MOQ, Tooling And Unit Cost
Three different MOQs apply to one case. A stocked shell accepts a single unit. A custom colour, logo or interior normally starts around 300 units because a fixture or a colour batch has to be set up. A bespoke shell geometry starts around 3,000 units per moulded component, because the mould is a capital cost that has to be recovered.
Key points
- Ask which of the three thresholds your requirement actually crosses.
- A mould is justified by annual volume, not by order size.
- Amortised tooling changes the unit price curve completely below 3,000 units and barely above 30,000.
- A compromise shell plus a good interior is usually the cheaper answer.
The three thresholds
| Route | Moq | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Stock shell, standard colour | From 1 unit | Stock |
| Stock shell, custom foam | From 1 unit | Included in production |
| Stock shell, custom colour or logo | From 300 units | 45 days |
| New mould, bespoke geometry | From 3,000 units per component | 125 days |
What a mould actually buys
A distinctive exterior, an exact external footprint for a rack or a vehicle, a structural feature no stock shell has, or a parting-line position that improves the finish. If none of those is a requirement, the mould cost is buying nothing.
Applications
This matters most where the case is part of a movement chain rather than shelf packaging. In outdoor & recreation and defense the same shell is specified differently because the handling, the environment and the verification requirement differ.
- Outdoor & Recreation — Consumer and professional outdoor brands buy cases as a component of their product. That means c…
- Defense — Defence support equipment is the unglamorous half of the inventory — test sets, spares, ground p…
Customisation
Everything described above is configurable on a standard shell: interior layout (pick-and-pluck, die-cut or CNC-cut), foam grade and thickness, colour, logo method, latch and lock count, pressure-equalisation valve, cable ports, document holder and identification plate. A bespoke exterior geometry requires a new mould — 125 days, from 3,000 units per moulded component.
Procurement considerations
| Question | What to send us |
|---|---|
| Which shell fits? | Equipment L × W × H as packed, plus required clearance per axis |
| What does it cost? | Order quantity and estimated annual quantity — the two drive different answers |
| Is tooling needed? | Whether an existing shell clears the envelope with usable foam depth |
| Lead time? | Your required delivery date, not just the order date |
| Certification? | The exact standard your tender names — we will say whether we can test to it |
| Freight? | Destination and preferred terms; carton and pallet data supplied with the quotation |
Comparison and selection guide
The tables on this page exist because a protective case is chosen by comparing three things: the envelope, the environment and the handling chain. Where no table applies, the rule below is.
| Situation | What To Do |
|---|---|
| Fastest | Standard shell plus CNC foam — typically 45 days from approved drawing. |
| Branded | Standard shell plus custom colour and logo — MOQ applies to the resin colour. |
| Bespoke geometry | New mould — 125 days, MOQ from 3,000 units per component. |
- Size on internal dimensions plus clearance, never on a product name.
- Choose the carrying method before the shell: it changes the series, not just the price.
- Specify the interior last, and decide up front whether the end user will reconfigure it.
MOQ, Tooling And Unit Cost relates to Procurement Guide. Related families: Custom Protective Cases. Related sectors: Outdoor & Recreation / Defense. Continue in the Procurement Guide cluster.
This page is written from our own production data. If your requirement differs, send the dimensions and we will tell you which of the 155 models fits, or whether a custom route is needed.
