9 Benefits of Heavy Duty Plastic Bulk Containers

Heavy duty plastic bulk containers serve a wide range of industries for storage, picking, processing, assembly and distribution applications involving products and supplies of all shapes and sizes.

These containers prove to be flexible and durable solutions for light manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, appliance, paper, pharmaceutical, produce, bakery, poultry, apparel, electronics and other industries.

In this article we present 9 benefits of reusable plastic bulk containers:

  1. Exceptionally durable. Heavy duty plastic containers stand up to the abuse of multiple uses and return trips – typically hundreds – with minimal wear. In contrast, corrugated cardboard boxes deliver “one and done” service.
  2. Environmentally friendly. Because they can be used over and over, heavy duty plastic bulk bins, containers and totes preserve valuable resources and save landfill space. And they’re made of recyclable plastic, so they stay out of the waste stream even at the end of their service life.
  3. Moisture resistant. Unlike cardboard containers, plastic containers are weather-resistant, nonabsorbent and resist most chemicals. This contributes to longer life and provides superior protection of the materials and products the containers hold.
  4. Stackable. Due to their strength, heavy duty plastic bulk containers can be stacked six to eight high, as opposed to cardboard containers, which begin to buckle when stacked more than two or three boxes high. This optimizes use of warehouse space and maximizes transportation cube efficiency in over-the-road trucks.
  5. Greater carrying capacity. Many plastic bulk storage containers are rated to hold up to 2,500 pounds of materials or products, making them much more efficient than cardboard containers.
  6. Superior protection of contents. More than cardboard containers, plastic bulk containers protect their contents from damage in storage, handling and transit.
  7. Highly customizable. Heavy duty plastic bulk containers offer greater flexibility than cardboard for customization to specific application requirements. They can be designed to nest or collapse when not in use. For food, beverage and pharmaceutical applications they can be designed to meet FDA standards.  Other customizable features for plastic bulk containers include extended length, four-way fork entry, drop doors, a variety of sidewall configurations, casters, special hand-hold designs and RFID capability.
  8. Safe. Reusable plastic containers can be opened without box cutters and are free of sharp edges.
  9. Savings. Heavy duty plastic bulk containers deliver a quick return on investment and long-term cost savings, as they last longer, reduce product damage and loss, minimize landfill use and disposal costs, make better use of space, and reduce labor costs and increase productivity due to their superior efficiency.

bulk boxes We realize we may have missed some of the benefits of plastic bulk containers in this list, so please share with us the advantages you have discovered in your experience of using heavy duty plastic bulk containers and totes. And contact a Flexcon sales representative today to help you take advantage of the benefits of our reusable plastic bulk containers for your applications.