21x15 containers

Closed it stacks, open it nests, on a dolly or a trailer

An attached-lid container is a tapered tote with its lid hinged to the rim. Lid shut, it stacks; lid open, the next one drops inside it. ORBIS says its FliPaks stack closed and nest open, cutting the empty return footprint by up to 75 percent. Buckhorn's interlocking lid fingers close the box and carry stacking load. Our attached-lid containers page explains the family.

That taper is why the footprint has two sizes. The ORBIS FP182 is 21.8 x 15.2 in across the top but only 18.6 x 12.9 in at the base. Quote the top dimension when you check a conveyor width or a cart, and the base when you check a shelf lip or a tote stand.

Nesting changes the count most here. Buckhorn's AR21151702 goes from 600 stacked to 3,120 nested in a 53-foot trailer, more than five times as many. ORBIS lists 3,600 FP182s per trailer. On the floor, ORBIS lists lids and dollies for the 21x15 footprint, so a column of totes can roll from pick line to dock and on into a store's backroom. See nestable vs stackable.

Models on 21x15

Those load figures are not the same measure. ORBIS's 800 lb is a static load, what the closed box bears under a stack; Buckhorn's 60 lb and Akro-Mils' 100 lb are what goes inside. Compare like with like, and ask us when a sheet does not say which it means.

Inside the box

The FP182 gives 11.8 in of product clearance and 1.8 cu ft; inside it narrows from 19.8 x 14 in at the top to 18.1 x 12.3 in at the floor. The taller Buckhorn AR21151702 holds 2.1 cu ft, with 17.9 x 12.5 in inside the bottom and 15.9 in usable height. Akro-Mils lists its 39170 at 17 gallons.

Details differ by maker. ORBIS offers solid, drain-hole or plus-grid bottoms, a textured bottom for conveyors, quick-release label areas, a snap tab that holds the lid shut on a conveyor, and molded holes for 1/4 or 3/8 in security ties. Buckhorn uses injection-molded HDPE with steel hinge pins, rated for -20 to 120 F, with 9 and 12 in alternate heights. Akro-Mils adds a padlock eye, reinforced steel hinge pins and textured bottoms.

Who ships in 21x15

• Grocery and retail: store replenishment; Buckhorn lists distribution, bakery and grocery for the AR21151702.
• Pharmacy and health and beauty: ORBIS names both for the FP182, which is why its tie holes and tamper tabs matter.
• Distribution and 3PL: split-case picking and closed-loop delivery routes, the uses Akro-Mils and ORBIS describe.
• Wholesale distribution: Buckhorn includes wholesale pharmaceutical among attached-lid users.

Seals, locks and the carton question

An ALC replaces a taped carton on a store run, and the hinged lid is what makes that work. Closed, it can be sealed: ORBIS molds reinforced holes for standard plastic security ties and calls the lockable lid a guard against costly product loss, while Akro-Mils fits a padlock eye. A broken tie at the store shows the tote was opened on the way.

ORBIS argues the FP182 lowers distribution cost per trip compared with corrugated boxes, and points to contoured handles and dimensional consistency for automated sorters and conveyors. That is a maker's case, and it holds best on closed loops where totes come back. Our plastic vs cardboard and returnable packaging guides weigh it out.

Used 21x15 ALCs

Used ALCs can arrive in skid lots of one model from a retired store or pharmacy program. We grade each lot A, B or C, give a count per skid, and photograph the actual totes, not a catalog shot, so you see scuffed lids and faded labels before you agree.

On a used ALC, check the hinge pins and lid flaps first, since every trip opens and shuts them. Make sure the flaps meet and the stacking fingers are intact. Store names, hot stamps and barcode labels are common; if totes must go to your own stores, ask about stripping or choose refurbished. Some ALCs belong to a retailer's pool, and we do not quote boxes that look like someone else's pool stock.

What to tell us

Send the height, the weight inside a full tote, solid or vented bottom, whether you need tie holes or a lid snap, any conveyor or dolly the totes must fit, and the count. If your loads are heavier and you want a bigger box, compare the 24x20; for a metric pick system, the 600x400 mm also comes in ALC form. Then fill in the quote form.