrying case is your best option. But should you select an off-the-shelf case or invest in a custom case? What advantages will you enjoy with a custom hard case with wheels? Let’s take a look at some benefits that a custom case can provide versus an off-the-shelf case.
Specific Dimensions
Equipment that doesn’t fit standard case sizes might require a custom hard case to ensure a snug and secure fit. If the equipment moves around too much inside a larger case, it can be susceptible to damage. Conversely, a case that’s too tight might press against delicate parts.
Unique Equipment Shape
Some equipment might have irregular or unconventional shapes. Our custom foam inserts can be designed to match the exact contours of the item, ensuring optimal protection against shocks and vibrations. We use high-quality case foam, and, unlike some case manufacturers, we never hand off a case with a cheap chunk of pick and pluck foam.
We are experts at fabricating interior walls and doors, plastic dividers, windows, shock mounts, panel mounts and any other interior features you might need. Typically, we can construct custom foam sets for about the same price that you’d pay for a case filled with cheap diced foam, which is what you generally get with an off-the-shelf case.
Branding & Aesthetics
Companies often want their equipment cases to reflect their brand identity. Custom cases can incorporate specific colors, logos, and designs that off-the-shelf cases might not offer, enhancing brand visibility and consistency.
We can added molded-in logos to any carrying case as well as shipping cases and trade show cases. We also can add custom engraved plates or decals, depending on what you want. Our standard colors are black and silver, but we do have several additional stock case colors including white, blue, green, olive, yellow, red and orange. With a specific minimum order, we may be able to provide you with custom colors or color matching.
Enhanced Durability Requirements
Some equipment might be headed to particularly harsh environments, such as deserts, snowy regions, or marine settings. Our Bel-Air custom cases can be built to withstand specific environmental challenges like extreme temperatures, high humidity, sand or saltwater.
Our cases are vacuum-formed using high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is one of the most durable, impact-resistant materials available. HDPE also is moisture-resistant and resistant to many chemicals and solvents, as well as being able to handle temperature extremes with ease. It’s also extremely lightweight, which makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces, but also can reduce your overall shipping and transport costs.
Ease of Transport
Depending on how and where the equipment will be moved, custom cases can be designed with specific transport-friendly features. This could include reinforced handles, wheels and stacking capabilities. We also have a variety of latches and locks and if we don’t have the specific items you want, we likely can source them out for you.
Regulatory & Compliance Needs
Certain industries have stringent regulations regarding how equipment should be transported or stored. A custom hard case, such as an ATA case, can be designed to meet specific standards or certifications, ensuring compliance and avoiding potential legal or financial repercussions. Our cases meet ATA specs and also can be built to conform to most MIL specs if needed.
For companies producing valuable equipment, the upfront investment in a custom a rolling hard case often outweighs the potential cost of equipment damage, replacement, or liability.
Customization ensures that every aspect of the equipment’s protection, transport, and presentation is optimized. While off-the-shelf cases might be cheaper and faster to attain, a custom case provides a much higher level of protection.
Bel-Air Cases are meant to last a lifetime, and while we don’t offer a written lifetime warranty or guarantee (we’ve never needed one), if a case component breaks, we will fix the issue at no charge (shipping charges may apply).
We all know that the transit industry can be tough on luggage and cases, so we can’t guarantee that your case will never be damaged. However, we can promise that we will always repair the damages for as long as you own your Bel-Air case.
Our Case Options
At Bel-Air, we design and produce three types of cases – carrying cases, heavy-duty shipping cases and expo cases (AKA trade show cases). Our heavy-duty custom carrying cases, our shipping cases and trade show cases are all suitable to be transported frequently as cargo or luggage.
We also have a medium-duty carrying case, and while that option is not meant for frequent trips as cargo or luggage, it is ideal for sales kits and demo kits or if you need OEM cases. If you want the ease of a carrying case with the durability of a shipping case, we recommend opting for our heavy-duty carrying case.
Our shipping cases with wheels are ideal for just about any type of equipment. We’ve built cases to hold lighting equipment, camera gear, diagnostic and medical equipment, audio-visual equipment, music equipment, aerospace equipment, military gear and much more.
