Neon Trees for Belvedere Vodka

Neon signs are made with an array of vacuum tubes with designs limited only by the signmakers' imagination.  The physical properties of the glass, along with the intricate twists and turns of the design, make neon signs one of the more challenging items we are contracted to pack.
Belvedere Vodka needed to ship two custom made neon trees to various events it was hosting around the country.  Due to the nature of the item, there were very few places to support the trees in the crate.  The top surface wasn't an option as it was covered in the glass tube.  The only area we could use was the aluminum frame that the tubes were mounted on.  With minimal clearance between the frame and tubes, we had to design a unique brace that included "teeth"made of plywood.  The teeth allowed us to work around tubing, mounts and hardware while making solid contact with the frame. 
Due to the high fragility, proper cushioning was a priority.  Polyethelyne and polystyrene foams are far too rigid to cushion the glass, so a soft, gray polyurethane foam was used to isolate the trees from the crate. Finally, all braces were clearly marked to ensure proper installation and removal. 

Marble sculptures for a traveling exhibit

Sculptures are a common item for us to crate and ship but when it is part of a traveling exhibit, there are some additional things to consider.  We have plenty of experience and equipment to move items like this around, but what about each of the venues that it will be displayed at?  What are their capabilities of repacking it for its next trip? What if they loose the packing materials?  What if they pack it upside down?

These are just some of the factors that must be considered when designing the packaging.  In the case of this sculpture, we worked with the original shipper to come up with a design that would be easy to load and unload, as well as duplicate each time minimizing the chance for improper packing.  In summary, pack so that is only fits one way...The correct way.

First was the foam selection.  Polyethelene foam was used for its high durability and ease of cutting custom shapes.  It also adheres well to the wood with a hot melt adhesive.  The foam was then cut to fit the contours of the sculpture.  Knowing that lifting straps would be used at each stop, we cut channels in the foam to allow the straps to be slid underneath the sculpture without having to move it out of the foam cavity.  Next foam lined braces were located to hold it down and from moving side to side.  Finally,  screws were used to attach the walls so the crate can be disassembled while on display to minimize storage space.

Native American Sculptures

This was certainly unique.  A 14' long, 700 pound Native American sculpture and matching "feasting bowl" needed to be shipped back to the original sculptor in Washington State . 

The first challenge was picking them up.  It was a long day traveling out to the eastern tip of Long Island to pick them up from a residence.  At 700 pounds, it took some muscle, clever use of dollies and our liftgate equipped truck to safely retrieve it from the shipper.  Once it was back in our shop, we were able to utilize our forklift and straps to safely lift it and load them onto the crate bases. 

Due to the large size and high weight, a crate more commonly used for industrial applications was selected.  Polyethylene film was used to protect the surface of the sculpture while foam pads were installed throughout the interior of the crate for cushioning.  We then positioned foam lined braces inside the crate to hold the sculptures in place.

Every shipment has a unique set of requirements.  Although we have never shipped a sculpture quite like this, our experience with handling all sorts of unique items has allowed us to determine the best methods for a safe relocation.