Guide to Plastic Containers

Determine the plastic container style that's best for your product

Do your employees need to have quick access to the products in the plastic containers? Or, do you intend to keep products in storage for a lengthy period of time? Establishing exactly how you'll be using the plastic storage bins will make it easier to weed through the options to find the best match for your business.

I recommend: CLD Handling Systems and Grainger Industrial Supply offer large varieties of plastic storage containers, from stack-and-nest plastic totes to plastic bins designed to sit on slanted wire shelving.     

Get a handle on your plastic storage containers

If your plastic boxes and plastic bins will be moved around a lot, make sure you buy the kind with built-in handles.

I recommend: Built-in handles on the straight-wall plastic bins offered by LK Goodwin and the plastic containers offered by Material Handling Solutions make them easy to grasp and lift.

Protect your items with specialized plastic bins

If you're dealing with electronics or other products that might be particularly sensitive to things like moisture or light, purchase specialized plastic containers.

I recommend: Anytime Products sells plastic storage bins that are resistant to moisture, grease, oil, and most chemicals. For static-safe storage, try 3M conductive round plastic containers. GlobalIndustrial.com sells collapsible plastic containers that resist rust, odors and moisture.

Shop around for the best price on plastic storage boxes

Just about every merchant sells plastic containers today, from dollar stores to office supply warehouses. For routine office storage needs, plastic boxes, plastic bins and plastic totes from your local office supply store will usually be the most cost-effective. For industrial plastic bins, you'll need more heavy-duty options, which typically cost more.

I recommend: For general use, consider the plastic storage boxes at Office Depot, the plastic storage bins at OfficeMax or the plastic totes at Staples. For industrial use, comparison shop among the plastic container manufacturers listed on DirectIndustry’s site. Also, visit Business.com for links to a variety of vendors of plastic boxes.