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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Craters & Freighters Franchise

Craters & Freighters is a specialty crating, packaging, and shipping franchise founded in 1990 and franchising since 1991. The brand fills a specific logistics need: the custom-engineered transport of items standard carriers cannot handle, including fine art, antiques, medical equipment, aerospace components, and oversized industrial machinery.

The franchise serves both commercial and residential customers. Commercial clients span telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, biotechnology, and aerospace. On the residential side, the brand handles estate and senior moves, art and antique shipments, furniture, and motorcycles. Each project involves engineered crates, specialty packaging, and coverage under a group cargo insurance policy.

With more than 65 locations across the US, Craters & Freighters has built an established specialty crating network. Each location operates from a physical facility with a small team and holds an exclusive territory. Franchisees have access to national accounts and proprietary operations software. Matthew Schmitz, who joined in 2013, acquired full ownership in 2022 and serves as CEO.

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Why buy a Craters & Freighters Franchise?

Craters & Freighters occupies a logistics niche that general carriers and conventional moving companies do not serve. The combination of commercial B2B relationships and recurring residential project work creates multiple revenue streams, while the brand’s focus on custom-engineered crating for high-value and oversized items is not easily replicated by a new entrant.

Buying a Craters & Freighters franchise means acquiring an established territory with an existing client base, proprietary operations software, and access to national accounts negotiated at the corporate level. Purchasing co-ops and a group cargo insurance policy give franchisees cost and coverage advantages that an independent operator would have to build independently. The franchise network also provides cross-referral capability for shipments that span territory lines.

Craters & Freighters Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1990

    • Franchising Since

      1991

    • New Startup Cost

      $207,000 – $390,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $35,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $15,000

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Adjusted Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      65

    • New Units Opened *

      1

    • Units Transferred *

      5

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Craters & Freighters – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Craters & Freighters delivers 46 hours of classroom instruction and 26–44 hours of on-the-job training covering crating techniques, quoting, logistics, and operations management. Ongoing franchisee support includes co-op advertising, social media and email marketing, field operations guidance, proprietary job-management software, a franchisee intranet platform, purchasing co-ops, and a group cargo insurance policy. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access are available when ownership changes.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The Craters & Freighters model suits a hands-on owner comfortable managing a small team and building relationships with commercial clients in manufacturing, healthcare, and aerospace. Prior logistics or shipping experience is helpful but not required; the corporate training covers the technical side of crating and freight management. The role is primarily local-market sales and B2B relationship development, with an emphasis on responsive service for high-value residential moves. Absentee ownership is not permitted.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Craters & Freighters is listed in Entrepreneur Magazine's franchise directory and included across major franchise research platforms, reflecting its recognized position in the specialty freight sector. The brand operates what it describes as the largest custom crating network in the US, a position built through more than three decades of continuous franchising since 1991. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside local factors such as territory reputation, customer reviews, and referral strength among commercial clients.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US specialty freight and custom packaging sector serves businesses and consumers whose items fall outside the scope of standard carriers. Commercial clients in manufacturing, healthcare, and aerospace require engineered crating for compliance and insurance. Residential demand comes from fine art collectors, estate executors, and antique buyers. The US item packing and shipping services market has been estimated at over $8 billion, with growth linked to e-commerce and rising demand for white-glove logistics. Local demand depends on the territory's commercial client mix and proximity to industrial or arts-oriented business clusters.

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