Equipment Guides
Specs, grades, capacities, and selection guides for every type of industrial packaging.
Wooden Pallet Buying Guide
How to buy wooden pallets: the 48×40 GMA standard, stringer vs. block construction, grade A/B/recycled differences, weight ratings, and ISPM-15 export rules.
Plastic Pallet Buying Guide
How to buy plastic pallets: HDPE vs PP materials, nestable vs stackable vs rackable types, static/dynamic/racked load ratings, ISPM-15 export exemption, and when plastic beats wood.
Gaylord Box Buying Guide
How to buy gaylord boxes: single-, double-, and triple-wall construction, Grade A vs. B, full-flap vs. partial-flap bottoms, weight capacity up to 3,000 lb, and common sizes for 48×40 pallets.
IBC Tote Buying Guide
Everything you need to buy an IBC tote: 275 vs 330 gallon sizes, HDPE bottle and cage construction, condition tiers from food-grade to un-rinsed, valve types, and UN/DOT ratings for hazmat use.
Steel Drum Buying Guide
How to buy steel drums: open-head vs tight-head construction, 18 vs 20 gauge, lining types (epoxy, phenolic, unlined), UN/DOT ratings (1A1 and 1A2), and when reconditioned drums make sense.
Plastic Drum Buying Guide
How to buy plastic drums: open-top vs tight-head, 15/30/55-gallon sizes, UN/DOT performance ratings (1H1 and 1H2), and how condition grade affects food and hazmat reuse.
Bulk Bag (FIBC) Buying Guide
How to buy FIBC bulk bags (super sacks): U-panel vs. 4-panel vs. baffle construction, Safe Working Load ratings, 5:1 vs. 6:1 safety factors, top and bottom fill/discharge options, and when to use reconditioned bags.
Plastic Crate Buying Guide
How to buy plastic crates: stack-nest vs collapsible vs attached-lid types, vented vs solid walls, common sizes, load ratings, and the right crate for produce, distribution, and automotive loops.
Wood Crate Buying Guide
How to buy wood crates for heavy or irregular cargo: open vs. closed construction, lumber and plywood materials, ISPM-15 heat-treatment for export, and custom vs. stock sizing.
Wooden Spool & Cable Reel Buying Guide
How to buy wooden spools and cable reels: flange diameter, drum diameter, traverse width, arbor hole sizing, and how to match a reel to your cable's minimum bend radius.
Shipping Boxes Buying Guide
How to choose corrugated shipping boxes: RSC vs. other styles, A/B/C/E/F flute differences, single- vs. double-wall construction, ECT vs. Mullen strength ratings, and how to measure inside dimensions correctly.
Moving Boxes Buying Guide
How to choose moving boxes: standard sizes from small to extra-large, specialty types like dish packs and wardrobes, single- vs. double-wall corrugated, and whether new or used boxes make sense.
Cardboard Bale Buying Guide
How to buy and sell cardboard bales: OCC grades #11 and #12 DS-OCC, vertical vs. horizontal balers, mill-size bale specs (~1,000–1,500 lb), contamination rules, and how commodity pricing works.
Reclaimed & Pallet Lumber Buying Guide
How to buy reclaimed and pallet-grade dimensional lumber: nominal vs. actual sizing explained, SPF vs. Southern Yellow Pine vs. hardwood tradeoffs, KDHT for export, and common uses from pallet repair to blocking and bracing.