Order Your Cases Today
If you need a custom hard case with wheels (or multiple cases), don’t hesitate to contact the team at Bel-Air Cases at any time. We’ve been producing quality padded equipment cases for more than 50 years and can provide you with an attractive, durable case that meets all of your specifications.
5 Reasons Why You Need Heavy Duty Cases
In a world where equipment damage can lead to significant financial loss and delays, it’s crucial to have reliable protection for your valuable assets. That’s where Bel-Air Cases arrives on the scene. We specialize in creating custom heavy duty cases designed to protect and transport your equipment securely. Here are five reasons to consider a Bel-Air case.
1. Superior Protection
Our heavy-duty cases provide an unparalleled level of protection against physical impact, dust, water, and other potentially damaging elements. With a hard exterior shell and custom foam interiors, our shipping cases and custom carrying cases offer dual protection. The exterior guards against outside forces, while the interior foam absorbs shocks and cushions your equipment, preventing damage during transit.
We vacuum-form each case shell using high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is one of the most durable case materials. HDPE absorbs impacts and repels water as well as being resistant to many solvents. HDPE also can withstand temperatures ranging from -80 degrees F up to 180 degrees F and we can provide you with cases that include humidity control.
We also use the highest quality foam for your interior, and we provide you with a completely custom interior designed specifically around your equipment. Too often, in the case industry, we see manufacturers hand off cases with a chunk of diced foam inside. This cheap foam, also known as pick-and-pluck foam is not only low quality, but it also forces the customer to create cavities for their equipment, which hardly provides the best level of protection. For about the same price as you’d pay for a case filled with cheap diced foam, we can design you a custom case with a custom foam interior.
2. Customization to Meet Your Needs
Bel-Air Cases aren’t one-size-fits-all. We believe in creating solutions tailored to meet your specific needs. We have no off-the-shell cases, and every case, from our heavy-duty shipping cases to our medium-duty and heavy-duty carrying cases is built to order and designed specifically to house and protect your equipment.
As stated above, our team of experts also will design a case with a custom foam interior that perfectly fits your equipment, providing snug protection and preventing movement within the case during transit. But the exterior shell and interior foam aren’t the only components we can customize.
Need shipping cases with wheels? No problem. We can add wheels and a telescoping handle to just about any case, making it easy to transport your cases in tight spaces. We also can add a variety of latches and locks to any case, including TSA-approved locking systems.
When it comes to appearance, we can customize the color of all of our custom equipment cases, including our custom carrying cases, custom shipping cases and trade show shipping cases. Our standard colors are black and silver, but we have several stock colors including white, yellow, orange, red, green, olive and blue. We also can add molded-in logos, custom decals or engraved plates to your heavy-duty cases.
3. Compliance With Industry Standards
When shipping valuable equipment, particularly for military, aerospace, or entertainment industries, compliance with standards such as the ATA (Air Transport Association) and MIL (Military) specifications is crucial. Our cases are built to meet ATA and most MIL specs, ensuring that your equipment is protected to industry standards. If you’ve been looking for a custom ATA case, we have just what you need.
For our military and aerospace clients, we can design rugged, protective cases that meet just about any specifications you might need. If you are interested in cases that meet MIL specs, just let us know and our design team will provide you with cases that meet all of our requirements.
4. Durability For The Long Haul
Bel-Air Cases are built to last. They are robust, reliable, and designed to withstand the rigors of shipping and frequent travel. This long-term durability makes our heavy-duty protective cases a cost-effective solution, safeguarding your investment for years to come. In fact, some of the cases we built in our early days, in the late 1960s, are still going strong.
A Bel-Air case is meant to last a lifetime, and we have no written warranty. This is because we’ve never needed one. We stand by our rugged cases throughout their lifetime. If a component on your case breaks, we will fix it. We know that the transit industry is rough on cases, so while we cannot guarantee that your cases will never be damaged, we can assure you that we will always repair the damages
5. Peace of Mind
Perhaps the most crucial benefit of using our heavy-duty cases is the peace of mind it brings. Knowing that your equipment is securely housed and protected allows you to focus on the tasks at hand, rather than worrying about potential damage or loss. Our cases provide you with an extra layer of insurance for your equipment.
