The Crate And The Good: The Advantages Of Choosing Wooden Crates To Transport Bottled Wine
Transporting expensive, vintage wines by land, sea and air can be a nerve-wracking business, and even the most modest of table wines deserves packaging capable of keeping it safe during its journey from the vineyard to a customer's glass. For many winemakers, this means turning to modern packaging materials such as moulded polystyrene and inflatable plastic; however, the venerable wooden wine crate is far from obsolete.
When properly constructed by a reputable crate manufacturer, timber crates can be a tremendously practical and cost-effective way to protect your wines during journeys both long and short. Listed below are some of the chief advantages of choosing traditional wooden wine bottle crates over more modern alternatives:
Durability
The typical wooden wine bottle crate can take a serious beating and can be relied upon to protect your wines during journeys without breaking or collapsing. The timber they are made from is also chemically treated to prevent damage from mould or wood-boring insects.
Load-bearing strength
Wooden crates have considerably more load-bearing strength than most wine packaging options and can be stacked high without crushing crates at the bottom of the stack. This makes them particularly useful for shipping bulk orders of wine, and also makes them ideal for protecting wines in warehouse storage.
Security
Compared to wine boxes and crates made of cardboard or polystyrene, timber crates off far more protection against thieves and vandals, and cannot be broken into easily once properly sealed shut. Larger, hinged crates can often be fitted with padlocks, deadbolts and other additional security measures.
Affordability
Despite being considerably stronger and more durable than other wine packaging options, wooden crates tend to be roughly equivalent in price and can be reused many times to cut your packaging costs. Previously used crates are even more affordable and are often in such good condition that they are indistinguishable from newly manufactured crates.
Environmentally friendly
As you might imagine, the re-usability of wooden crates makes them an environmentally friendly packaging option for your wine. The timber they are constructed from is also very easy to recycle, and many wooden crate manufacturers offer crates partially or completely made from recycled timber. These green options can significantly lower the carbon footprint of your wine shipping operations.
Customisable
Wooden crates are very customisable, and ordering them directly from the manufacturer gives you a wide range of choices when it comes to the shape, dimensions and capacity of your new crates. They can also be personalised with logos and brand names, making sure your brand is recognised even before your wines are unpacked.