Procurement Market Intelligence Report
Plastic Shipping Crates
Sourcing Guide & Market Intelligence
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Plastic Shipping Crates Global Overview
Definition
Summary
Plastic shipping crates are typically used for storing products or shipping goods from one location to another and to protect goods from damage or breakage. Plastic shipping crates are cleanable, reusable, and generally less expensive than wooden shipping crates. Key buyers include food product manufacturers, consumer product manufacturers, agricultural firms, and construction firms.
This Report Includes:
- Plastic Shipping Crates
- Plastic Shipping Boxes
Not in this Report:
- Wooden Shipping Crates
- International Shipping Containers
- Packaging Boxes
Classification:
Global Plastic Shipping Crates Procurement Trends
Discover the top international trends affecting procurement in the global Plastic Shipping Crates market.
Warning Trends
Reciprocal tariffs drive up packaging product prices
- The Trump administration’s reciprocal tariffs, which apply general tariff rate increases to all products imported from most nations, are set to take effect on August 7 after the national tariff rates were finalized on August 1. Additionally, 50.0% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, except those from the United Kingdom, went into effect in June.
- These tariffs will have a significant effect across the packaging industry as the United States imports a combined total of more than $127 billion worth of plastic, steel, and lumber annually, the three most common materials in packaging products.
- Leading packaging product importers include Canada, Mexico, and China, which face tariff rates of 35.0%, 25.0%, and 20.0%, respectively, with the Chinese import tariff rate set to rise to 54.0% in August. However, United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA)-originating goods, meaning those produced entirely in Canada or Mexico, are exempt from these tariffs.
- China accounts for 48.6% of imported plastic products in the United States, making current and upcoming tariffs on Chinese goods particularly impactful for the price of plastic packaging materials, which the Yale Budget Lab projects will rise in price by 11.0%.
- Likewise, Canada and Mexico provide a combined 51.6% of lumber imports, driving a 6.8% increase in the price of wooden products. Steel and aluminum tariffs are projected to fuel a 39.2% increase in the cost of metal packaging products on average.
Global Plastic Shipping Crates Market - Suppliers by Region
| Country/Region | Number of Suppliers |
|---|---|
| #1 Europe | 11,135 |
| #2 Oceania & Southeast Asia | 8,930 |
| #3 India | 5,755 |
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2
Geography Drilldown - US
Average Cost of Plastic Shipping Crates
United States
2026 Market Pricing$15.00 to $XX.XX
per crateAverage Price
Prices in the Plastic Shipping Crates market range from $15.00 to $XX.XX, depending on Capacity, Type of Crate, Type of Plastic Used and Durability. For example, lower prices are associated with 50-pound weight capacity ($5.00 to $30.00 per crate), whereas higher prices are associated with 250-pound weight capacity ($20.00 to $100 per crate).
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Between our Europe and Canada collections, we provide price data for 350 markets so you can instantly compare prices across borders. Or, use our custom research services for intel on prices in any region across the globe.
Plastic Shipping Crates Category Price Trends
Pricing trends are indicated by the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during a set period of time. For the Plastic Shipping Crates market, prices in the US have grown 0.4% from 2022 to 2025. Subscribers can access price trend forecasts, price driver projections and forward-looking cost structure data. Learn more
United States (2022-2025)
United States (2025-2028)
Compound Annual Growth Rate
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Price trend forecasts are available to subscribers, along with price driver projections and forward-looking cost structure data.
Cost Analysis - Total Cost of Ownership for Plastic Shipping Crates
Total cost of ownership is Low in the Plastic Shipping Crates market. The average cost of ownership differs depending on the contract but generally includes costs negotiated before the contract begins, costs billed during the contract period and unforeseen costs. For example, unforeseen costs in the form of Delays may raise the total cost of ownership unexpectedly.
