Shipping any item can be a stressful experience. Especially if it’s an important tool or piece of machinery that’s essential to your business, a prized antique, or an invaluable piece of artwork. Shipping sensitive items require careful precision, top quality materials, and expertise in the shipping industry.

At Rowe Transfer, we understand how stressful it can be to put your valuable personal and professional investments into the hands of a shipping company. You need to be able to trust your shipments will arrive at their destination safely and on time.

For many shipping situations, custom crating may be the best option to protect your valuable items. The experienced team at Rowe Transfer can provide a custom crating service, but you may still want more information on if this service is right for you. Here are nine questions to ask so you can make the best, most informed decision for your shipping needs.

Why should I consider custom crating?

When you’re shipping valuable items or equipment, especially over long distances or internationally, you understand how important peace of mind can be knowing your items will reach their destination safely. Custom crating can provide that assurance.

Some shipments don’t require this level of security, and standard crating or shipping methods will work just fine. But for sensitive, fragile, or expensive shipments, you’ll want to know your items are protected. One of our shipping experts at Rowe Transfer will be able to help you make this important decision

When is custom crating the best option for my shipping needs?

There is a wide range of shipping circumstances where custom crating is the best option for your shipping needs, especially when a shipment includes items that are sensitive or fragile.

Some examples of these shipping items include valuable equipment, sensitive devices, artwork (sculptures, paintings, public statues), or fragile antiques.

How is my shipment protected in a custom-built crate?

With more than 100 years of experience, we can assure we’ll build custom crates for your exact needs using the highest quality materials and the latest technology. We heat protect and seal the wood used for your crate so it meets all shipping regulations, both nationally and internationally, and we also pad and create protective compartments inside the crate.

What is your custom crating process?

To begin, we use the latest design software to find exact measurements for the item or items you want to ship. This provides a quick and accurate estimate for the project. Our estimates for your shipment include:

  • Product size/weight: This will be the biggest factor in determining what type of crate to build for your shipment.
  • Fragility/Sensitivity: Highly sensitive or fragile shipments require extra care and attention.
  • Odd Shapes: While we can tackle any shaped item, unusually shaped products take extra planning.
  • Transportation requirements: Different types of transportation and shipping requirements necessitate strategic planning in building your custom crate.
  • Cost: As with any project, budget requirements play a role in planning as well.

Once you approve the estimate, we use our fully stocked packaging department to begin designing and building a custom crate solution for your goods. We then make a strategic plan with you on how we’ll deliver your goods to their destination or the next point in its shipping process.

Can you build different shaped crates?

At Rowe Transfer, our experienced team of expert engineers can create any size crate in any shape that best fits your item that needs to be shipped.

Will my crates meet all domestic and international shipping regulations?

We ensure that all our crates are customizable to state and foreign markets and meet all regulatory requirements for domestic and international shipments.

Can you build and ship my custom crate?

Through our Extra Mile service, we can take your shipping project from beginning to end with one estimate. With custom crating, that means we can create your product and ensure it reaches its final destination safely and on time.

Do you have a track record for quality customer service?

Rowe Transfer has been a part of moving the American industry from our East Tennessee home since 1883. Since our beginning, satisfying your shipping needs with safety, care, and expert precision has been and continues to be the highest priority for our company.

Are you ready to tackle my shipping needs?

We know how important it is to partner with the right industrial shipping and rigging company. That’s why, after more than a century as an industry leader, we’ve grown from humble beginnings at a stable of 150 stalls and 20,000 square feet of wagon space moving housing goods and business supplies to a state-of-the-art warehouse with over 50,000 square feet for shipping, crating, and warehousing products to ship across town, across the country, or around the world.

Custom Crating and Transportation Services in East Tennessee

The experienced team of shipping experts and engineers at Rowe Transfer are available to answer all your custom crating questions. We have more than a century of experience creating custom crates that are built to your specifications to keep your freight safe and secure during transportation and storage.

Here at Rowe Transfer in Knoxville, TN, we have the expertise necessary to meet all your custom crating and transportation needs. We can answer all your questions about choosing between pallets, skids, and crates, and we have an in-house crating facility that can build any size crate that you need. We can also use vapor barriers and other protective services to keep your shipment as safe as possible. Once your freight is packaged, we can store it for you in our warehouse until you are ready to ship it. We also offer transportation services and can move your freight wherever it needs to go, whether it’s in town or across the country. If you are ready to start the shipping process, reach out to us today at 865-523-0421 or request a quote online.