Types of Cases We Make
At Bel-Air, we’ve been making vacuum-formed custom cases for more than 50 years and we focus on three main types of cases – shipping cases, carrying cases and expo cases. Our shipping cases can be used to hold just about anything from lighting equipment to diagnostic equipment to military equipment and much more. These cases are designed to withstand frequent trips as cargo, whether it’s in a 747 or on a rocket to Mars.
If you need a smaller case that’s still highly protective, our heavy-duty carrying cases are a good option. These can be shipped frequently as cargo or luggage, but they are a bit easier to maneuver in tight situations and, of course, we can add wheels and handles to make it easier to move your case from place to place.
If you want a professional carrying case that you don’t anticipate needing to ship as cargo and only occasionally as luggage, our medium-duty case can be a great option. These are ideal for sales kits and demo cases, and they also can be used as OEM cases.
For companies that frequently attend trade shows, our expo cases are built to house graphics, displays, banners and other oddly-sized items. Our trade show shipping cases with wheels are easy to move around a convention center floor and, if you select shipping cases and expo cases in the same color with molded-in logos, this makes everything easy to identify and adds a professional touch to your company’s booth.
Order Cases Today!
Investing in heavy duty cases from Bel-Air is a smart move that guarantees superior protection, customization, industry compliance, and long-lasting durability. You’ll also enjoy the invaluable benefit of peace of mind, knowing your valuable equipment is in safe hands. For more information or to get started on designing your custom case (or cases), contact the team at Bel-Air Cases today.
The Unseen Heroes Of Transport: Custom Flight Cases
While it might seem dramatic to assign heroic status to a flight case, Bel-Air Cases have provided an ultimate level of protection for our clients for more than 50 years, and this includes military and aerospace clients who truly have to put their cases into some highly rigorous environments.
Although your case might not be bouncing around inside an armored personnel carrier or taking a trip up to the International Space Station, we know that you need a flight case that can protect your equipment for hundreds of trips via land, sea or air and our cases are equal to the task. If you need an ATA case, our cases are built to ATA standards and can be built to meet most MIL specs, as well.
Custom Shipping Cases: Built Around Your Equipment
If you need to transport delicate and/or expensive equipment, a custom flight case is typically your best option. Off-the-shelf cases simply cannot provide the level of protection that a custom Bel-Air flight case can provide.
Each of our cases is custom-built to your exact specifications ensuring that whatever you place inside is protected, no matter what happens during transport. We construct case shells out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), one of the most durable types of plastic available.
HDPE also offers many other advantages. It’s lightweight, which makes it easier to maneuver, but also can reduce your shipping costs. Additionally, HDPE is highly chemical-resistant and water-resistant, and we can design cases that lock out moisture and humidity to further protect whatever is placed inside.
We offer both heavy-duty carrying cases and heavy-duty shipping cases. The carrying cases are ideal for diagnostic equipment, medical equipment, camera equipment and anything that you need to be able to carry about easily.
For larger or heavier items, our shipping cases are the perfect option. Whether you are looking for road cases for your music gear, lighting cases, audio/visual equipment cases, computer equipment cases or some other types of expensive gear, our shipping cases are a perfect option.
Custom Case Foam:
Do you need a hard plastic case with foam inside? Of course, you do! Custom case foam is a crucial part of the case equation, absorbing impacts and vibration and cushioning every piece of your equipment perfectly. At Bel-Air Cases, we never hand off a case to a customer without providing a custom foam insert.
Too often, equipment cases with foam include a cheap type of foam known and pick-and-pluck foam or diced foam. This is just a large chunk of foam without any custom-made cavities. Not only is the quality of the foam poor, but it also forces the customer to cut away the material to create cavities for their equipment and this isn’t nearly as protective as a custom foam insert.
At Bel-Air, we are experts at crafting foam interiors. We can provide you with anything from a simple foam liner up to a complicated interior with panel mounts, shock mounts, windows, plastic dividers, interior walls and, of course, custom die-cut cavities created to fit perfectly around each piece of equipment.
Typically, we can provide a custom interior for about the same price as you would expect to pay for a case with cheap diced foam and our foam acts as a second layer of protection for your equipment, providing even more insurance against damage during transport.
