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Plastic Flight Cases — Lite Guard™ Lightweight HDPE Cases
Lite Guard™ is our range of plastic flight cases. Instead of 10mm plywood, the shell is formed from 1.3mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) — the same material as a rigid roadside crash barrier — fitted with the latches, handles and hardware we use on our flight cases. The result weighs about 60% less than the plywood equivalent, costs roughly half, and is quicker to build. It won't rot, swell or delaminate if it gets wet, and knocks that would chip a laminate finish leave HDPE unmarked.
We have been making poly cases in Market Harborough since the mid-1990s, and most of what leaves the workshop today goes to motorsport, marine, aerospace and live-event teams — anywhere kit flies, travels weekly in a van, or is lifted by one person. For a lot of that kit, a Lite Guard™ case is enough case. Where it isn't — heavy touring loads, stacked truck packs, sensitive electronics that need shock-mounting — our plywood flight cases pick up.
Select Plastic Flight Cases — Lite Guard™ Lightweight HDPE Cases Series
What's in the range
Lite Guard™ plastic rack cases — 19" racks in 3U to 6U with full-height front and rear rack strips, from 4.9kg and £159.
Screen and display cases — single-screen cases for 43" to 65" displays, with optional castors and accessory pouches.
Standard poly storage cases — stackable general-purpose boxes for tools, cable, merchandise and spares.
Poly tray flight cases — shallow trays for parts, lighting accessories and consumables.
Sporting and equipment cases — for archery, fencing, shooting sports and club kit.
Presentation and print cases — top-opening portfolio cases for photographers, artists and galleries.
Christmas tree and decoration storage — the boxes that started the seasonal side of the range.
Custom plastic cases
Every size above started as a bespoke job, and most of what we make is still to order: custom internal dimensions, CNC-cut foam, printed branding, extrusion edging and metal ball corners for heavier use, or a "light flight case" built from 4mm hex instead of 10mm. Tell us what's going in it, how it travels and how often, and we'll recommend the lightest case that will actually protect it — whether that's Lite Guard™, a padded bag, or a full flight case.
OTHER PROTECTIVE CASES
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Lite Guard™ case?
What is a Lite Guard™ case?
Lite Guard™ is Nomad's range of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cases, formerly known as our Standard Poly series. Each case is formed from a single sheet of heavy-duty HDPE, creased around a mild steel rim for structural rigidity and reinforced with steel or plastic three-way corners. The result is a case around 60% lighter and 50% cheaper than an equivalent plywood flight case.
When should I choose Lite Guard™ over a traditional plywood flight case?
When should I choose Lite Guard™ over a traditional plywood flight case?
Choose Lite Guard™ for light-to-medium duty applications where portability, airline weight limits and courier costs matter. If your kit faces relentless heavy touring, stacked truck packs and forklift handling, a 9.5mm birch ply or hexaboard flight case with full Penn Elcom hardware remains the better tool. Many clients run both—ply for the heavy production kit, Lite Guard™ for everything that travels by hand or courier.
What can Lite Guard™ cases be used for?
What can Lite Guard™ cases be used for?
The range covers professional photography portfolios and print boxes, lightweight rack cases and ADDA music boxes for touring, hygienic cake and food transport for catering and hospitality, medical and specialist transit, sporting equipment, poly trays for industrial components and even seasonal storage. If you can carry it, we can case it.
Can I have a custom size or custom foam interior?
Can I have a custom size or custom foam interior?
Yes. Every Lite Guard™ case is manufactured at our Market Harborough facility, so we can build to your exact dimensions and fit CNC-machined high-density foam cut to cradle your equipment. Custom trays, dividers and lift-out sections are all available.
What colours and branding options are available?
What colours and branding options are available?
Standard colours are Black, Grey, Blue and Red, and we can apply custom branding to match your business identity—your logo on your case, straight off our production line.
Can you add wheels and handles?
Can you add wheels and handles?
Yes. Heavy-duty wheels, telescopic handles, recessed catches and locking options can all be specified, turning a lightweight box into a genuinely one-person transport solution.
How durable is HDPE compared to plywood?
How durable is HDPE compared to plywood?
HDPE is impact-resistant, waterproof, easy to wipe clean and won't splinter or delaminate, which is why it's the standard choice for medical and catering transport. The steel rim and three-way corners carry the structural load, so the case holds its shape through repeated light-to-medium duty transit.
Where are Lite Guard™ cases made, and do you ship worldwide?
Where are Lite Guard™ cases made, and do you ship worldwide?
Every case is manufactured in-house at our Market Harborough factory in Leicestershire, where we've been building cases in Britain for over 60 years. We ship fast worldwide—contact our team for lead times on your specification.
Do you ship internationally?
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — UK-built and export-ready for air and sea freight worldwide.