Plastic Containers

About Plastic Containers and Plastic Container Suppliers Including: Plastic Bins, Catch Basins, Plastic Boxes, Plastic Food Containers & Plastic Storage Containers.

Plastic containers are used by virtually every industry for an extremely wide spectrum of uses. From food handling & storage to hazardous waste management, materials of every kind are shipped, stored, sanitized, preserved and presented in plastic containers. Due to the structural makeup of plastic at the cellular level, plastics may be fabricated to almost limitless strengths, thicknesses, absorption properties, colors, heat and corrosion resistance properties, shape and color, which makes plastic an ideal material in which to ship, handle and display products. Because plastic containers’ shapes, densities and colors are so easily customized, they can store materials very efficiently, optimizing space usage and lowering storage costs for industrial and commercial businesses.

Among the many uses of plastic containers, cargo and shipping companies use plastic tubs, totes, barrels, pails and plastic storage containers because of the reduced costs of using light-weight plastic containers as opposed to heavier shipping alternatives like metal barrels or wooden crates. Food-service businesses and their patrons depend on plastic food containers to protect food against spoilage and contamination. Home products manufacturers use break-resistant, shatterproof and no-spill plastic bottles to cut down on broken glass injuries and clean-ups. Child-resistant plastic containers and leak-proof plastic bottles for medicines and chemicals in the dental, medical, petro-chemical and agricultural industries provide safety for children, parents and workers, as well as a viable solution for hazardous material. Medical facilities also use plastic packaging to maintain the sterility of tools and instruments, while consumer products manufacturers use plastic boxes for display.

Because there are so many different types of plastic, plastic container suppliers use a variety of materials and fabricating processes depending on their market. A few of the most common types of plastics used in containers are polyurethane, a high-density plastic used for tough containers, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) which is used for bottles, jugs, pipes and bins, polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) which is the hard, clear plastic used for soft drink bottling, vinyl and acrylic, which are used more often for flexible packaging. Composite materials such as glass, minerals, carbon, graphite or other chopped fibers are often used in plastic box, barrel and pail manufacturing to strengthen and reinforce the finished plastic container. There are various processes of forming plastic into specific shapes, one of the most common of which is blow molding (as in plastic bottles and jars); injection molding and plastic extrusion are common for larger, denser containers. Manufacturers usually specialize in one or two types of plastic fabrication and molding; some specialize in plastic barrels and totes while others fabricate plastic bottles, plastic boxes or flexible packaging.

When choosing what type of plastic container to use, it is important to know what properties one’s products require. Plastic’s temperature tolerance, density and molding can affect the materials contained, which is why plastic container manufacturers specialize in certain types of containment. Many industries require that EPA, FDA, DOT or HazMat regulations be followed when storing, shipping or packing organic or hazardous materials. Another important consideration when storing with plastic is the recyclability of the material being used; plastics recycling facilities are becoming more common and accessible, and recycling is strongly encouraged and even required in some industries. Some types of plastic are easier to recycle and produce fewer toxins during fabrication and recycling than others, however, and sustainable choices in materials and recycling practices may increase an industry’s profit in the long run.

Plastic Containers and Plastic Container Suppliers Image Provided by Myton Industries, Inc.	Plastic Containers and Plastic Container Suppliers Image Provided by Novapak Corporation

Plastic Containers and Plastic Container Suppliers Image Provided by Rahway Steel Drum Company, Inc.

Plastic Containers and Plastic Container Suppliers Image Provided by Patrick J. Kelly Drums, Inc.

Types of Plastic Containers

• Attached lid containers are containers with lids that are attached, usually by hinges, for product protection and to prevent loss of lid.
  
• Bins can be containers available in various sizes, usually large, for storage or to carry materials/products.
  
• Bottles are classified as containers that hold no more than 5 gallons, which have a narrow opening at the top with a neck or spout.
  
• Bottom-hinged containers have an opening on top and bottom. The bottom opening usually locks and unlocks for easy product removal.
  
• Buckets are available in hand held sizes and bulk sizes used for storage or transport of material or product or general use.
  
• Bulk containers are containers to hold, move and ship large quantities of product together.
  
• Catch basins are cisterns located at the ends of gutters.
  
• Drums are containers to hold bulk product, food, liquor, wine, water, parts and various other materials, available in various sizes. (http://www.steel-plastic-fibre-drums.com)
  
• Holding tanks are built similarly to a septic tank to contain wastewater until it can be removed for treatment and disposal.
  
• Hoppers are containers for short-term storage, designed so stored material can be easily discarded.
  
• Lockers are used for safe, private storage of items like clothes or valuables, used mainly in changing rooms, available in various sizes and styles.
  
• Nestable containers are containers that can fit together or inside one another for easy storage.
  
• Neutralization tanks are containers to collect and neutralize acidic and basic waste water for safe removal.
  
• Openhead containers have a cover or top that is removable.
  
• Overpack containers are for damaged drums and other leaking containers, usually containing hazardous material.
  
• Packaging containers are usually commercial in nature, sometimes custom designed for ease of use and presentation depending on the product contained.
  
