70x48 containers

A 70 in box, measured

Length is 70 in; width is 48.4 in, a touch over the 48 in that the 56x48 and 64x48 share. That extra 0.4 in is small, but it means a 70x48 is not simply a stretched copy of its shorter neighbors, and it can matter where boxes run between guide rails or into a tight rack bay.

ORBIS publishes three models. We did not read a capacity, tare, collapsed height or trailer count for any of them, so those numbers come from ORBIS's own sheet for the exact model when we quote. Everything below is what the series page actually says, plus our own arithmetic.

Why plants swap racks for these

Long parts often ship in steel racks. ORBIS pitches the 7048 straight at that use: it says the box can fit almost any part or component and replaces other transport packaging such as metal racking that can rust. It also says these all-plastic boxes stack without racking, either upright or collapsed.

Read that as two practical gains. A plastic wall does not rust onto the part or leave scale in it, and a box that folds goes home flat, where a welded rack goes home at full size. Racks still win for some very heavy or oddly shaped loads; if yours is one of those, tell us the part and we will say so rather than force a box onto it.

The trailer: nine rows with no slack

This is the size where trailer length bites. Nine 70 in boxes end to end need 630 in, and 630 in is about the whole inside length of a 53-foot trailer. On paper they fit; in practice there is no room for a door gap, a bulkhead or a slightly short trailer. Plan on eight rows lengthwise, 16 floor positions at two across, unless the carrier confirms the measured length takes nine.

Height multiplies that floor count, within whatever dynamic stack rating ORBIS gives the model you choose. Collapsed empties change the picture again, since the whole point of the HDR design is a short return stack. We check both legs; see trailer fill and return ratio.

Living with a long box on the floor

Floor space adds up fast. One 70 x 48.4 in box covers 3,388 sq in, about 23.5 sq ft, against 2,160 sq in, or 15 sq ft, for a 48x45. Folded empties still need that footprint per stack, so count staging lanes before ordering a fleet, not after.

Approach matters too. Where forks enter the 48.4 in face, the 70 in length rides out in front and widens the turning sweep in narrow aisles; where a model takes forks through the long face, the load stays tight but needs room alongside. Line-side, a long box often sits parallel to the conveyor so an operator can work its full length without stepping around it. Walk the route from dock to station with a tape measure before picking a height.

Container types and industries

Shorter parts belong in a 64x48 or 56x48; each step down buys trailer rows.

• Collapsible bulk containers: the whole ORBIS 7048 line.
• Dunnage: a 70 in deck almost always needs dividers or cradles so parts do not slide; ORBIS offers custom dunnage across its BulkPak range.
• Automotive: the use ORBIS names for this series.
• Manufacturing: other long-part lines that once relied on steel racks.

Buying used 70x48

Used 70x48 boxes come out of long-part programs, and access styles vary: plain walls, drop doors, or a wingwall, a section of side wall that hinges open so a worker can reach in from the side. ORBIS offers wing-wall styles on some of its 48x45 boxes; on a 70 in wall, a single hatch reaches only part of the length, so check that it lines up with where your parts sit.

Wingwalls add hinges and latches, so inspect them as you would a door: open, close, latch, and look for whitened plastic at the knuckles. Fold and raise every main wall once. Check the base along its full length for sag or cracks, since a long deck has more span to flex. Our used collapsible bulk containers page and grades guide cover the rest.

What to tell us

The part's length, weight and count per box. Height: 25, 34 or 50 in. Access: drop doors, a wingwall hatch, or open top only. Whether you are replacing steel racks, and what those racks carried. Your carrier's trailer length if you know it, quantity, and delivery ZIP. Send it with the quote form and we answer with models and freight per load.