Our Crates are One-of-A-Kind, Tough, and Durable.

Valley Box is a leader in the art of building trade show shipping crates.

Over the years we’ve carefully crafted a set of mandatory design requirements and each piece of material is hand-selected to ensure its quality will match our performance expectations. We stand behind our design choices and therefore our product.

trade show crates
trade show shipping crate

trade show shipping crate

Each crate is custom made to accommodate your individual trade show booth.

We take the time to understand your payload so all items are properly protected during transit. Design enhancements make un/loading more convenient:

  • Hinged Ramp & Doors
  • Carpet, foam, felt
  • Steel plates
  • Tie-downs
  • Removable Panels
  • Saddles

Superior Building Materials

1/2" Plywood Gussets

 

Wood gussets add extra strength and rigidity to the corners of a crate.

The strength of a box is in its corners and when a panel is removed the box loses strength.

When features like removable sides or ramps are added gussets help to keep the box square and rigid. 

 

VIEW OUR TRADE SHOW SHIPPING CRATES

 
trade show shipping crate

Steel Plates

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By adding steel plates at critical locations, such as forklift push points, we can prevent wear and tear on vulnerable wood components.

Its common sense that wood can more easily splinter and tear than steel.

 

VIEW OUR TRADE SHOW SHIPPING CRATES

 

1/2" Plywood Panels

Since trade show crates experience above average amounts of usage over their lifetime, Valley Box uses above average wood panel thicknesses.

By using a thicker option, the panels provide superior strength and therefore can better withstand the rough handling and abuse they will need to endure. 
1-2 inch plywood

2x4 Cleats

2x4 cleats

 Since trade show crates get reused repeatedly, Valley Box uses a thicker cleat than the usual 1x4

By using a thicker option, the panels are strengthened and therefore the crate will withstand the rough handling we've seen at trade shows and therefore experience a longer lifespan extending your investment.

Cleats are dimensional material that run along the outer edge of the crate's panels and are the material that allow the panels to be fastened to each other.

Paint

We encourage customers to paint trade show crates primarily for incredible ability to increase the lifespan of the crate.

  • Paint adds moisture protection to any wooden container by sealing the surfaces where water could penetrate and allow decay to occur.
  • Paint also provides UV protection by creating a barrier against the cellular damage UV light causes.

In the fast and frenzied trade show environment being able to identify your crate can help eliminate confusion and save precious time.

VIEW OUR CUSTOM CRATES
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Runners

runners on wood crate

 

Runners aid in the prevention of the skids “rolling” off the base.

Although a box may be designed to be pushed and pulled from one direction by having the skids placed in a particular direction we have found that inevitably a stevedore will try and push or pull a crate in the wrong direction. This is bad because it could cause a skid to “roll” off the base. Having a skid detach from the base can render a crate useless and in need of repair.

Runners are thin boards of wood that connect the skids together along the bottom of the box, think of them like the rails of a winter sled.

4-way Forklift Entry

 

We always make the crate accessible from all four sides with 4-way forklift entry.

We’ve found its best practice to consider all the people involved with the handling of your trade show crate and that they may need to wrestle it into some tight spots.

 

VIEW OUR TRADE SHOW SHIPPING CRATES

 
4-way forklift entry

Heavy Duty Casters

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In our experience we have found that one of the most frustrating things can be malfunctioning casters.

 

Which is why we always use casters rated for at least twice your payload and suggest blocking your crate during shipment to protect your vulnerable casters.

 

VIEW OUR TRADE SHOW SHIPPING CRATES

 

Recessed Link Locks

Link locks are a convenient tool-free means to access your trade show display items.

  • (Far Right) We opt for the recessed link lock because its safely tucked into the surface of the panels as opposed to...
  • (Far Left) Surface-mount link locks which can easily be torn-off when rubbed against another crate, edge of shipping trucks or shipping docks.
recessed link lock versus surface mount