Custom parcel boxes are wall-mounted sheet metal drop boxes that receive deliveries when nobody is home and hold them locked until the owner collects them. The XHX Metal design uses two openings: a top deposit lid that a courier lifts to drop the parcel in, and a front door that folds down for retrieval.
XHX Metal is a custom sheet metal manufacturer in Dongguan, China, operating a 2,000-square-meter factory with about 30 employees and annual capacity above 500,000 pieces. This page covers the design of the box, materials and finishes for outdoor service, sizes and wall mounting, and the drawings and lead times needed to start a parcel box project.
Figure 1: A wall-mounted parcel box with the top deposit lid open and the front retrieval door locked.
Custom Parcel Boxes: Design and Options
Custom parcel boxes are built as a rectangular steel body with a flat back panel that mounts to the wall. The top deposit lid is hinged at the rear and held open by two stays, so a courier can drop a parcel in with one hand; an angled deflector plate inside the lid guides the parcel down and blocks access through the opening. The front door is hinged at the bottom and folds down on its own stays, and a keyed cam lock at the top centre of the door keeps the contents secure until the owner opens it.
An internal shelf separates the deposit area from the storage compartment below, which keeps a delivered parcel out of sight and stops it from falling out when the door is opened. Because every part is formed from the customer’s drawing, the overall width, the depth of the body, the size of the deposit opening, the shelf position, the lock type and the position of the mounting holes can all be adapted to the installation. Standard production covers widths from 650 mm to 1,000 mm, with RAL or Pantone colour matching and logo placement agreed during drawing review.
Figure 2: A parcel is dropped through the open top lid while the front door stays locked.
Materials and Finishes for Outdoor Service
The body of custom parcel boxes is normally formed from 1.2 to 2.0 mm cold-rolled or galvanized steel. Galvanized sheet protects sheared edges as well as flat surfaces, and the American Galvanizers Association explains how that protection works. For coastal or high-humidity installations, 304 stainless steel is specified instead and the drawings are adjusted for its different forming behaviour; SSINA covers grade selection and care. Aluminum is used where weight matters, and the Aluminum Association maintains the alloy and temper references behind it.
Powder coating is the standard finish. Polyester powder is applied electrostatically and cured into a 60 to 80 micron film that resists chipping, UV fading and scratching, with technical guidance published by the Powder Coating Institute. The graphite finish shown on this page is the volume standard, and wood-grain effect and other colours are produced on the same line. Outdoor units use stainless fasteners, a lock with a protective cap, sealed hinge points and a gasket behind the front door, and coating performance can be checked against the protective-coating practice published by AMPP. Colour, gloss and film thickness targets are agreed at quotation so the finish repeats on every batch.
Figure 3: The front door folds down on its stays, with the keyed cam lock set into the door face.
Sizes, Capacity and Wall Mounting
Custom parcel boxes are sized around the cartons they have to accept. The standard widths of 650 mm and 1,000 mm cover most e-commerce parcels, and both sizes use the same construction, so a brand can offer two models without a second set of tooling. The storage compartment is deep enough for several stacked cartons, and the shelf above it keeps the deposit path clear. Because the front door swings downward, the box is mounted at a height that leaves clear space below it, and the back panel is drilled to match masonry, timber or a customer-supplied post or base.
Mounting is part of the drawing review. The team checks the wall type, the fixing positions, the door swing clearance and whether the box is installed on its own or above a base cabinet, then confirms the hole pattern and the fixing kit that ships with each unit. Where an installation needs a different opening direction, the hinge and lock positions are mirrored on the drawing before production.
Figure 4: The internal shelf separates the deposit opening from the storage compartment below.
Where Parcel Boxes Are Used
The main application for custom parcel boxes is the single-family entrance, where the box replaces the mailbox-and-porch routine and protects deliveries through rain, heat and snow. The same box is installed at apartment and condominium entrances, gated communities, small offices, workshops and mailrooms, where several deliveries arrive during the day and nobody is available to sign for them. In each case the buyer is usually a brand, distributor or OEM that needs its own size, colour, lock and branding rather than a stock box.