Negotiated Before
Customization
Transportation
Prototyping
Billed During
Handling
Additional Fees
Storage
Unforeseen
Delays
Obsolescence
Duties & Taxes
Buyer Power in Procurement Negotiations
In 2026, buyer power amounts to -0.2 in the United States. Buyer power is most positively impacted by Recent Developments. It is most negatively impacted by Availability of Substitutes. Subscribers can access details on eight other factors that impact buyer power. Learn more
United States
Buyer power forecasts: your glimpse into the future
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- Actionable "Buy Now" and "Buy Later" insights
- Near-real-time updates to current and forecast Buyer Power Scores
- Methodology and weightings for Buyer Power Score Components
Supply Chain Risk
The average level of supply chain risk is assessed as High, which has a negative impact on buyer power. The level of supply chain risk is affected by industry volatility, barriers to entry, competition, import penetration, regulation and industry financial risk. Buyers in this market can mitigate procurement and supply chain management risks by monitoring risk levels for individual first and second tier suppliers:
1st
Tier Suppliers
- Plastic & Resin Manufacturers
- Injection Molding Machinery Manufacturers
- Laboratory Testing Companies
- Metal Hardware & Fastener Manufacturers
2nd
Tier Suppliers
- Petroleum Refineries
- Petrochemical Refineries
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturers
- Metal Pipe & Tube Manufacturers
Biggest Plastic Shipping Crates Suppliers in the US by Revenue
The largest Plastic Shipping Crates vendors by revenue in the US are Global Equipment Company Inc., System Inc. and API Kirk Containers. Subscribers can sort and filter by market share concentration, profit level and other factors. Learn more
| Supplier | Operational Size | Headquarters | Number of Employees | Market Share (%) | Market Share Performance (3yr trend) | Total Revenue ($ million) | Profit Level (%) | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Inc. | National | PORT WASHINGTON | 1,001-10,000 | 5-10 | ||||
| API Kirk Containers | National | Commerce, CA | < 5 | |||||
| Container Distributors, Inc. | National | Venice, IL | < 5 | |||||
| TranPak, Inc. | National | Madera, CA | < 5 | |||||
| Uline, Inc. | International | Pleasant Prairie, WI | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| US Plastic Corp. | International | Lima, OH | 51-100 | < 5 | ||||
| Schoeller Allibert Ltd. | International | Hoofddorp, NL | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| Global Equipment Company Inc. | < 5 | |||||||
| Rehrig Pacific Company | Global | Los Angeles, CA | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
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Subscribers can access vendor information on Canadian and European suppliers, too. We also offer custom research services to help with vendor sourcing anywhere in the world.
Profit Analysis
The average profit margin across vendors in the Plastic Shipping Crates market is 6.2% and steady. Profit levels shift depending on suppliers' spend on wages, purchases and overhead. The highest cost component for vendors is Purchases. The cost trend for this component is falling, when considering movement between 2025 and 2026. To understand cost forecasts for 2027 and uncover the implications on profit, start your subscription. Learn more
Vendor & Supply Chain Analysis
Although average vendor risk is low on average, the majority of suppliers are privately held companies. As a result, buyers may have some difficulty determining the financial stability of a supplier prior to engaging in a contract.
The market for plastic shipping crates has a low level of market share concentration. The low level of specialization and low barriers to entry allow many suppliers to easily enter the market, and with so many companies operating in the market, competition is intense, and suppliers are constantly looking to undercut one another by offering the lowest prices, which gives buyers greater purchasing power because companies will lower prices to attract customers.
There is a high level of risk in the plastic shipping crate supply chain, primarily stemming from potential input cost fluctuations. Plastic shipping crate manufacturers depend on plastic and resin manufacturers for the materials needed to produce the crates, and that depends on petroleum refineries and petrochemical manufacturers for the raw materials needed to produce plastics and resin; hence, when plastic and resin prices rise, plastic shipping crate suppliers’ input costs do as well.
As a net exporter in the plastic shipping crates market, US buyers' procurement strategies are influenced by the advantage of having domestic suppliers and a surplus of goods to sell. This aids buyer power and gives buyers more leverage and bargaining power because they will have a wider pool of sellers to choose from, potentially leading to increased competition among suppliers, favorable pricing options, and better negotiation terms.
Supplier Information
System Inc.
Global Industrial Co. is a distributor of over a million industrial and maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) products in North America under the Global™, GlobalIndustrial.com™, Nexel™, Paramount™, and Interion™ trademarks. Its product categories include storage and shelving, safety and security, carts... Subscribe to learn more
API Kirk Containers
API Kirk Containers is a private company operating nationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic shipping crates. Founded in 1984, the company is currently headquartered in Commerce, California, United States of America with an estimated 375 employees. Subscribe to learn more
Container Distributors, Inc.
