12 format families
All of bulk industrial packaging
From pails and sacks to drums, IBCs, bulk bags, bulk boxes, flexitanks and ISO tanks: how each works, what to decide, and which rules to watch.
Small industrial packs
Drums and cylinders
Intermediate bulk
- Rigid IBCsCaged composite, steel and stainless totes, roughly 1,000 L.Liquids · Powders & granules
- FIBCs and bulk bagsWoven polypropylene bags for powders and granules, Types A to D.Powders & granules
- Corrugated bulk and octabinsHeavy-wall fibreboard bins and bag-in-box IBCs for dry and liquid product.Powders & granules · Liquids · Solids & parts
- Collapsible bulk containers and plastic bulk boxesRigid plastic pallet boxes and foldable bulk bins built for many trips.Powders & granules · Solids & parts · Liquids
- Crates, wooden boxes and metal stillagesTimber and plywood crates, wire mesh pallets and steel stillages for heavy parts.Solids & parts · Powders & granules
Full-load and intermodal bulk
Unitizing and load securing
Every format on the same measures
| Format | Typical volume | Relative tare | Reuse | Empty return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid IBCs | 800–1,250 L | Medium | High | Full volume |
| FIBCs and bulk bags | 500–2,000 kg | Low | Medium | Folds or nests |
| Industrial drums | 100–220 L | Medium | Medium | Full volume |
| Corrugated bulk and octabins | 500–1,200 L | Low | Low | One-way |
| Intermodal bulk | 16,000–24,000 L | Low | Low | One-way |
| Pails, jerricans and small packs | 5–60 L | Medium | Low | Full volume |
| Multiwall paper and woven sacks | 25–50 kg | Low | Low | One-way |
| Collapsible bulk containers and plastic bulk boxes | 500–1,500 L | Medium | High | Folds or nests |
| Tank containers and tankers | 20,000–26,000 L | High | High | Is the vehicle |
| Crates, wooden boxes and metal stillages | varies | High | Medium | Full volume |
| Gas cylinders and pressure receptacles | 1–150 L | High | High | Full volume |
| Pallets, film, strapping and dunnage | — | Low | Medium | Folds or nests |
General ranges and relative comparisons for orientation, not design figures.
Educational reference only. Not engineering or regulatory advice — confirm the rules that apply to your product and route.