• Plastic bins are storage boxes made out of various plastic materials.
  
• Plastic boxes are storage containers made from plastic materials.
  
• Plastic food containers are usually made of polypropylene and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate different quantities of food.
  
• Plastic storage containers are stackable containers are used to store various goods.
  
• Reusable containers are containers that can be reprocessed for repeated uses.
  
• Shipping containers can be any container meeting standards for shipping related to the specific item being shipped.
  
• Stackable containers are containers that stack easily without causing damage to one another or the product, and sometimes may “lock” with surrounding containers.
  
• Storage containers are for meeting the needs and standards for storage related to the specific material/product being stored.
  
• Tanks are containers used for storage and transport and to dispense liquids usually in bulk or heavy quantities. (http://www.plastic-tanks.biz)
  
• Tighthead containers have attached, non-removable covers or tops.
  
• Tooling boxes are plastic cases with small compartments to store punches and dies, available in various sizes and capacities.
  
• Totes can be plastic baskets, usually with handles, to hold or carry products/materials.

Common Terms Related to Plastic Containers

Blow Mold – To make hollow objects by extruding plastic into a chamber that is blown outward to take the shape of the plastic container mold cavity.
 
British Thermal Unit (BTU) – The amount of heat necessary to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
 
Coextrusion – A manufacturing process in which plastic containers are blow-molded with walls containing two or more layers of different materials. This manufacturing process often uses recycled plastic materials.
 
Extrusion – The most common of the plastic container processing techniques, covering a vast range of applications in which plastic resins are melted, heated and pumped for plastic container processing.
 
HazMat – Hazardous materials. The Environmental Protection Agency has standards for plastics regarding the ability to handle various HazMat substances.
 
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Colored (Pigmented) – Often used for bleach, liquid detergents, motor oil and other household and automotive products. These plastic containers commonly bear the number "2" in the recycling triangle symbol on the bottom of many plastic storage containers.
 
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Natural (Non-pigmented) – Commonly used for plastic containers and plastic storage containers used to hold liquid dairy products, juice and other household products. These plastic containers usually bear the number "2" in the recycling triangle at the bottom of the plastic storage container.
 
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Wide – Natural and pigmented, these plastic containers are often used to store butter and other food products as plastic storage tubs, some medicine bottles and 5-gallon plastic buckets. These plastic containers usually display the number "2" in the recycling triangle symbol at the bottom of the plastic storage container.
 
Injection Mold – Under pressure, heated plastic granules are “injected” into a mold, where the molten plastic hardens into the designated plastic container shape.
 
In-line Fluorinated – A term that describes the chemical modification of the interior of HDPE plastic containers caused by fluorine gas as they are blown. This chemical reaction forms an inner barrier that withstands solvent-based chemicals, making the plastic containers suitable for the packaging of janitorial, industrial and consumer products.

ISO Container – Intermodal plastic shipping containers used to transport freight and designed for shipping and transportation by more than just one mode like ship and rail. Plastic shipping container sizes vary but typical sizes of these plastic containers are 20 feet and 40 feet; the standard width of ISO plastic containers is 8 feet, and the standard heights for ISO plastic containers are 8 feet 6 inches and 9 feet 6 inches.

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – Used for plastic shrink-wrap, plastic bags, garment bags, dry cleaning bags and squeezable plastic food bottles.

Monomer – A comparatively simple compound that can react to form a polymer. The core element in plastic containers.
 
Polyethylene Teraphtalate (PET) Slim – Color and clear, these plastic containers are used to contain cosmetics, water, salad dressings and cleaners. These plastic containers usually bear number "1" in the recycling triangle at the bottom of of the plastic storage container.
 
Polymer – A compound, natural or synthetic, whose structure can be represented by a repeated small unit. Synthetic polymers are formed by condensation polymerization of monomers; some polymers are rubber, some plastics.

Polypropylene (PP) – Often used in plastic food containers designed for margarine and yogurt plastic containers, caps for plastic containers, and wrapping to replace cellophane on plastic storage containers like medicine bottles.

Polystyrene (PS) – Used for plastic containers such as egg cartons, fast food trays, disposable plastic silverware, cups and compact disc jackets.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – Used in plastic containers like food wrap, vegetable oil bottles and blister packaging.

Recycling – The cycle of actions by which discarded materials are collected, sorted, processed and transformed back into raw materials and then used in the production of new plastic containers.
 
Resin – Most resins are polymers, a class of solid or semi-solid organic products of natural or synthetic origin, of high molecular weight with no definite melting point.

Rigid Plastic Containers – Any formed plastic container or molded plastic container that retains its shape when full or empty. This classification of plastic containers does not include plastic storage bottles.
 
Rotational Molding – Hollow plastic container molds filled with powdered resin that swings the entire plastic container mold into a furnace that melts the powder, making it stick to the plastic container mold as it cools. The plastic container mold slowly rotates and water is used to cool the plastic container mold while the plastic hardens into a hollow part. 

Tare Weight – Weight of plastic containers when they are empty.
 
Thermoforming – A process of heating a thermoplastic sheet to an effective temperature and then forming it into a completed plastic container shape by means of heat or force.