Container Distributors, Inc. is a private company operating nationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic shipping crates. Founded in 1993, the company is currently headquartered in Venice, Illinois, United States of America with an estimated 37 employees. Subscribe to learn more
Global Equipment Company Inc.
Global Industrial Co. is a distributor of over a million industrial and maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) products in North America under the Global™, GlobalIndustrial.com™, Nexel™, Paramount™, and Interion™ trademarks. Its product categories include storage and shelving, safety and security, carts... Subscribe to learn more
Rehrig Pacific Company
Rehrig Pacific Company is a private company operating globally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic pallets, plastic shipping crates and wood processing services. Founded in 1913, the company is currently headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States of America with... Subscribe to learn more
Reusable Transport Packaging
Reusable Transport Packaging is a private company operating regionally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic shipping crates. Founded in 1994, the company is currently headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of America with an estimated 75 employees. Subscribe to learn more
Schoeller Allibert Ltd.
Schoeller Allibert Ltd. is a private company operating internationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic shipping crates. Founded in 2005, the company is currently headquartered in Hoofddorp, North Holland, Netherlands with an estimated 5500 employees. Subscribe to learn more
TranPak, Inc.
TranPak, Inc. is a private company operating nationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include plastic shipping crates. Founded in 1994, the company is currently headquartered in Madera, California, United States of America with an estimated 175 employees. Subscribe to learn more
Uline, Inc.
Uline, Inc. is a private company operating internationally in the manufacturing, manufacturing and manufacturing sectors. The company's offerings include personal paper products, paper towels, receipt tape, paper cups, newsprint & offset papers. Founded in 1980, the company is currently headquartered in Pleasant... Subscribe to learn more
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Procurement Management KPIs for the Plastic Shipping Crates Market
Managing vendor performance throughout the contract period is easier when tracking specific key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, buyers should monitor Customer Acquisition Cost and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT). Buyers may experience better performance throughout their contracts if they establish service level agreements (SLAs) based on On-Time Delivery and other factors.
| KPI | Level of Importance (1-5) | Measurements | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Acquisition Cost |
|
Total marketing costs Total sales cost Number of customers acquired |
Determining how much it costs to establish a customer relationship is essential in negotiation and price planning. Using customer acquisition costs can be used to determine the efficiency of the customer acquisition process. This information is beneficial for buyers to gain more insight into how acquisition costs affect the price of plastic shipping crates. |
| Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) |
|
Number of positive customer responses Number of customer responses |
Overall customer satisfaction with a vendor is indicative of how cooperative and sympathetic they are to customer needs. Positive customer satisfaction shows that the vendor cares for customer success rates with using their plastic shipping crates. |
|
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Questions to Ask During Procurement Negotiations
How can I gain leverage during negotiations?
Reliability
How do you test plastic shipping crate durability?
How do you test the shipping crate's maximum weight capacity?
Product Lines
What other types of plastic products do you produce or sell?
What additional services do you offer?
Competition
How do you win business and maintain a competitive advantage over other suppliers?
What have you done to develop your reputation among customers?
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Plastic Shipping Crates RFP Guidelines
What should my RFP include?
Organizational Overview
Buyers should provide a description of their organization, including their primary operations and their history in the market.
Buyers should provide information regarding their current solution for plastic shipping crates and why they require a new solution.
Statement Of Need
Buyers should state the dimensions of the plastic shipping crates they are requesting.
Buyers should state the total number of shipping crates needed, broken down by type and specification.
Project Budget
Buyers should state their total budget for plastic shipping crates.
Buyers should provide a breakdown of their budget, stating whether additional costs such as shipping are included in the expected contract value.
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We display average pricing information, trends and market data.
Our Reports include:
- Opportunity assessment
- Market dynamics
- Recent developments
- Positive and warning trends
- Buyer power levers
- Price environment and market pricing
- Geographic wage rates
- Global market updates
- Total cost of ownership
- Cost structure benchmarks and analysis
- Supply chain and vendors
- Global supplier breakdown
- Market share concentration
- Regulation and business requirements
- Vendor management and KPIs
- Sourcing strategy guidance
