When it comes to agricultural and industrial storage and shipping, engineered wood products like plywood and OSB outperform the alternatives. Engineered wood is strong enough to withstand rough handling and heavy loads, but lightweight enough to reduce shipping costs. It is easy to fabricate, simple to customize and built to last. Unlike solid wood, engineered wood is exempt from international phytosanitary regulations, streamlining the global shipping process. Whether you need harvest bins for fresh produce, heavy-duty shipping crates, collapsible containers or cable reels, engineered wood delivers reliable performance and long-term value.
Plywood and OSB are the smart choice for bins, boxes, crates and reels. Engineered wood offers superior strength, long service life and significant cost savings compared to plastic and solid lumber alternatives.
Engineered wood bins are a durable, cost-effective solution for storing and transporting agricultural products and other materials. Key benefits include:
Long-lasting and easy to handle: Plywood bins can remain in service for 30 years or more, and their strength allows for rough handling and better stacking. Thin walls also allow more room for produce compared to thicker-walled plastic bins.
Easy to modify: Unlike non-wood bins, plywood bin designs can be easily customized – for example, adding slots for cooling produce or draining water.
Pallet bin configurations: Bin dimensions are tailored to factors like the size and weight of the commodity, storage facilities, handling equipment and transportation needs.
Multiple entry types: Bins are available in two-way, four-way and partial four-way entry designs to accommodate different types of lift equipment, including lift trucks and hand pallet trucks.
Collapsible options: Plywood and OSB bins are available in a wide range of sizes and configurations, including collapsible bins, bins with plastic liners for liquids and containers with built-in pallets. These bins are suitable for everything from heavy machine parts to delicate agricultural products.
Boxes and crates made from wood structural panels offer significant advantages over lumber components. Key benefits include:
Cost-effective fabrication: Compared to lumber, wood structural panels can reduce fabrication labor by 50-75%, result in lighter crates and reduce overall exterior volume – all without sacrificing strength or performance.
Smart structural design: Wood structural panel crates are engineered so all components work together as a unit. The panel sides and skids form a box beam capable of handling both sling-lifting and forklift loading with ease.
Choosing the right panel thickness: For most applications, 3/8-inch panels are sufficient. For heavier loads (over 10,000 pounds), spans over two feet or rough handling, 15/32-inch or thicker panels are recommended.
Exempt from international shipping regulations: Unlike solid wood, engineered wood panels are exempt from ISPM 15 phytosanitary requirements. This simplifies the international shipping process, as no debarking, heat treatment or fumigation is needed.
Wood structural panel containers are available in a variety of sizes and configurations.
Collapsible containers, containers with plastic liners for liquids, bag-in-a-box containers and containers with pallets can ship everything from heavy machine parts to delicate agricultural products.
Plywood and OSB are typically used to make engineered panel containers. Specialty products like overlaid panels and sanded plywood can also be used if an extra-smooth surface is required.
By joining wood components with simple hardware, manufacturers can match the specifications of a container with the requirements of specific products and materials handling equipment.
Plywood is often used for cable reel heads because of its strength, durability and cost-effectiveness. It can be manufactured to different specifications to meet the needs of the cable.
For durable cable, unsanded sheathing panels can be used, but for small or delicate wire, touch-sanded panels provide the smooth face necessary.
When specifying plywood with one face smooth, orient that face to the inside of the reel.
Technical Guides - M200
This publication discusses the use of APA-trademarked wood structural panels in materials handling applications including pallets, crates, bins, shelving and mezzanine floors.
Technical Guides - X235
This publication discusses designing, building and specifying wood structural panel containers and bins for industrial materials handling applications.
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Explore the benefits, manufacturing, and industrial applications of engineered wood products (EWPs) beyond traditional building construction.
Using crates made of wood structural panels can reduce fabrication labor by 50-70%. Also, crates made of wood structural panels are lighter: a 1,000 cubic foot crate weights 700 pounds less than a crate made of lumber. Wood structural panels also have smaller outside volumes: a 1,000 cubic foot wood crate’s interior capacity is 21 cubic feet smaller than a lumber crate of the same size.