There’s a Style & Type of Bin for Every Material Handling Need

By: Dean Cohen, Contributor

Choosing the right style or type of bin depends upon the intended use.

Today’s commercial and consumer spaces make use of a wide range of plastic bins and containers. Their utilization offers flexibility and, in the process, optimizes space to help make workspaces more efficient and much more organized.

Sizes of bins, totes and containers range from small hand-held sized parts bins to giant 42” deep rack bins designed to fit pallet racks within warehouses and distribution centers. These bins showcase variation in that some nest when empty to save space while others are stack and hang. As the stack/hang name implies, these bins stack on one another but also come with a built-in rear hanger, allowing them to hang from a steel louvered panel or rail, and by thus doing so, save valuable floorspace. This category of stack and hang bins are heavy duty, enabling customers to stack as much as 150 lbs. per bin so that customers can stack sturdy columns of bins— keeping their parts, tools or general stored items neat and organized.

Within warehouses and distribution centers, two styles of containers dominate. The first is the stack and nest container design, which allow customers to stack the bins onto one another, but then offer the unique characteristic of being able to be turned 180 degrees. This allows the bins to then nest into each other if empty, saving space while not in use. Stack and nest totes range from a length of 18” to 30”, a width of 11” to 24”, and a height from 6” to 15”. All containers have the ability to fit a lid, and once that lid is in place, a customer possesses the ultimate safe and secure container in their environment. The color portfolio ranges from blue to red to gray to clear and further allows color coding for easy part picking or identification as needed.

Alongside the stack and nest containers are the attached lid distribution containers, which differ from the stack and nest type in that they possess a hinged lid which flaps outward and sits alongside the bin when not needed. It then pivots inward to close when the container needs to be closed. Older generations of the hinge used to be manufactured of steel. Today’s technology has allowed these hinges to now be made of plastic, offering many advantages. The completely plastic tote is now fully recyclable at end-of-life usage, and even more important, the plastic has no risk of becoming a sharp, dangerous point if part of the lid is torn away from the container. An important point of note is that both stack and nest containers and attached lid containers have as standard a textured under surface, enabling both styles to convey properly and securely.

Plastic storage bins and containers can last for as long as 15 years.

There has been a trend within companies’ manufacturing warehouse centers. Large, heavy duty stacking bins have allowed for bulk and large part storage. So much so that many companies have started taking advantage of the overall low cost of plastic storage versus a more costly version using pallet racks. Those that have existing pallet racks have found solutions of using larger rack bins to create pick locations within their existing pallet rack set up. The generous space and stability of these large stacking bins have allowed both offices and manufacturing spaces to inexpensively solve their storage space dilemmas.

A very common question asked by material managers and warehouse and distribution supervisors is what is the right style or type of bin to be selected. With such a range of designs and sizes, how does a customer know what to choose that best suits their application? The answer lies in the intended use. An environment seeking light duty storage, as the parts do not weigh much and where the bins are just going to sit static on a shelf, should take advantage of the cost-effective nesting shelf bins. These bins do not have thick nor strong sidewalls. They range from 12” deep to 18” to 24” with varying widths and heights from 4” to 6” to 8”. Should the type of storage get heavier or require a heavier duty nature, the recommendation is a movement to the much heavier duty stacking bins, which offer super strong sidewall strength along with the ability for the bins to stack upon one another. These stacking bins typically come in up to nine different colors and range in size from 5” to 42” in length, many different widths, and heights that reach 18” tall.

The best part of plastic storage bin and container use is their incredible durability and longevity in use. It is not uncommon to see bins in use for five, 10, and even 15 years. In almost all environments, bins and totes can be found in use. They continue to serve a vital role in the process of helping companies pick, store, transport and organize. If your company seeks a path to greater productivity involving storage, don’t look past the numerous storage options and solutions all of today’s bins, totes and containers can offer. WMHS

Dean Cohen is Vice President of Quantum Storage Systems, a distributor of rugged industrial plastic bins and warehouse bin storage systems, including stackable storage bins and tough durable parts bins for the industrial, material handling and consumer markets (www.quantumstorage.com).