Container sizes, by footprint
Container sizes are named by footprint: the outside length and width of the base, in inches for most US bulk units and in millimetres for euro modules. Height comes third, and it is the number that changes most within one footprint, so a 48x45 can be a shallow tray-like bin or a tall parts tub.
- Named by
- Length x width, then height
- US bulk units
- Inches: 48x40, 48x45
- Euro modules
- Millimetres: 600x400 family
- 48x45 heights listed
- About 19 to 50 in (one maker)
- Read before you order
- Outside vs inside dimensions
- 48x45 48x45 bulk containers on the AIAG automotive footprint: heights, maker specs by model, trailer counts, used grades and what to send for a quote.
- 48x40 48x40 bulk containers on the GMA grocery pallet footprint: ORBIS, Buckhorn and other models, door sides, trailer math, used lots and quote details.
- 32x30 32x30 bulk containers for small, dense parts: ORBIS 3230 and Buckhorn models, 18 to 39 in heights, handling notes, used lots and quote checklist.
- 48x48 48x48 macro bins and harvest bins: MacroBin and AgriMax models from 21.5 to 53 in, vented or solid, how they ship, used bins and quote details.
- 56x48 56x48 extended-length bulk containers for long parts: ORBIS 5648 heights, HDR5648-25 specs, doors on both sides, trailer math, used lots and quotes.
- 64x48 64x48 bulk containers, also sold as 65x48: ORBIS 6548 heights to 50.7 in, the 62x48 look-alike, trailer rows, used and refurbished lots, quotes.
- 70x48 70x48 bulk containers, the longest common extended-length box: ORBIS 7048 HDR at 25, 34 and 50 in, rack replacement, floor handling and trailer fit.
- 24x15 24x15 hand-held totes that tile six to a layer on the 45x48 AIAG pallet: straight-wall, collared and folding models, lids, trailer counts and used lots.
- 21x15 21x15 attached-lid totes for retail, pharmacy and grocery distribution: ORBIS FliPak, Buckhorn and Akro-Mils models, load ratings, nest counts and used lots.
- 24x20 24x20 stack-nest and bail-arm totes for produce, case-ready meat and food plants: four to a 40x48 pallet, ORBIS and Akro-Mils models, used lots, quotes.
- 600x400 mm 600x400 mm euro-module containers: VDA KLT, foldable crates, produce RPCs, ALCs and stack-nest totes, with heights, pallet patterns and inch conversions.
- 400x300 mm 400x300 mm half euro module boxes: small-parts KLT, foldable boxes and small produce RPCs, how they pair on a 600x400, heights, lids and quote details.
How a footprint is written
A footprint such as 48x40 is the base measured outside, longest side first in most catalogs. It tells you how the unit sits on a trailer floor, a rack beam or a conveyor. It does not tell you what fits inside: walls, ribs and the top rim take a few inches, so inside length and width are always smaller, and the sheet lists them separately.
Height is the third figure, often written last in a part name like 48x40x34. On folding units you will see two heights, assembled and collapsed. One ORBIS sheet gives 34.1 inches standing and 13.5 inches folded for its 48x40, while a taller 48x40x45 unit from another maker folds to about 25 inches. Write down both numbers, because the collapsed figure decides how many empties ride back on a trailer.
Which way the forks go in
On wood pallets the US convention lists stringer length first, so on a standard 48x40 the forks enter through the 40-inch face on a two-way pallet. Plastic bulk containers do not all follow that habit. Some take forks from all four sides; others are two-way only, and the doors sit on one face. ORBIS, for example, places the two access doors of its GP4048-34 on the 40-inch side.
So name the face, not just the size. If your dock loads trailers from the 48-inch side, or your rack is set for one orientation, tell us. A container that is right on paper can still turn the wrong way at the dock door. One folding 48x40x30 unit we have seen listed is offered with both 2-way and 4-way entry, which shows how much the base design varies within one footprint.
Inches, millimetres and euro modules
Euro containers are designed in millimetres on a module that divides a Euro pallet. The 600 x 400 mm base is the size most people mean; halves and quarters of it, and doubles, tile the same pallet layer. SSI Schaefer lists euro bases from 200 x 150 mm up to 800 x 600 mm. When a metric box is sold in the US, the sheet usually converts it, and the numbers look odd: 600 x 400 mm becomes roughly 23.6 x 15.7 inches.
Watch the part names. ORBIS notes that its GS6040 tote is built on a metric footprint and that the model number does not correspond to inches. Mixing a metric tote with an inch-based bulk unit works only if somebody checked that the totes tile the base without a gap that lets them shift.
Pallet-footprint and hand-held sizes
Pallet-footprint containers replace the pallet. In North America the two that dominate are 48x40, the common grocery and distribution pallet, and 48x45, which ORBIS calls the AIAG automotive standard. Bulk units also come wider and longer for bulky parts; folding units also come in footprints such as 32x30, 56x48, 64x48 and 70x48. The comparison guide 48x40 vs 48x45 walks through the choice between the two main sizes.
Hand-held sizes are fractions of those bases. A good tote program picks a size that tiles the pallet or the bulk container exactly, in a layer of four, five, six or eight, with no overhang and no loose gap. Overhang crushes corners in transit. Gaps let a stack lean. Ask us for the tiling, not just the tote.
Choosing a height
Height is where one footprint becomes many products. ORBIS lists its 48x45 BulkPak in 17 SKUs from about 19 to 50 inches tall, rated from 1,500 to 2,000 lb. Shallow units suit dense loads like castings, where weight runs out before volume does. Tall units suit light, bulky parts, where volume runs out first.
Three checks settle it. First, reach: an operator has to get to the bottom, so taller bins usually need a drop door or a tilt stand. Second, stack: two or three loaded units must clear your rack and your trailer door. Third, density: multiply the inside volume by what your product weighs and compare it to the rated capacity, leaving margin.
| Height band | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Low (under about 25 in) | Heavy, dense parts; meat and scrap | Weight limit reached before the box is full |
| Middle (about 25 to 40 in) | General parts, distribution, produce | Reach to the bottom; a drop door helps |
| Tall (40 in and up) | Light, bulky parts and foam | Trailer door clearance when stacked |
Matching an existing program
If you already run a loop, the safest order is a container that matches the one in service: same footprint, same height, same door and deck style. Mixed heights in one stack lean, and a lid that fits one maker's rim can sit loose on another's. Measure an actual box: outside length, width and height, height collapsed, and where the doors and fork pockets are. Send a photo with a tape in frame.
With that, we can quote new units to the same spec or look for used lots that match. Size pages for each footprint are linked below, and any size can go straight into a quote request.
Questions
Is the footprint the inside or the outside size?
The outside. The footprint is the base measured outside, which is what matters on a trailer floor or rack. Inside dimensions are smaller and are listed separately on the maker's sheet.
Why does a euro container convert to odd inch sizes?
Because it was designed in millimetres. A 600 x 400 mm base comes out at roughly 23.6 x 15.7 inches, so US sheets show decimals rather than round numbers.
How do I measure a container I already own?
Run a steel tape across the outside of the base at its widest point, then take the overall height with any lid removed. Fold it if it folds and measure again. Note runners, feet or corner posts, the door count, and any part number or date wheel embossed into the wall; those details identify the model faster than a guess.
Do all 48x40 containers take forks the same way?
No. Some are four-way, some two-way, and door placement varies by maker. Tell us which face your forklifts and dock use.
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.