Collapsible plastic crates

How a folding crate goes flat

Each wall is a separate panel on hinges at the base. On many designs the two short ends fold in first, then the long sides drop over them, and a latch at every corner holds the box square once it's raised again. ORBIS gives 3.8 seconds to assemble or collapse on its folding category page and 3 seconds on the HHFC2415-11 sheet; either way, it is a one-person job. Our folding guide shows the sequence step by step.

Tosca brands its corner mechanism Active Lock and says an interlocking design gives its produce crates their stack strength. IPL Schoeller's PreLog CMB has a flat, rib-free base so it runs smoothly on conveyors, plus a tamper-evident seal. Corners and latches carry the load when stacked, so they are what we inspect first on a used folding crate.

Folding crate models and folded heights

The ORBIS HHFC2415-11 is the reference point for US industrial use: it sits on a 24x15 footprint that ORBIS says fits the 45 x 48 AIAG pallet, and it interstacks with NSO2415 StakPak models. Flexcon lists a 231411-COLP06 with the same outside size, tare, folded height and trailer quantity. Metric folding crates follow the 600x400 mm and 400x300 mm modules.

Space saved, and why the figures vary

On ORBIS's numbers, one 53 ft trailer carries 1,248 erected HHFC2415-11 crates or 5,304 folded ones, better than four to one. IPL Schoeller words it as a percentage, and gives three versions for its PreLog line: folding saves "up to 84 percent" on the category page, "folding ratios up to 82 percent" in the range blurb, and "up to 85%" on the PreLog Classic page. We quote whichever figure belongs to the exact page and model.

The savings depend on height. A tall crate gives back more air when it folds than a shallow one, because the folded thickness barely changes while the erected height grows. Tosca's spread shows it: 4.1 to 11.2 in tall, yet folded only 1.16 to 2.17 in. Run your own lane in the trailer fill tool or read the return ratio guide before you decide that folding pays.

Folding or nesting: picking the right empty

A tapered nest-stack tote also shrinks on the way back, with no hinges to wear out, so why fold? Rigid walls are the answer. Because a folding crate stands square when erected, partitions and part trays sit tight against the sides, and the box tiles a pallet without wasted gaps at the corners. Nesting is simpler to maintain; folding keeps a true rectangle inside, and on ORBIS's HHFC2415-11 figures it packs better than four to one.

Weight is the other lever. Tosca lists its 600x400 folding produce crates from 3.01 to 5.5 lb, and ORBIS gives 6.9 lb for the heavier-duty HHFC2415-11. Lighter crates cost less to haul back, but heavier walls survive more cycles in rough handling. Compare both against stack and nest totes before you settle on a style.

Who runs folding crates

Parts suppliers shipping to assembly plants in automotive, where an HHFC2415 can share a pallet with straight-wall StakPaks. Grocery and fresh-food loops in grocery and retail: IPL Schoeller says it makes foldable small containers for the large pooling companies as well as a standard range for direct buyers. Non-food logistics such as e-commerce returns, where the PreLog CMB's seal and conveyor-friendly base suit.

For fresh produce specifically, with vented walls and retail-ready ends, our produce crates page goes further. On food contact, IPL Schoeller writes of its PreLog Classic: "Naturally they are food approved." That is the maker's statement for that model, not ours; ask for its documents and tell us what the crates will carry.

Used folding crates: worth it if the hinges are sound

Pooled and program crates sometimes leave a loop in quantity. A folding crate has more moving parts than a rigid one, so condition counts more. Read buying used and the grade definitions, then check these points on samples.

• Hinge knuckles. Fold and raise each wall a few times. A cracked knuckle lets a wall flop.
• Corner latches. Every corner should click home and hold under a hand push.
• Folded flatness. A warped panel stops crates lying flat, which shrinks the folded count per trailer.
• Pool markings. Crates stamped for a rental pool may belong to that pool. We ask about ownership before quoting.

What to tell us

Then send it through the quote form.

• Footprint (inch 24x15 or metric 600x400, 400x300) and erected height
• Solid or vented walls, and conveyor or automation use
• Sealing or lid needs
• Quantity, new or used, and the empty return lane
• Food contact needs, and what used crates carried before