Lids, dividers and dunnage

Lids for hand-held totes

A lid matches a model, not only a footprint. Buckhorn's SL24150100 is a recessed lid for its 24 x 15 straight wall totes, at 1.4 lb tare, and its own page explains the catch: it fits loosely on dust-skirt totes whose part numbers end A2 or A4, and snap-tight on non-skirted totes ending 00 or 02. Two boxes of the same outside size, from the same maker, take the same lid differently.

Buckhorn offers hand-held lids in recessed designs, which let a lidded tote stack, or latching designs for spill control. ORBIS lists lids and dollies across 12x7, 21x13, 21x15, 24x15, 24x16, 24x20 and 32x15 footprints, and notes that not all options apply to all products. Send us the molded part number and we'll match the lid to it; see the 24x15 and 21x15 size pages for the totes themselves.

Covers for bulk containers

A detached cover sits on a bulk box like a cap: it keeps dust, rain and debris off, and a covered box can take another loaded box above it. ORBIS's CHDR4845 is the 48 x 45 BulkPak cover, listed at 48.9 x 45.8 x 3.7 in and 26.8 lb, molded in structural-channel HDPE. ORBIS names the boxes it fits: HDRS4845-19, -21 and -24, and HDR4845-25 through -50.

On metric footprints, IPL Schoeller sells covers for 1200 x 1000, 1200 x 800 and 800 x 600 bulk containers, pallet collars, and a lighter FLC dust cover at 47 x 38.2 x 1.6 in for the 1200 x 1000 size. Height can be added too: Buckhorn's 7 in and 10 in extension rings fit its BN484525 and BN484534. For the boxes these go on, see collapsible bulk containers and 48x45.

Dividers, partitions and dunnage

Divider sets. Interlocking strips slot together into a grid that drops into a tote or bulk box. ORBIS builds custom sets from plastic corrugated (PCORR) or solid plastic sheet, which can be laminated, edge stitched or edge sealed; it lists edge sealing on 3.5 to 10 mm sheet, and ESD-safe options for electronics. Sealed edges shed less dust and survive washing better than a raw cut flute.

Small-parts grids. Akro-Mils sells its Akro-Grid boxes with dividers (sold separately) that create compartments as small as 1-1/8 in, with optional snap-on lids, in a 20 to 60 lb capacity range. That suits kits, fasteners and service parts on a bench.

Custom dunnage. For finished or fragile parts, dunnage is cut, molded or fabricated to cradle each piece. ORBIS says custom protective dunnage is available for all its BulkPak containers. This is where a straight-wall crate earns its keep: ORBIS points out that inserts sit flush against vertical walls, which a tapered tote can't offer.

Why inserts matter in a returnable loop

Loose parts tumbling in a box scratch, dent and tangle. A fitted insert fixes each piece's position, so a painted panel, a machined bore or a connector pin arrives the way it left. It also fixes the count: an operator sees at a glance that a grid of twenty-four pockets holds twenty-three parts, which cuts down on short shipments and recounts at receiving.

Plastic inserts last as long as the container if they are made for washing and handling, one reason returnable programs tend to move away from cardboard partitions that get crushed, soaked or thrown out after one trip. Our guides on returnable packaging and plastic versus cardboard weigh that switch. Dollies belong in the same conversation: ORBIS offers lids and dollies across one shared list of hand-held footprints, so a stack of covered totes can roll rather than be carried.

Accessory reference

Who uses them, and buying used

Parts suppliers in automotive are the heaviest users of custom dunnage, since every part number may need its own insert. Manufacturing line-side kits and wholesale distribution bins use dividers to keep counts visible. Lids matter wherever goods cross a dock: distribution and 3PL sites and food plants.

Used lids and covers often come with a lot of used containers from the same program, which is the safest way to buy them, since they were already matched. Loose used lids are harder: check for warping by laying one on a flat floor, look for cracked latch tabs, and confirm the model it was made for. Used dunnage is cut for someone else's part, so it rarely transfers. See buying used and grades.

What to tell us

Send it through the quote form, with photos of the container if you have them.

• Container maker and model number, or outside and inside sizes
• Lid type: recessed, latching, detached cover, or extension ring
• For dividers: cell count or part size, sheet type, ESD need
• For dunnage: a part drawing or sample, weight, and surface finish to protect
• Quantity, and whether the containers are new, used or already in service
• Food contact needs for any lid or insert that touches product