How to choose the right plastic storage container?

At Multiroir, we know that a poorly chosen container can hinder your productivity or damage your goods. Weight, volume, temperature, sanitary standards: this guide decodes all the criteria to consider to successfully equip your premises.

Analyzing your needs: Preliminary questions

Before browsing catalogs, the first step is to assess the environment in which the bin will be used:

• What will I store? (Heavy parts, food products, fragile electronic components...)
• Where will the bin be used? (Cold room, production line, dusty warehouse, automated conveyor...)
• How will it be handled? (Manually, on a pallet, stacked several meters high...)

The essential standard: The Euro-norm bin

If you need to palletize or automate your flows, the Euro-norm plastic bin is the absolute reference. Its external dimensions (e.g., 600x400 mm, 400x300 mm) are exact sub-multiples of the Euro pallet (1200x800 mm). This ensures perfect palletization, without overhang or wasted space.

The 3 criteria to configure your Euro bin:

• A. Walls and bottoms (solid or perforated): A solid bottom is ideal for sealing and liquid retention. Perforated walls are essential for ventilation (agriculture) or to prevent water accumulation. A reinforced (ribbed) bottom is recommended for heavy loads on conveyors.
• B. The choice of handles: Open (holes) for an ergonomic grip when carrying heavy loads; or closed (shell) to utilize 100% of the internal volume and block dust.
• C. Pay attention to usable dimensions! "Euro-norm" dimensions (e.g., 600x400 mm) are external. Always check the internal dimensions to ensure your products will fit.

Understanding the materials: PP or HDPE?

The choice of plastic is not just an aesthetic detail; it determines your bin's resistance to its environment.

• Polypropylene (PP): Very impact-resistant, odorless, and resistant to chemical agents. However, it becomes more fragile in very low temperatures.
• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): The star of demanding environments. It perfectly resists impacts, acids, and extreme temperatures (-40°C to +90°C). The number one choice for the food industry and cold rooms.

A bin for every profession: Specificities

Beyond the classic Euro-norm, there are containers designed to address very specific professional challenges.

Workshop & Order Preparation

• Picking bins: Their front opening allows immediate visibility and access to contents, even when the bins are stacked.
• Essential for hardware, spare parts, or pharmaceuticals.

Space Optimization (Return Logistics)

• Foldable bins: Reduce volume by 80% when empty. Perfect for cutting transport costs.
• Nestable bins: They stack when full and nest inside each other when empty, thanks to their conical shape.

Food Industry & Hospitality (HoReCa)

• Food bins: Made of virgin HDPE, smooth walls for easy cleaning to prevent bacterial growth (meat, dough).
• Washing racks: For glasses and plates, resistant to high temperatures and professional detergents.

High-Tech & Automotive

• Antistatic bins (ESD): Made of black conductive material, they dissipate static electricity to protect components.
• Automotive bins (Galia / VDA): Designed to meet the very strict specifications of automotive manufacturers.

Load glossary: Don't get confused!

Before confirming your purchase, always check the load capacities indicated on the product sheet:

• Static load: The maximum weight you can place inside the bin when it is resting on the ground.
• Dynamic load: The bin's resistance when it is in motion (on a conveyor or during transport).
• Stacking load: The maximum weight the bin "at the very bottom of the stack" can support on its rims without crushing or deforming. (e.g., a bin might hold 20kg inside, but withstand 300kg when stacked).