On-Demand Crate Storage & PO Release Case Study | Express Packing

How Express Packing Eliminated Crating Bottlenecks for Manufacturers with No Storage Space

— The Challenge

When Crates Become a Last-Minute Problem

For many manufacturers and industrial shippers, the shipping crate is the last thing anyone thinks about — until suddenly, it’s the only thing that matters.

The scenario is familiar. A shipment is ready to go. The production team is done. The customer is expecting delivery. Then someone asks: “Do we have crates?” And the answer is either no, or not the right ones, or not enough.

Most manufacturing facilities are designed for production, not packaging logistics. Floor space is tight and allocated carefully. Storing large custom wood shipping crates long-term isn’t realistic when every square foot is spoken for. So crates get ordered on an as-needed basis.

The problem is that many internal systems don’t trigger a crate order until a shipment is almost imminent. That creates a gap — and that gap turns into a scramble. Emergency orders. Expediting fees. Delayed shipments. Stressed operations teams. Frustrated customers. (Sound familiar? See 7 common crating mistakes that cost manufacturers time and money.)

For several Express Packing customers, this wasn’t a one-time occurrence. It was a pattern.

— The Express Packing Solution

Crate Stocking & PO Release Program

Express Packing didn’t patch the problem. They redesigned the process around it.

The solution: a crate stocking and PO release program built specifically for customers who can’t store crates on-site but need them available fast when shipments are ready.

Here’s how it works:

Express Packing designs and builds the crates in advance — to the customer’s exact specifications. Those crates are then stored at Express Packing’s own facility, not at the customer’s warehouse. When a shipment is ready, the customer triggers a release against a purchase order, and the crates ship immediately.

No waiting. No emergency orders. No scramble.

The customer gets the reliability of having crates on standby without any of the storage burden. Express Packing manages the crate inventory on their end — tracking specs, quantities, and release schedules — so the customer’s operations team doesn’t have to.

It’s a program built for companies that run lean, ship often, and can’t afford for crating to be the bottleneck.

Is your facility dealing with last-minute crating pressure? Express Packing’s stocking program is designed exactly for this situation. Contact Express Packing to learn how the program works for your shipping volume and specs.

— The Result

Crating Removed From the Critical Path

For customers in the program, the shift was immediate.

The timing risk disappeared. Crates were no longer something to worry about in the final hours before a shipment. They existed — already built, already stored, already spec’d — and they moved the moment they were needed.

Internal storage constraints stopped being a factor. Customers reclaimed floor space without giving up crate availability. The two problems that had always seemed connected — storage and readiness — were decoupled.

Most importantly, operations teams stopped treating crating as a fire to put out. It became a predictable, managed part of the outbound process. Shipping reliability improved. Planning became more predictable. And the pressure on operations teams — the scrambles, the delays, the last-minute calls — largely went away.

When crating is handled before the shipment is even booked, it stops being a problem.

Key Benefits at a Glance

No on-site crate storage required — Express Packing stores everything at their facility until you need it
Faster response when shipments are ready — crates release immediately on PO trigger, no lead time wait
Reduced last-minute expediting costs — no emergency orders, no rush fees, no padding for uncertainty
Improved shipping reliability and planning — outbound logistics teams can commit to timelines with confidence

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a crate stocking and PO release program?

Express Packing designs and builds your crates to spec ahead of time, then stores them at its own facility instead of yours. When a shipment is ready, you release crates against an existing purchase order and they ship. The design and build time happens before the shipment exists, not after it has been booked.

Where are the crates stored while they wait?

At Express Packing’s 39,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in Indianapolis, which includes covered storage for bulk materials and customer-dedicated storage. Nothing occupies floor space at your plant. Storage arrangements are scoped per project, based on your crate sizes and how many units you need on hand.

How quickly can crates ship after we release a purchase order?

Because the crates are already designed, built, and staged, the usual wait for design and fabrication is removed from the shipment window. Actual release and delivery timing is agreed when the program is set up, based on your volume, crate specs, and destinations. Express Packing operates company-owned trucks, and the delivery method for each release is defined as part of the program.

Can stocked crates be used for international shipments?

Yes. Express Packing provides ISPM 15-certified heat-treated wood packaging for international shipments where it is required. Because treatment, marking, and destination requirements are shipment-specific, confirm the requirements for your export lanes when the program is scoped so the stocked crates are built to the right specification from the start.

What kind of operation is this program a fit for?

It is built for manufacturers, OEMs, Tier suppliers, and government contractors that ship on a recurring or reasonably predictable basis and do not have the floor space to hold crates on site. Scope and pricing are determined through a custom quote, so the program is sized to your actual shipping pattern rather than a standard package.

Is This Program Right for Your Operation?

If your team has ever had to delay a shipment because crates weren’t ready — or if you’re paying expediting fees just to close the gap between “ready to ship” and “actually shipped” — the stocking program was designed for you.

Express Packing works with manufacturers and industrial shippers across a range of industries and volumes. If crating is a recurring friction point in your operation, it’s worth a conversation.

Express Packing specializes in ISPM15-certified custom wood crates for manufacturers, exporters, and industrial shippers. The crate stocking and PO release program is one of several solutions designed to keep outbound logistics moving without adding burden to your team.

Ready to take crating off your critical path?
Express Packing makes it simple: you focus on production, they handle the rest.