Crate Design and Performance
Crate Design, Short Course
Who should attend:
The course could be beneficial for professionals that are responsible to specify, design, purchase or evaluate wooden crates.
- Crate designers
- Packaging engineers
- DOD suppliers
- Procurement professionals
- Consultants
Topics covered in this short course:
- Effect of wood characteristics on crate design
- Principles of mechanics of wooden structures including truss theory and buckling theory
- Open and sheeted crate styles and characteristics
- Fundamental design principles used to size crate components
- Principles of cost effective crate design
- Fastener characteristics and selection of the right fasteners
- How to design crates for the military
crates
crates
Instructors:
Dr. Laszlo Horvath
Associate Professor, Virginia Tech
Director, Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design
In 2010, Dr. Horvath received his Ph.D. in Forest Biomaterials from NC State. He is one of the few packaging professionals who have received the "ISTA CPLP – Professional Level" certification. He is the chair of the ASTM D1185 working group, a U.S. delegate of TC 51, and a voting member of ANSI MH1 and MH 10 committees.
Dan Hindman
Dr. Daniel Hindman
Associate Professor of Wood Engineering
Virginia Tech
Daniel Hindman serves as an associate professor in the Sustainable Biomaterials department where his research program focuses on the efficient use of low-carbon, biological-based materials for construction. Dr. Hindman's research philosophy revolves around three principles related to wood materials: structure, safety, and sustainability. Dr. Hindman is a member of several professional organizations including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Forest Products Society, and the National Frame Building Association. Dr. Hindman holds a Professional Engineering license in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Brad Gething
Dr. Brad Gething
Vice President of Science and Technology
National Wood Pallet and Container Association
Brad Gething became a member of the NWPCA staff in July 2013, taking on the role of Technical and PDS Manager. Brads role includes participation in various standards bodies, promotion of research and development, and support on other technical issues related to the wood packaging industry. He also serves as a point of contact for PDS design support.
Kristen DeLack
Kristen DeLack
Professional Engineer
National Wood Pallet and Container Association
Kristen DeLack is a 25-year veteran Structural Engineer who joined NWPCA in 2016. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and Virginia. Kristen graduated Summa Cum Laude from VA Tech with two Bachelor’s and one Master’s degrees, concentrating in multidisciplinary and structural engineering. Prior to joining NWPCA, Kristen worked in the offshore oil and gas industry as a structural engineer and engineering project manager. During this time, she developed design and analysis software tools that helped engineers around the world efficiently design and build safe subsea structures. She is widely recognized as an expert in finite element analysis, which serves as the backbone for calculations performed by PDS. In her spare time, Kristen is an avid woodworker and historic preservation enthusiast.
Cost:
There are three types of tickets for this short course, detailed below. All attendees will participate in 2.5 days of lectures, laboratory tours, and coursework. They will be served breakfast, be given lunch breaks, and have multiple daily snack breaks. All participants will receive a certificate of completion within two weeks of successfully finishing the course:
- Early-Bird Registration - Standard Attendee (In-Person or Virtual): $1,550.00
- Active-Duty Service Member, DLA Employee, military packaging specialists (25% discount): $1,160.00
- CPULD and NWPCA Members (50% discount): $775.00
- Please note that one-month before the course, the cost of the Standard Attendee rate listed above increases by $100.00, and discounted rates also increase proportionally.
The best rates are in effect until one month prior to the course. Register prior to that date in order to ensure the best pricing!
Time & Location:
This course will be held September 15th-17th, 2026. It will consist of 2.5 days of lectures, assignments, and laboratory tours.
Attendees are expected to get themselves to the correct starting location each morning.
Parking passes will be provided for any sessions which are held in the Brooks Center on VT campus.
Most activities will be held in the meeting room of the Courtyard by Marriott in Blacksburg, VA.
Courtyard by Marriott
105 South Park Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Some activities will be held at the Brooks Forest Products Center, near the Corporate Research Center, in Blacksburg, VA.
Brooks Forest Products Center
Virginia Tech, MC 0503
1650 Research Center Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Contacts:
Course Content Information:
Laszlo Horvath, Director, Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design
Phone: (540) 231-7673
Email: lhorvat@vt.edu
General CPULD Information:
Angie Riegel, Secretary
Phone: (540) 231-7107
Email: ariegel@vt.edu
Registration Questions:
Blaine Vella, Conference and Meeting Manager
Virginia Tech Outreach Program Development
Email: blainev@vt.edu
CPE Enrollment Coordinator, Virginia Tech Outreach Program Development
Or Registration Questions via phone: (540) 231-4084
Hotels:
The Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design works with the Courtyard by Marriott to make sure there are rooms available at a discounted rate for anyone attending this short course.
Most of this course will be taught in the meeting room of the Courtyard by Marriott, so staying at this hotel will make your visit to Blacksburg very convenient.
Check back once the course is scheduled for a direct link to discounted rooms!
The Courtyard by Marriott is located less than two miles from the Brooks Center building, where our short courses are held, and it offers many amenities including an indoor pool, exercise room, business area with free WIFI, and a delicious cafe on the premises. They also offer a shuttle service to and from the hotel that short course attendees have found helpful in the past. Please let them know upon check-in if you will need this shuttle service.
Please contact John Hale, john.hale@marriott.com, or Marriott directly at 540-552-5222, or register online using the direct link, for your hotel room at the Courtyard by Marriott. If you call, be sure to mention the short course you're in Blacksburg to attend in order to receive the discounted rate on your hotel room!
Other Local Hotels:
The Inn at VT
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn Blacksburg
Transportation:
The closest airport is the Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA), which is approximately 35 miles from Blacksburg, VA.
There are multiple car rental agencies as well as cab services located at the airport to transport visitors to Blackburg, VA.
The other nearby airports used by short course attendees are:
- Dulles International Airport, IAD (approx. 5 driving hours from Blacksburg, VA).
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport, CLT (approx. 3 driving hours from Blacksburg, VA).