Packing-grade plywood
Packing plywood for cases, crates and pallets.
Moisture-resistant panels from 6 to 18mm, loaded in full truckloads from Kochi. Made by our group in Perumbavoor, which has manufactured plywood since 1986.
By Edwin David, Director, Cochin Wood Industries — plywood manufacturer in Perumbavoor, Kerala. · Last updated 18 July 2026.
The grade we make more of than anything else.
Cochin Wood Industries is a packing grade plywood manufacturer in India, supplying case shops, crate builders and exporters across the country. Plywood for packing cases is its own discipline. Nobody polishes it and everybody loads it, so the panel is judged on different terms: nail-holding at the edges, stiffness across a crate wall, a bond that ignores transit humidity, and consistency at hundreds of sheets a month.
Our packing range is MR-bonded to IS 303, pressed for structure rather than looks. Face defects that would fail a furniture panel are irrelevant here. A soft core, a starved glue line or a thickness that wanders from sheet to sheet is not. Those are the faults we build against.
Thicknesses: 6 to 18mm, matched to the job.
Five thicknesses cover most case work. Others within the 6–18mm band are made against order. Tell us the spec and monthly quantity when you enquire.
| Thickness | Where case makers run it |
|---|---|
| 6mm | Cladding, lids, partitions and inner liners |
| 8mm | Light-duty boxes and inner walls |
| 12mm | General export cases and box walls |
| 15mm | Heavy cases and machinery crate walls |
| 18mm | Bases, decks and crates carrying point loads |
Packing plywood — technical specification
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Grade | Packing grade (commercial / rubberwood) |
| Bond | MR to IS 303; BWR available on request |
| Core | Hardwood — rubberwood or eucalyptus (never poplar) |
| Face options | Okoume or Gurjan |
| Thickness | 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18 mm |
| Tolerance | Minus tolerance, stated on the quote |
| Standard sheet | 8×4 ft (2440×1220 mm); other sizes to order |
| ISPM-15 | Bare panels exempt; assembled crates stamped via compliant process |
| Supply | Full-truckload pan-India from Kochi; FOB Cochin for export |
Tolerance and moisture, stated before you order.
Packing grade runs on minus tolerance. A nominal thickness may finish slightly under, never over. That is standard practice for the grade and how it is priced across the market; we state the tolerance band on the quote so there is no argument at delivery. If a jig, slot or fastener schedule needs thickness held tighter, say so at enquiry and we will quote accordingly.
Moisture matters more than most buyers expect. A crate panel that goes into a sealed container wet will sweat, and the cargo pays for it. Our panels are dispatched dry, and the MR bond is built for humid transit, monsoon storage and port dwell, not permanent wetting. Where cases sit out in weather for long spells, we quote the same construction on a BWR bond instead.
Okoume and Gurjan faces on the same core.
Okoume is not a separate grade. It is a face veneer option on our MR packing and BWR constructions: a pale, uniform African hardwood face that many export buyers specify by name. Gurjan gives a harder, denser face where cases will be handled roughly. Background on the species is in our note on Okoume (Aucoumea klaineana).
ISPM-15: the panels are exempt, the crates get stamped.
This one fact saves buyers real money. Plywood is a processed wood product, so plywood panels themselves are exempt from ISPM-15: no heat treatment, no fumigation, no stamp needed on the sheet. If you assemble your own export cases, you can buy panels from us and treat only the solid-wood members.
The moment a panel becomes a crate with solid-wood battens and runners, the assembled unit needs treatment and the mark. Our plywood boxes and crates and plywood pallets ship through an ISPM-15 compliant process, stamped and ready for the port. If you are weighing treatment routes, read our comparison of heat treatment vs methyl bromide.
Who buys this panel.
Three kinds of buyers keep this line running. Packing-case and crate makers cutting daily production, who care about tolerance and steady truckloads. Exporters crating machinery, pharma and textiles, who care about the ISPM-15 position and panels that arrive dry. And pallet builders, who care about deck stiffness and nail-holding. Field notes for all three are collected under our packing plywood articles.
Bulk supply, plain terms.
We sell in volume: full truckloads dispatched pan-India from Kochi, and recurring monthly schedules for case shops that consume steadily. Export orders move through Cochin Port for Gulf and other overseas buyers. To quote we need three things: thickness and sheet size, monthly quantity, and delivery location. You get a written quote within one business day.
Prices are ex-factory; GST and transport are extra and shown separately. Standard terms are 50% advance with balance before dispatch, and every dispatch carries our material guarantee. Write to [email protected] or call +91 95674 10175.
FAQ
Does packing plywood need ISPM-15 treatment?
No. Plywood is a processed wood product and is exempt under ISPM-15, so bare panels ship without treatment or a stamp. Only assembled crates and pallets containing solid wood need the treatment and mark. Our finished boxes go out stamped through a compliant process.
What thicknesses of packing grade plywood do you supply?
6, 8, 12, 15 and 18mm are the running thicknesses; other thicknesses within the 6–18mm band are made against order. Packing grade is supplied on minus tolerance, stated on the quote.
What is the minimum order for packing plywood?
We are a bulk supplier. Full-truckload lots from Kochi are the norm, and recurring monthly volumes get the best rates and dispatch priority. Send your thickness, size and monthly quantity and we will confirm what works.
Are your prices ex-factory or delivered?
Ex-factory. GST and transport are extra and shown as separate lines on the quote, so your landed cost is clear before you commit. Quote requests are answered within one business day.
What is packing grade plywood made of?
A hardwood core — rubberwood or eucalyptus — bonded with MR (IS 303) glue and finished with an Okoume or Gurjan face. It is never built on a soft poplar core. You specify the face and any upgrade to a BWR bond.
How much does packing plywood cost per sheet?
Price moves with thickness, sheet size and monthly volume, so we quote per specification rather than publish a per-sheet rate. Send the thickness, size and quantity and a written ex-factory quote comes back within one business day.
What sheet sizes do you supply?
8×4 ft (2440×1220 mm) is the standard sheet; other sizes are cut to order. Tell us the size your cases run and we confirm.
Do you deliver packing plywood across India?
Yes. We dispatch full-truckload lots from Kochi across India and load containers for export. Give us the delivery location and transport is quoted as a separate line.
What bond and moisture specification does packing plywood carry?
The running grade is MR-bonded to IS 303, with moisture content and tolerance stated on the quote. BWR bonding is available for humid routes on request.
Can I choose an Okoume or Gurjan face on packing plywood?
Yes. Both faces press onto the same hardwood core — Okoume gives a pale, uniform face, Gurjan a denser reddish-brown one. Pick the face and grade for the job.
Do you supply plywood for export crates and cases?
Yes. Packing panels ship bare and are ISPM-15 exempt; assembled crates and pallets with solid-wood members are built and stamped through an ISPM-15-compliant process, and we quote FOB Cochin for export.
Send the spec. Get it in writing.
Thickness, sheet size, monthly quantity, delivery location. That is all we need; a written quote follows within one business day.
Request a quote