Bel-Air Cases: 55+ Years Of Experience
Back in the late 60s, when we were just getting our start, vacuum-formed plastic cases weren’t common. In fact, we are the original manufacturer of custom vacuum-formed carrying cases and shipping cases!
We got in early during the plastic revolution, and throughout the last 50-plus years, we’ve designed cases for just about any item imaginable.
While we are proud of our history of producing amazing cases, we do have one small regret. Back in the 60s, many companies highlighted their products with amazing industrial musicals. These musicals often were presented as a celebratory event during yearly sales meetings or conventions, and we do wish that we had hopped on the industrial music bandwagon. (To learn more about the wonder that was industrial musicals, check out the documentary “Bathtubs Over Broadway.”)
Given that Bel-Air was founded in 1967, right around the “summer of love,” with the hippie movement in full swing and the off-Broadway release of the musical “Hair,” we imagine that the highlight of our industrial musical (no doubt entitled “The Plastic Case Revolution.”) would feature our version of a classic “Hair” song.
The Age of the Bel-Air Case (using the tune from “Aquarius”)
When You Fly, and Need A Shipping Case
And Worry The Air Is Rough
Let Bel-Air Guide Your Travels
And Protect Your Precious Stuff
This Is the dawning of the age of the Bel-Air Case
Age of the Bel-Air Case
The Bel-Air Case
The Bel-Air Case
A Design Team So Understanding
Custom Features Are Abounding
Amazing Custom Plastic Extrusion
Quality Custom Foam Inclusion
Join The Case Design Evolution
It’s A Plastic Revolution
The Bel-Air Case
The Bel-Air Case
This Is the dawning of the age of the Bel-Air Case
Age of the Bel-Air Case
The Bel-Air Case
The Bel-Air Case
Our cases shine, our cases shine
The vacuum-formed cases – let them shine
Our cases shine, our cases shine
The vacuum-formed cases – let them shine
Doubtless, it would have brought our sales and production staff to tears, but, alas, it was not meant to be. What was meant to be, however, was years of providing clients with the finest quality custom transport cases and we are still proud to be a top producer of custom cases to this day.
If you need a custom flight case (or cases) that can truly handle the rigors of transport, the team at Bel-Air Cases is always here to help. To get started on a custom case order, simply click on the Contact Us tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form. A member of our team will contact you as quickly as possible to gather more details and set your case project in motion.
Heavy-Duty Custom Equipment Cases With Foam
If you need to ship expensive equipment or gear, custom equipment cases with foam are usually the best option. Our custom cases provide you with peace of mind that your equipment will arrive safely at its destination whether it travels by plane, train, truck or ship.
At Bel-Air Cases, we’ve been designing heavy-duty equipment cases and carrying cases for more than 50 years and can create a case that meets all of your specifications. While a custom case can be more expensive than an off-the-shelf case, the extra cost can be well worth the price.
Custom Vs. Off-The-Shelf
For some items, a simple off-the-shelf case might be fine. If you need to ship or transport something relatively inexpensive, it might not make sense to spend extra money for a complete custom equipment case with a custom foam interior.
However, if you do often need to transport expensive and/or delicate gear, a custom shipping case with a custom foam interior ensures that your equipment is protected, even on the most harrowing of journeys. Our cases meet ATA specifications and can be built to meet MIL specs, as well. Whether you need ATA cases that can handle hundreds of flights, or you need a case that can handle military-level or aerospace-level extremes, we’ve got you covered.
Each of our shipping cases is made-to-order using high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This thermoform plastic material is one of the most durable case materials. Impact-resistant, moisture-resistant and resistant to many chemicals and solvents, our cases will protect your equipment from the rigors or transport as well as water damage or damage from humidity.
HDPE is highly protective, but it’s also lightweight, which makes it easier to move around a crowded airport and cheaper to ship than cases built from other materials. We also use lightweight, but highly durable aluminum for our valances. The result is a case that can handle hundreds of trips by plane, train, bus, ship, rocket or whatever mode of transport you need to use.
