Custom Automotive Packaging
Nobody browses car parts. A mechanic or a parts desk is looking for one specific number on a shelf of near-identical boxes, and the entire usefulness of this packaging is whether that number can be read from a meter away.
Get a price for Automotive Packaging
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- 4styles in this range, each with its own page and price
- 100unit minimum on every style, printed or plain
- 4markets quoted in the delivery currency
- ±1mmcutting tolerance on folding board, checked on a sample
4 styles in this range
Styles we make in this range
Every one below is written up, priced and dielined. Tap a style to see how it is built.
01See the build →Air Filter Boxes
Air filters are among the most commoditised parts in the trade: a pleated block in a box, sitting on a…
02See the build →Auto Light Boxes
Custom auto light boxes for headlamps, tail lights and bulbs
03See the build →Automotive Parts Boxes
Custom automotive parts boxes sized to the part
04See the build →Hot Wheels Boxes
Custom boxes for die-cast cars
Side by side
Which automotive packaging style fits
| Style | Board | Build | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Filter Boxes | E flute for panel filters, B flute for round and conical | Corrugated carton; shelf-ready perforated tops available | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Auto Light Boxes | B flute for assemblies; E flute and 20–24pt boxboard for bulb cartons | Cradle carton, window tuck carton, twin pack, divided kit carton | 100 boxes | Open → |
| Automotive Parts Boxes | B flute, E flute, 20–24pt boxboard; laminated on retail-facing cartons | Tuck carton, crash-lock, divided kit carton, sleeve, board wrap | 100 boxes per size | Open → |
| Hot Wheels Boxes | 18–20pt boxboard; card backs 20–24pt; rigid grayboard collector cases | Window carton, card back, wrap-around window box, collector case | 100 boxes | Open → |
The part number is the design
It has to be on at least two faces — the front and the short end — because boxes are shelved both ways and nobody rearranges them. It has to be the largest text on the pack, larger than the brand, which is a hard argument to win with a marketing team and the right one.
A barcode belongs next to it, with its quiet zone protected, and both need to sit on a light unvarnished patch so a scanner and an eye can both cope.
Print the number on the end panel as well as the face. Half your boxes will be shelved end-out and you do not get to choose which half.
Oil, grease and what parts arrive covered in
Reconditioned and coated parts arrive oily, and oil wicks into uncoated board within hours, spreading to the outside where it looks like damage and transfers to hands and shelves.
A coated inner face or a poly bag around the part is the fix. For anything protective-coated from the factory, the bag is usually already there and the carton only has to stay clean.
Weight, density and the shelf it sits on
Steel parts are dense and small. A box the size of a paperback can weigh several kilograms, and it will be stacked six high on a warehouse rack for months.
| Filters and light trim | Folding carton, standard board |
|---|---|
| Brake and suspension parts | Corrugated, reinforced base, often double wall |
| Lamps and glass | Cradle plus clearance; fragile despite the category |
| Fluids | Leak-tolerant build; assume the container will weep |
Lamps are the fragile exception
- Bulbs and lamp units break far more easily than the rest of this category suggests.
- They need a cradle and clearance, not a snug fit in a strong box.
- A cracked lamp is invisible until fitted, which makes it an expensive return.
- Print a handling instruction — in this category people genuinely do throw the boxes.
Shelf-ready, because that is where they live
Parts move from a pallet to a rack once and then sit there. A carton that opens along a perforated top and becomes its own shelf tray saves the parts desk unpacking every box, and it keeps the part numbers facing forward.
The construction is the same as any shelf-ready retail unit — the tear and stability requirements are in our display and shelf-ready notes.
Across the range
What every automotive packaging job runs on
Boards
- Natural kraft
- White SBS
- E and B flute
- Wrapped grayboard
- Food-grade board
- Recycled content
Chosen from what goes in the box and how far it travels. Our notes on recyclable and compostable stocks say which claims each board can carry.
Finishes
- Matte
- Gloss
- Soft-touch
- Foil
- Emboss
- Spot UV
- Kraft
- Textured
Each one is a decision about light on a shelf — the specialty finishes range shows them on real boxes.
Artwork
- Vector PDF or AI, fonts outlined
- 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safe area
- CMYK; a spot color where a match must hold
- Proof on the dieline before press
Files not set up that way are fine — see the guide to preparing print files.
Interactive · five steps · no sign-up
Build your Automotive Packaging in 3D
Pick a shape, type a size, choose a board and a finish. The preview on the left redraws as you go, and the spec lands with us exactly as you set it.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about automotive packaging? The answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send it with a brief, message us on WhatsApp, or call +1 503-461-4788 — we reply the same working day.
How big should the part number be?
Bigger than the brand, on the face and the end panel. It is the only thing anyone looks for.
Why is oil showing through my cartons?
Uncoated board wicks it within hours. A coated inner face or a poly bag around the part stops it.
Do lamps really need a cradle?
Yes. They are the fragile exception in this category, and a cracked lamp is not discovered until it is fitted.
Are shelf-ready cartons worth it?
For anything a parts desk racks in volume, yes. It saves unpacking and keeps the numbers facing forward.
What is the minimum order?
100 boxes, folding or corrugated.
What board for brake and suspension parts?
Corrugated with a reinforced base, often double wall — steel parts are dense and sit stacked six high for months.
How big should the part number be?
Bigger than the brand, on the face and the end panel. It is the only thing anyone looks for.
Why is oil showing through my cartons?
Uncoated board wicks it within hours. A coated inner face or a poly bag around the part stops it.
Do lamps really need a cradle?
Yes. They are the fragile exception in this category, and a cracked lamp is not discovered until it is fitted.
Are shelf-ready cartons worth it?
For anything a parts desk racks in volume, yes. It saves unpacking and keeps the numbers facing forward.
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