Programs are specified by width, deposit opening, lock type, finish and mounting method rather than by a single model number. A first order for a new custom parcel box range typically runs 100 to 300 units across the sizes in the family, and repeat orders follow the same drawings so door alignment, colour and lock position stay consistent. Common additions are a name or number plate, a rain lip over the deposit opening, a stainless lock cap and a fixing kit matched to the wall type.
Figure 5: A loaded parcel box with the retrieval door folded down, showing the storage compartment.
How We Build Custom Parcel Boxes: Drawing to Delivery
Production of custom parcel boxes starts with drawing review. Our engineers check the deposit opening, lid travel, shelf position, lock cutout, hinge clearance, door swing and the mounting hole pattern, then return manufacturability feedback before quoting. Two 6kW fiber laser cutting machines cut the body, lid, shelf and door panels with plus or minus 0.01 mm positioning accuracy. Bending follows on CNC press brakes, and welding runs in fixtures that hold the body square so the lid and door line up after coating. Each unit is deburred, powder coated, and assembled with its lock, stays, gasket and fixing kit.
Send a STEP or STP model with a dimensioned 2D drawing, material and finish, lock or hardware specification, quantity and target timing. Samples are produced in 5 to 10 working days after drawing approval, and the first production batch ships in 15 to 30 days. MOQ is typically 100 pieces for a small wall-mounted custom parcel box and 20 to 50 pieces for a larger format or a new colour, and it can be spread across sizes inside one product family. Batches ship with inspection records for dimensions, lid and door function, lock operation and coating thickness, and SGS pre-shipment inspection or a customer visit to the factory can be arranged.
A smart home brand started a wall-mounted range in two sizes with an MOQ of 50 pieces per size, a first order of 260 units and an FOB price of $48 to $62 per unit depending on size and lock. The first batch shipped 26 days after approval with SGS pre-shipment inspection. Annual volume settled at 700 to 900 units, a program value of about $34,000 to $46,000, and a nesting revision plus a shared carton size removed roughly 5 percent from the unit price in the second year. Across similar programs, parcel box FOB prices have run from about $29 for a single-colour retail model to $68 for a stainless range.
Figure 6: Side profile showing the depth of the body and the flat back panel used for wall mounting.
Custom Parcel Boxes FAQ
How does a parcel box work?
The courier lifts the top deposit lid and drops the parcel through the opening. An internal deflector plate guides it down onto the storage shelf, and the lid closes behind it. The front door stays locked until the owner opens it with the key and folds it down on its stays.
What is the minimum order for custom parcel boxes?
MOQ is typically 100 pieces for a small wall-mounted box and 20 to 50 pieces for a larger format or a new colour. Inside one product family the quantity can be spread across sizes and finishes.
Which sizes and finishes are available?
Standard production covers widths of 650 mm and 1,000 mm, with other sizes taken directly from the customer drawing. Graphite powder coat is the volume finish, and wood-grain effect, RAL or Pantone colours and 304 stainless steel are available on the same drawings.
Is the box weatherproof?
The lid overlaps the body, a gasket sits behind the front door, and the powder coat is a 60 to 80 micron film that resists chipping and UV fading. Coastal and high-humidity sites are specified in 304 stainless with stainless hardware, and the sealing and drainage details are defined on the drawing for each project.
What files do you need to quote a parcel box?
A STEP or STP model with a dimensioned 2D drawing works best. Material, finish and colour, lock or hardware specification, quantity, packaging requirements and the target market let us confirm feasibility and price in one round.
How long do sampling and production take?
Samples are delivered in 5 to 10 working days after drawing approval, and the first production batch ships in 15 to 30 days depending on coating, hardware and volume. Repeat orders are usually faster because fixtures and colour standards already exist.
Related Products and Next Steps
Custom parcel boxes use the same fabrication and quality system as the factory’s sheet metal fabrication services and OEM sheet metal parts, so cutting, bending, welding, hardware and finishing stay on one schedule. Browse the product pages, contact the engineering team with your drawings, or send files through the online quoting form.