The Custom Foam Interior
The Bel-Air custom foam interior acts as an extra layer of protection for your equipment. Off-the-shelf cases and, sadly, cases from many custom manufacturers, place a chunk of diced foam (pick-and-pluck foam) in the case and hand it off to customers.
With diced foam, the customer must cut away and pluck away at the foam to create cavities for their equipment. The result is ill-fitting and not nearly as protective as a cavity built precisely around your equipment.
We believe that every custom equipment case deserves a quality foam interior, and we build the interiors to fit each piece of your equipment perfectly. We also use high-quality foam that cushions your equipment and protects it from jostling and vibrations. We also can design a completely custom case with custom foam for about the same price as you’d pay for a case with cheap diced foam.
Once Upon A Case: Fictional Characters & Their Equipment Cases
Throughout the last 50 years, we’ve designed and built carrying cases and shipping cases for just about every type of equipment. This includes designing cases for military applications and aerospace clients as well as cases to hold music equipment, camera equipment, lighting equipment, diagnostic equipment and much more.
While we are serious about cases and can design a case for anyone in the real world, sometimes we dream up the type of cases we’d create for some of our favorite fictional characters, including:
Mr. Spock’s Custom Phaser Case
There’s nothing illogical about Mr. Spock’s custom-designed carrying case. The simple black exterior boasts a molded-in Vulcan logo to make it easy for Spock to find his case among the cargo on Starship Enterprise. Inside, there are custom foam cavities to protect his phasers during journeys from one side of the universe to the other.
Harry Potter’s Custom Equipment Case
One doesn’t always want to carry one’s wand from place to place, and Harry’s custom cases can handle a ride in a flying car, a frenetic trip on the Knight Bus or in the cargo hold of the Hogwarts Express. We also created his equipment cases with wheels to make it easy to transport his gear throughout King’s Cross Station.
While he opted for some of our smaller shipping case sizes, the interiors magically fit Harry’s wand perfectly, with spots for his Marauder’s Map, his Nimbus 2000 as well as a complete Quidditch set, a set of scales, an invisibility cloak, a time-turner and a Remembrall. Of course, we designed the cases with a molded-in Gryffindor Logo in Gryffindor red with stylish gold handles.
Mary Poppins’ Shipping Case
Sometimes a magical carpet bag is simply not enough, and you need a custom padded equipment case. For Ms. Poppins, we designed a simple black case (nothing showy, mind you) that cam hold a bottle of medicine, many spoonsful of sugar, a measuring tape, a large floor lamp, a hat stand, a potted plant, a looking glass and many other odds and ends. Mary’s case holds everything safely and securely and, just like Mary, it’s practically perfect in every way.
The Top-Secret Carrying Case
Of course, not all of these heavy-duty shipping cases and carrying cases need be magical, and an internationally known spy such as James Bond needs a case that can hold and protect an assortment of clever gadgets from Q’s top-secret workshop. Bond’s sleek silver case has 007 molded into the frame, to ensure that 006 and 008 don’t accidentally grab his case on their next mission.
Naturally, we’ve added an impenetrable locking system on the case, which can only be accessed with a fingerprint and corneal scan. Inside, you’ll find a special section for secret documents as well as custom foam cavities for a fountain pen that doubles as a pistol, a mini-rocket cigarette, a fingerprint scanner, a tiny spy camera, a watch that can deflect bullets and, naturally, a chilled cocktail glass and tiny bottles of Gordon’s gin, vodka, and a bit of lemon peel.
The Millennium Falcon Cases
Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, our team of designers created specialty smugglers shipping cases for a certain rogue pilot and his furry co-pilot. These cases could be used to hold blasters, kegs of illegal spices, the technical plans for a certain Death Star, lightsabers or whatever else would be needed to save the Rebellion and make a quick extra buck or two along the way. Because each case is lightweight, it also makes it easier for the Falcon to make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.
Order Your Bel-Air Equipment Cases Now!
While your equipment cases with foam might not need to carry a broomstick or a lightsaber, we know that your equipment is important to you. At Bel-Air Cases we will create a custom case with a quality custom foam interior that meets your specifications, even if they are MIL specs or you need a case that can handle a trip to Mars. To get started, just click on the Request A Quote tab on our homepage and let our team know more about your case project.