Lost wooden crate
Custom packaging for single-use applications
With over 20 years of experience, JPemBall designs and manufactures custom lost wooden crates for single-use industrial packaging.
These solutions are built to transport, protect, and secure all types of industrial equipment, both in France and for export, throughout the entire logistics chain.
Each wooden lost crate is designed to the exact dimensions of the equipment it holds, ensuring optimal protection and safety during transport, handling, and intermediate storage phases before on-site unpacking. Our wooden crates are true industrial wooden storage solutions, engineered to hold, secure, and protect equipment that can be heavy, fragile, or bulky.
Depending on technical requirements, certain sections may incorporate plywood to optimize weight and performance. These wooden lost crates are built to withstand demanding logistics constraints, repeated handling, and challenging transport conditions.
What Is a Lost Wooden Crate?
A lost wooden crate is a custom-built, single-use wooden crate manufactured in accordance with the guidelines of the S.E.I. (Syndicat de l’Emballage Industriel — the French Industrial Packaging Association), following CAT 3 to CAT 6 classification standards.
Designed according to S.E.I. regulations, each lost wooden crate is built from several key components:
- Solid wood side panels — typically pine or fir, in 18 mm or 27 mm thickness, joined edge to edge
- Reinforcing battens (“barrage” battens) — one or more structural belts positioned perpendicular to the crate’s side panels, providing overall stability and mechanical strength
- Reinforced base — floorboards of 18 mm or 27 mm, strengthened with 27 mm boards or 60×80 mm / 120×80 mm skids, depending on the required rigidity, typically mounted on handling runners
All wood used is systematically treated to ISPM 15 standards — an international certification required for any export shipment.
Built to the exact dimensions of the equipment being transported, the lost wooden crate delivers optimal, secure protection during transport, handling, and storage before on-site unpacking — whether shipped by road, sea, or air. Fitted with reinforced skids for easy handling by pallet truck or forklift, it’s a robust and reliable industrial packaging solution, ideal for equipment that isn’t intended to return to its point of origin after delivery.
Crates designed for easy transport and handling
They are equipped with reinforced skids allowing handling by pallet truck, forklift, or other handling equipment.
Depending on requirements, integrated handles can be added to facilitate manual handling during loading, unloading, or temporary storage phases.
For certain specific uses, particularly in internal industrial environments, modular or reusable solutions can be considered, potentially including casters to allow easier movement of the crate within a workshop or storage area.
Our technical teams custom-design all the internal blocking and bracing required to secure the equipment. These internal storage systems are designed to immobilize the equipment and absorb shocks:
- foam padding
- partitions
- wooden cradles
- shelves or specific compartments
These wooden storage systems allow equipment to be efficiently organized inside the crate while ensuring perfect stability during transport. Wood thicknesses and types of blocking are systematically adapted to the planned mode of transport (road, sea, or air).
For air shipments, we optimize weight in order to reduce the tare weight of the crate without compromising its protective performance.
Two types of crates depending on requirements
> English-type crate
Suitable for limited loads and dimensions, this storage crate is made of longitudinal boards reinforced by a perpendicular bracing system. The base is built from solid wood battens with a cross-section of 100 × 75 mm, making handling and transport easier.
> Platform-type crate
Designed for heavy loads (> 200 kg) or very large dimensions (small side width > 1.50 m), this large wooden storage crate features a base reinforced with lower bracing made of 80 × 60 mm battens, supplemented with 75 × 100 mm battens for handling.
The side panels and the lid consist of vertically arranged boards with horizontal reinforcements, all secured by nailing or screwing, ensuring a robust and reliable structure.
Packaging compliant with regulations
Our wooden storage crates are manufactured in accordance with the recommendations of the S.E.I. (Syndicat de l’Emballage Industriel) regarding the wood thicknesses to be used based on the load weights and crate dimensions, as well as the crate category:
CAT 3: open slatted crates
CAT 4: fully enclosed lined crates
CAT 5: fully enclosed crates with heat-sealed shrink wrap
CAT 6: crates with an inner sub-crate, with or without a cover
Our manufacturing complies with the ISPM 15 standard
The International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15 / NIMP15) ensures that the wood has been phytosanitarily treated and is approved for international export. The wood used for our crates is heat-treated in special kilns, where the entire volume of the wood must reach a minimum temperature of 56°C for at least 30 minutes.
This process eliminates small organisms or larvae that could be harmful to ecosystems outside the country of origin.
Additional protections for transport and storage
- Protection against water: tarred paper on the side panels and polyethylene film on the lid.
- Protection against humidity: custom-made waterproof covers (polyethylene or Aluester) with desiccant bags, ensuring equipment protection during transport and prolonged storage phases.
- Protection against shocks: optional addition of shock indicators, internal or external, allowing monitoring throughout the entire logistics chain.
Renowned companies such as Airbus, Peugeot, Renault, Universcience, and John Deere trust J. P’emBall for their storage crate needs, logistics solutions, and custom-made industrial packaging.
Discover our other crates
Mixed Crate
Unlike the lost wooden crate, which is built entirely from wood for single use, the mixed crate combines triple-wall corrugated cardboard with wooden reinforcements, a lighter, reusable solution for your logistics flows.
Shuttle Wooden Crate
Unlike the lost wooden crate, designed for single use, the reusable wooden shuttle crate is a custom-built wooden crate designed for repeated round trips, ideal when your equipment needs to return to its point of origin.