Packing and Crating
Description
Establishments classified under this NAICS code specialize in the meticulous preparation of goods for shipment and logistics operations. Their core function involves transforming loose or partially assembled merchandise into a protected and organized form suitable for transit. This process typically includes filling void spaces with padding, securing items within boxes, and applying external protective layers to prevent damage during handling. Typical business activities range from standard cardboard boxing to custom rigid crate construction for heavy or fragile equipment. Operators can be small local contractors focusing on retail inventory or large industrial facilities serving global supply chains. Some entities may also provide specialized services like temperature-controlled packing or vacuum sealing for perishables. The scale varies significantly, with independent firms handling small batches for local distribution while larger companies manage complex logistics for international transport. These operations often integrate with warehousing and freight services, ensuring items are ready for truck, rail, or air delivery. Their expertise lies in balancing cost efficiency with the necessity of product safety, utilizing various materials from corrugated fiberboard to wooden pallets and shrink wrap. By optimizing packaging design, they contribute to reducing shipping damage and improving overall transportation reliability across diverse sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, and retail trade.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Transportation and Warehousing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Transportation and Warehousing sector includes industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, scenic and sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation. Establishments in these industries use transportation equipment or transportation-related facilities as a productive asset. The type of equipment depends on the mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are air, rail, water, road, and pipeline. The Transportation and Warehousing sector distinguishes three basic types of activities: subsectors for each mode of transportation, a subsector for warehousing and storage, and a subsector for establishments providing support activities for transportation. In addition, there are subsectors for establishments that provide passenger transportation for scenic and sightseeing purposes, postal services, and courier services. A separate subsector for support activities is established in the sector because, first, support activities for transportation are inherently multimodal, such as freight transportation arrangement, or have multimodal aspects. Secondly, there are production process similarities among the support activity industries. One of the support activities identified in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector is the routine repair and maintenance of transportation equipment (e.g., aircraft at an airport, railroad rolling stock at a railroad terminal, or ships at a harbor or port facility). Such establishments do not perform complete overhauling or rebuilding of transportation equipment (i.e., periodic restoration of transportation equipment to original design specifications) or transportation equipment conversion (i.e., major modification to systems). An establishment that primarily performs factory (or shipyard) overhauls, rebuilding, or conversions of aircraft, railroad rolling stock, or ships is classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, according to the type of equipment. Many of the establishments in this sector often operate on networks, with physical facilities, labor forces, and equipment spread over an extensive geographic area. Warehousing establishments in this sector are distinguished from merchant wholesaling in that the warehouse establishments do not sell the goods. Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in providing travel agent, travel arrangement, and reservation services that support transportation establishments, hotels, other businesses, and government agencies. These establishments are classified in Sector 56, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing medical care with transportation are classified in Sector 62, Health Care and Social Assistance. |
| 488 | Support Activities for Transportation 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector provide services which support transportation. These services may be provided to transportation carrier establishments or to the general public. This subsector includes a wide array of establishments, including air traffic control services, marine cargo handling, and motor vehicle towing. The Support Activities for Transportation subsector includes services to transportation, separated by type of mode serviced. The Support Activities for Rail Transportation industry includes services to the rail industry (e.g., railroad switching and terminal establishments). Ship repair and maintenance services not done in a shipyard are included in the Other Support Activities for Water Transportation industry. An example would be floating drydock services in a harbor. Excluded from this subsector are establishments primarily engaged in providing factory conversion and overhaul of transportation equipment, which are classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services. Also, establishments primarily engaged in providing travel arrangement and reservation services are classified in Industry Group 5615, Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services. |
| 4889 | Other Support Activities for Transportation 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector provide services which support transportation. These services may be provided to transportation carrier establishments or to the general public. This subsector includes a wide array of establishments, including air traffic control services, marine cargo handling, and motor vehicle towing. The Support Activities for Transportation subsector includes services to transportation, separated by type of mode serviced. The Support Activities for Rail Transportation industry includes services to the rail industry (e.g., railroad switching and terminal establishments). Ship repair and maintenance services not done in a shipyard are included in the Other Support Activities for Water Transportation industry. An example would be floating drydock services in a harbor. Excluded from this subsector are establishments primarily engaged in providing factory conversion and overhaul of transportation equipment, which are classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services. Also, establishments primarily engaged in providing travel arrangement and reservation services are classified in Industry Group 5615, Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services. |
| 48899 | Other Support Activities for Transportation 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing support activities to transportation (except for air transportation; rail transportation; water transportation; road transportation; and freight transportation arrangement). Illustrative Examples: Arrangement of vanpools or car pools (except ridesharing arrangement services) Independent pipeline terminal facilities Stockyards (i.e., not for fattening or selling livestock) |
| 488991 | Packing and Crating 6-digit U.S. detail | Establishments classified under this NAICS code specialize in the meticulous preparation of goods for shipment and logistics operations. Their core function involves transforming loose or partially assembled merchandise into a protected and organized form suitable for transit. This process typically includes filling void spaces with padding, securing items within boxes, and applying external protective layers to prevent damage during handling. Typical business activities range from standard cardboard boxing to custom rigid crate construction for heavy or fragile equipment. Operators can be small local contractors focusing on retail inventory or large industrial facilities serving global supply chains. Some entities may also provide specialized services like temperature-controlled packing or vacuum sealing for perishables. The scale varies significantly, with independent firms handling small batches for local distribution while larger companies manage complex logistics for international transport. These operations often integrate with warehousing and freight services, ensuring items are ready for truck, rail, or air delivery. Their expertise lies in balancing cost efficiency with the necessity of product safety, utilizing various materials from corrugated fiberboard to wooden pallets and shrink wrap. By optimizing packaging design, they contribute to reducing shipping damage and improving overall transportation reliability across diverse sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, and retail trade. |
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Classification References
- 01Providing packaging and labeling services (except warehousing)--are classified in Industry 561910, Packaging and Labeling Services;
- 02Providing warehousing services--are classified in Industry Group 4931, Warehousing and Storage; and
- 03Providing packing and crating services for agricultural products--are classified in U.S. Industry 115114, Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning).
Index Items
Crating goods for shipping
Packing and preparing goods for shipping
Preparing goods for transportation (i.e., crating, packing)
How Item Can Help
Manages inventory levels of packing materials by location and provides real-time tracking of crated goods throughout the warehouse to prevent spoilage and ensure readiness.
Coordinates sales orders with warehouse capacity to automatically adjust packing strategies based on product dimensions, ensuring optimal load configuration and reducing material waste.
Optimizes transportation routes with estimated delivery times that factor in the specific weight and size constraints of crated cargo, improving freight cost efficiency.
