ASRS Totes & Bins

What Are Postal Totes and Bins?

Totes and bins are containers used to store, handle, or transport diverse products, parts, and materials. Specifically, totes and bins are designed to be lightweight, portable, and collapsible to conserve space when not in use. Selecting the right product for your applications needs an in-depth understanding of material characteristics.

Most totes and bins in the market are made from fiberglass, plastic, wire, or metal materials. Reusable plastic totes are often made from polyethylene (PE), acrylics, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Flexcon provides a range of totes and bins that are insulated, recyclable, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in any of your handling applications.

What Are the Critical Features of Totes and Bins?

Totes and bins may have various features. The products are often designed to complement racking and automated process equipment. Some types of totes and bins are ideal for heavy-duty use and may come in diverse shapes and sizes. Others are designed with molded-in legs for ease of use and movement. Larger totes are equipped with casters, entries, or openings for use with pallet jacks. You also have an option to go for smaller totes that are stackable to save on space.

Ideal bins come with a semi-opened end that allows workers to remove contents without moving the container from its original position on a shelf or rack. Notably, what separates a bin from a tote is this built-in opening for accessing or exposing what the container holds. However, it is not uncommon to come across totes equipped with hinged or removable tops to provide easier access.

What Applications Are Best for ASR Totes and Bins?

ASRS (automated storage and retrieval) totes and bins are perfect for several manufacturing and warehousing applications, including conveyors, sorters, vertical lifts, and mini-load systems. An important feature of our ASRS Totes and bins is that they are automation-compatible containers. They aid the safe transportation and storing of products, while optimizing space and efficiency.

The bin containers are made to last thanks to the heavy-duty plastic designed explicitly for toughness and durability. Some of the top-notch materials that make up our products include molded plastic, fluted plastic, metal, ESD safe, and fire-resistant materials. There are many more features and sizes available upon request. If you are looking for customizable material, speak with our material handling experts to find the perfect container solution.

Types of Container Systems Available

Flexcon features an array of container systems designed with your needs in mind. All our products are available in myriads of sizes and shapes to offer various solutions. Some of the popular container systems available with us include:

• Nesting Tray Tote: A nesting tray tote is a versatile, space-saving storage and shipping container that helps ease workflow. They are designed to nest into one another when empty and thus can easily be stored when not in use. Nesting tray totes are ideal for several applications, from holding to shipping food, drinks, and delicate products.
• RSC Boxes: Regular slotted container (RSC) is a box that features four flaps that meet at the center of the box when folded. They are usually closed using tape or staples. RSC is designed to fold quickly and is easy to break down for shipping and recycling. RSC boxes don’t require added tooling during packaging processes. They also use minimal cardboard for extra support and are among the most economical choices available with us. RSC boxes can be used for storage containers, retail packaging, and product packaging.
• Recycle Bin Tote: Recycle bins are a type of container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling facilities. Our recycling bins are designed to be easily recognizable and are marked with relevant slogans. They also come in different sizes and shapes to fit diverse spaces.
• Straightwall Tote: Our straightwall totes are designed to offer durability and strength. They are available in multiple sizes and made to be compatible with other containers to optimize your packaging system. The product also has a refined and smooth interior, enhanced ergonomic handles, reinforced external ribbing, and drain holes in the bumper for easy washing.

Why Use Reusable Plastic Totes and Bins?

Reusable totes and bins undeniably offer several advantages over other options, such as corrugated cardboard. The following are just a few reasons to go for reusable totes and bins:

Portable and Strong
Reusable totes, bins, trays, and containers are designed to be portable and durable. These products offer the best strength to weight ratio when compared with other available options. Ideally, the lighter the weight, the less the shipping and handling costs. They are also designed to carry more thanks to welded seams and steel reinforcements that offer extra strength for handling heavier loads.

Durability
Whether you need reusable totes for interoffice use, storage, warehousing, in-transit, or manufacturing, you can count on our products to withstand the rigors of everyday use in a demanding environment. Reusable totes and bins typically last three times longer than corrugated cardboard containers. The US Postal Service estimates the average lifespan of the corrugated container at 7 to 10 years.

