Used container grades: A, B and C
In the used container trade, grade A means a sound box with light wear and every part working, grade B means sound but visibly worn, and grade C means usable with limits, such as a missing door or a crack outside the load path. The letters describe condition, not age, and every seller draws the lines a little differently, so we state what our grade means for each lot we quote.
- Grade A
- Sound, light wear, all parts work
- Grade B
- Sound, heavier cosmetic wear
- Grade C
- Usable with limits
- Graded by
- Condition, not age
- Our rule
- Grade stated per lot, defects named
The three grades as the trade uses them
There is no industry rulebook behind the letters. They grew up as shorthand between program managers, recyclers and resellers, and the broad meaning is shared even where the fine print isn't. Here is the usual reading, for bulk containers and hand-held crates alike.
| Grade | What you usually see | Typical work it goes to |
|---|---|---|
| A | Walls, deck and fork entries intact; hinges, latches and doors work; scuffs and old labels at most | Shipping loops, customer-facing programs, automation and racking |
| B | Structure sound; faded color, marker writing, stickers, gouges, maybe a replaced pin or door | In-plant moves, storage, internal lanes, overflow |
| C | Cracks away from the load path, a missing lid or door, warping, heavy staining | Floor storage, scrap and regrind collection, parts donors |
Condition, not age
A box's birthday says little about it. One that spent its life in a climate-controlled plant feeding a single line can outlast one that sat on an open lot and rode a long lane every week. ORBIS describes grading its containers A, B or C by condition rather than replacing them on age, and that is the sensible way to read any used lot: by what the plastic and hardware look like today.
Mold dates still help as a clue to the design generation, since makers revise latches, doors and ribbing over time. A mold date tells you which parts will fit; it does not tell you how the box was treated.
Why one seller's B is another's A
Some resellers grade only on structure and call anything that works an A. Others mark down for faded color or leftover customer placards. A few add plus and minus steps, and many use "as is" for anything below C. So a B from one source might be a better box than an A from another.
Our answer is to say exactly what we mean each time. When we quote a used lot we give the grade, list the defects that set it ("two of forty with a cracked runner", "all doors present, three latches replaced"), and, if a lot is mixed, how many of each grade it holds. If something matters to your use, such as old part numbers molded or printed on the wall, ask and we'll check it before you commit.
What to inspect, zone by zone
- Deck and runners. The base carries everything. Look for cracked runners, crushed or chewed fork entries, and a deck that rocks on a flat floor.
- Walls. Bulges, stress whitening along ribs, and cracks starting at handholds or corners. A wall that bows when loaded will bow more.
- Hinges and latches. On collapsibles, fold and open each unit once. Our folding guide shows the wear points.
- Doors. Present, hinged, latching and flat. Missing doors usually drop a box to C.
- Lids. Count them separately; a lot of 200 boxes with 140 lids is two different purchases.
- Markings. Old part numbers, placards and barcode labels. Some receivers refuse boxes carrying another company's ID.
- Residue and smell. What the box held matters more than how it looks; see our food contact guide before anything edible goes in.
Matching grade to the job
Buying the top grade for every task wastes money, and buying the bottom one for a shipping loop wastes trucks. The question is what failure would cost you in that job.
| Use | Grade usually enough | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Returnable loop to an outside customer | A | Receivers reject damaged or marked boxes; failures cost a truck |
| Automated conveyor, robot or AS/RS | A | Warped decks and bulged walls jam equipment |
| Work-in-process between departments | B | Looks don't matter; function does |
| Seasonal overflow and yard storage | B or C | Short, gentle use |
| Scrap, trim or regrind collection | C | The contents are scrap too |
| Anything edible | History first, grade second | A clean-looking A can carry the wrong past |
Grade, stacking and load ratings
Maker ratings assume a sound box. ORBIS notes that its bulk performance figures are based on uniform static loads and can be affected by load distribution, handling, access doors and temperatures outside 0 to 120 F. A grade C unit with a cracked runner is not the box the sheet describes, so we don't plan C units at the full printed stack height or capacity, and you shouldn't either. Limits by model are on our stacking limits guide.
Refurbished is a separate route: a used box with failed parts replaced, such as doors, pins or latches, then rechecked. A refurbished unit is usually graded after the work, and we say which parts were changed. More on that at refurbished containers.
Questions
Is grade A the same as new?
No. Grade A is used and fully working, but it will show handling marks, may carry labels, and has an unknown number of trips behind it. New is on our new containers page.
Do you sell mixed-grade lots?
Sometimes, when a retired program comes in as one batch. We give the count of each grade in the lot so the price matches what arrives.
Can I stack grade C containers?
Only with care and below the maker's figure. Cracks and warping reduce what the bottom box can carry, so we treat C units as storage or light-duty boxes.
How do you grade containers I want to sell?
The same way: by condition, zone by zone, from photos first and then on arrival. The steps are on how selling works.
Sources
Figures on this page come from these pages, last reviewed 2026-11-08. Makers update their sheets; confirm a model's figures on its current sheet before you order.