Questions and answers

Five inches of width, and the industry behind it. 48x45 is the AIAG automotive footprint, which ORBIS calls the standard for its flagship BulkPak line; 48x40 matches the common grocery and distribution pallet. Pick the one your customers, racks and dunnage already use. More in 48x40 vs 48x45.

The best-known euro container has a 600 x 400 mm base, about 23.6 x 15.7 inches, with heights that vary by model. It belongs to a metric family sized to divide a Euro pallet; SSI Schaefer lists bases from 200 x 150 mm to 800 x 600 mm. See euro containers.

Tare is the container's own empty weight. It matters for payload, for manual lifting and for scale tickets. One maker lists 89 lb tare for a 48x40x30 folding unit rated at 1,700 lb.

Makers typically rate them from about 1,200 to 2,000 lb, by size and build. ORBIS lists its 48x45 range at 1,500 to 2,000 lb; one 48x40x45 sheet shows both 1,200 and 2,000 lb on the same page. Confirm on the sheet for the exact model.

It compares the space a standing container takes with the same container folded or nested. ORBIS lists 2.7:1 for one 48x40 unit: nearly three empties ride back in the space of one full unit. See return ratio.

It depends on height and whether they are folded. Maker figures run from 88 standing to 128 folded for a 48x40x45 unit, and 90 standing to 240 folded for the shorter ORBIS GP4048-34. Try your own size in Trailer Fill.

Follow the maker's static and dynamic limits, which differ. ORBIS lists one 48x40 container at 6 high static, at rest on a level floor, and 3 high dynamic, in a moving trailer. Lower the count for heavy loads, uneven floors or worn units.

A drop door is a panel in the side wall that opens so a worker can reach parts near the bottom without leaning into the bin or tipping it. Collapsibles often have one or two, usually on a long side; ORBIS puts two on the 40-inch side of its GP4048-34. See drop doors.

Nestable totes drop inside each other when empty, saving space on the way back; stackable crates keep straight walls, hold more, and return at full height. Nesting suits open-loop distribution; straight walls suit parts and kitting. More in nestable vs stackable.

Vented for anything that needs to cool, breathe or drain, such as fruit and vegetables. Solid for small parts, powders, liquids and anything that must stay clean. Decks follow the same rule. More in vented vs solid.

An attached-lid container, or ALC, is a tote with two hinged lid flaps that close for stacking and secure shipping and open to let empty totes nest. They are common on store and pharmacy routes because a closed lid can take a security tie.

A macro bin is a one-piece, square plastic harvest bin about the size of a pallet, made vented for cooling or solid for small or tender produce. Growers fill them in the field and stack them in cold storage. See macro bins.

We use A, B and C. A is sound and clean with light wear; B works fully but shows stains, labels or small repairs; C still carries a load but has cosmetic damage or missing minor parts. ORBIS grades its own returns the same way, by condition, not age. See used container grades.

Only if the maker's material documents support it and the crate's history is known and suitable. A crate that held parts, oil or chemicals should not go back into food. We pass on what the seller discloses about prior use, and we never vouch for food use ourselves. Read food contact first.

Yes, if they match: same footprint, height, door layout and compatible lids and dunnage. Many loops top up with used units of the same model; mixing makers in one stack is where trouble starts, so send a photo of the one in service.

There is no fixed lifespan. Loads, handling, sunlight, washing and forklift strikes decide it, which is why ORBIS grades containers by condition rather than age. Loss ends many units before wear does: a 2005 USDA rule on Florida avocados recorded hundreds of bins lost in a season.

Per load, from where the containers are to your ZIP. Small orders go less-than-truckload, larger ones by dedicated trailer. Distance, dock access and whether units ship folded all move the number, and we show it as its own line.

Send the type, footprint, height, count, condition, location and photos through the quote form. We reply with an offer or a plain no. If you accept, the terms go in writing and we arrange pickup. More on how selling works.

Footprint, count, condition and location, roughly in that order. One common model in good shape near a busy lane draws the strongest offers; a few odd sizes at a remote site, the weakest.

Only with proof you own them, such as a bill of sale. Pooled crates and pallets belong to the pooling company, and named bins often belong to the company molded into the wall.