Lower costs
With warehouse costs rising year after year, you can’t afford to waste your money on inferior quality shipping materials that fall apart after a few trips. You can eliminate the need for constant purchases if you go for reusable shipping containers. Owing to their durability and long lifespans, reusable totes and bins ultimately cost much less when you calculate the cost per trip. Although the initial cost could be higher than other options, the cost reduces substantially when you spread it across the entire lifespan. In a nutshell, you get more out of our plastic tote than from other options like cardboard containers in the long run.

Saves Space
Additionally, our reusable totes boast nestable attributes that help save valuable space and reduce return shipping costs. Our same-sized portable totes are designed to nest in one another when not in use. They also come with corrugated edges and surfaces that keep them locked in a fixed position, meaning you won’t have to worry about your totes and products slipping and falling all over each other. This isn’t true of cardboard boxes that can easily slide out of place and cause extensive damage to products.

Protection
Manufacturing environments are typically dusty and dirty. The dust may likely cause damage to products that are equipped with electronics within them. Even considering an immaculate production facility, it may be difficult to eradicate all the dust and fiber originating from your production line. Our reusable totes can protect items within reach of dust and spillages or moisture that may be present in your facility. Additionally, the material handling totes are equipped with different lid types that create a sealed storage container to guarantee parts or components are not damaged while waiting to be assembled or used.

Management of Stock Levels
Materials handling totes can aid stock management by allowing workers in a production line to randomly see at a glance the remaining quantities of items in the container. Other options like metal packaging make it more challenging to randomly check stock levels.

Easy to Clean
Reusable postal totes come with drain holes that enable easy cleaning. The design allows water to drain out quickly during cleaning. Besides, the products are resistant to dirt, moisture, and grease, unlike the other available options in the market.

Less Waste
Shipping containers that are not well built often generate a lot of unnecessary trash. Cardboard boxes tend to tear up quickly, which means you have to meet the disposal or recycling costs. Plastic totes are designed to withstand wear and tear, meaning you won’t create as much waste during your manufacturing or shipping processes.

Eco Friendly
Postal totes are made from environmentally friendly materials that are 100 percent recyclable. When they reach the end of their lifecycle, plastic totes can be returned to new use, meaning they stay out of landfills, unlike other alternatives that pose environmental risks. They are also often produced without the use of dyes or bleaches, further reducing their footprint while increasing the level of recyclability.

Wide Range of Sizes and Colors
Our reusable totes are available in 12 standard sizes and six colors to choose from. If you don’t find an ideal option from the available products, Flexcon can custom design your tote to any size and color you need for your applications.

Are Postal Totes Used in Post Offices Only?

Postal totes are used in many more places than the post office. They are used for: conveying, shelving, mailing, handling, material, warehousing, factories, and more. Our postal totes are fully integrated and customized for a range of applications. Full customization means that your operation, customers, partners, and even suppliers can have a custom-designed container system where every stage of the process has been custom designed for their unique business.

How Big Is the Tote, and Which Is the Best for My Application?

Totes typically vary in size and shape. However, an average tote is about 13 x 15 inches. Going for a larger tote with a bigger opening allows you to retrieve or add items easily. Totes typically have no zippers or buttons that seal the bag shut, although there are types that include these features.

Key Takeaway

In a nutshell, robust supply chain management should feature systems and tools that enable specific actions to achieve seamless end-to-end product delivery. Inefficient material handling systems reduce operational efficiency and lead to a higher risk of safety hazards for the workforce. If you allow any of these challenges to manifest, expect customer satisfaction to wane and productivity to lag.
One essential improvement that helps you avoid these challenges is integrating a robust, reusable, and incrementally developed container system into your operations. This system would include materials that come from suppliers, partners and even customers. A fully integrated reusable container system allows operations to be standardized. It also simplifies automation with the least amount of disruption. If you have any questions or need help choosing the fitting product for your needs, contact us today.
Our highly experienced and professional sales team is on standby to help you select an ideal reusable container system for any material handling application you may have. Contact us now.