Styles
Ten styles, and the code to put on a drawing
“The normal one” is not a specification. Every bulk container style has a structure, a bottom type and an application where it is the correct answer — and a FEFCO reference that removes all ambiguity.
FEFCO referenced10 stylesBottom types
At a glance
- 01Quote request
- Free, no obligation
- 02Fulfilled by
- Partner suppliers
- 03Requests from
- Across the US
- 04Pricing
- By written quote
The index
The common bulk container styles
The bottom column is the one to read first: it decides how much weight the container carries before anything else does.
| Style | Code | Description | Bottom | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-flap bulk box | FEFCO 0201 scaled | Four-panel body with top and bottom flaps meeting at the centre. | Full overlap | The strongest common bottom. Heavy and dense loads. |
| Partial-overlap bulk box | FEFCO 0203 scaled | Flaps overlap partially rather than fully. | Partial overlap | Lighter loads; slightly less material, meaningfully less bottom strength. |
| Open-bottom sleeve on tray | FEFCO 0300 series | Body sleeve sitting on a separate die-cut tray or pallet-top sheet. | Separate tray | Reusable pools — the body can be replaced without the tray. |
| Octagonal body (octabin) | Custom scored | Eight-sided body, usually with top and bottom frames. | Frame or tray | Free-flowing solids: resin, grain, powders, nuts. |
| Telescoping lid | FEFCO 0301 cap | Cap sliding over the outside of the body. | n/a | Protects contents and enables stacking. Order matched to body footprint. |
| Pallet cap | Die-cut cover | Flat cap sitting over a loaded pallet or container. | n/a | Dust and light protection where a full lid is unnecessary. |
| Bulk bin with discharge chute | Custom die-cut | Body with a die-cut chute panel for gravity discharge. | Flat or frame | Powder and pellet handling lines. |
| Layer pad / tier sheet | Flat blank | Flat board between product layers. | n/a | Load stability and crush distribution inside the container. |
| Slotted divider set | FEFCO 0900 series | Interlocking slotted boards forming cells. | n/a | Parts separation — from two to twenty-four cells. |
| Trim-to-height body | Cut from stock | A taller stock body knife-cut down to a true score line. | Original | When the height you need is not the height the market has. |
Choosing
Three decisions, in order
1. The bottom
Full overlap carries the most weight and uses the most board. Partial overlap saves material and loses meaningful bottom strength. A sleeve on a separate tray is the reusable-pool answer, because the body can be replaced without the tray — which is where wear concentrates.
2. The cross-section
Four sides for solid, bagged or boxed contents. Eight sides for anything that pours, because hoop stress concentrates at ninety-degree corners and will push a square container out of shape over repeated fills.
3. The closure
A telescoping lid protects contents and enables stacking. A pallet cap gives dust protection without the cost. For discharge applications, a die-cut chute panel is cheaper than redesigning your line around a flat-bottomed container.
On the dock“Read the bottom column first. It decides how much weight the container carries.”
Supporting reference
Construction, height, standards, conversions
| Construction | Thickness | Typical max weight | Stacking | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single wall C | 5/32" (4.0 mm) | 65 lb | Not for bulk | Lids, layer pads, dividers |
| Double wall BC | 9/32" (7.1 mm) | 900 – 1,200 lb | 1 high loaded | General bulk under 1,200 lb |
| Double wall CC | 5/16" (7.9 mm) | 1,000 – 1,300 lb | 1 high loaded | Slightly better cushioning than BC |
| Triple wall BCC | 7/16" (11.1 mm) | 2,200 – 2,500 lb | 2 high loaded | The bulk workhorse |
| Triple wall ACC | 1/2" (12.7 mm) | 2,400 – 2,700 lb | 2 high loaded | Dense product with cushioning need |
| Five wall AAC | 5/8" (15.9 mm) | 3,000 lb+ | 3 high, matched pallets | Castings, stampings, export |
| Height | Cube | Fits | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28" | 25.9 ft³ | Low-clearance racking, pick faces | Dense product, ergonomic sorting | Doubles your container count on light goods |
| 36" | 33.3 ft³ | Most standard racking | The default — best price and availability | Check reach height if hand-loaded |
| 40" | 37.0 ft³ | Cooler racks, harvest lines | Produce, bakery, mixed DC | Top-edge wear climbs with reach |
| 44" | 40.7 ft³ | Tall bays, textile sorting | Light bulky goods — foam, film, apparel | Hand-loading above 44" is uncomfortable |
| 48" | 44.4 ft³ | Dedicated tall programs | Very light, very bulky loads | Triple wall only; never stack loaded |
| Reference | Body | What it covers | Why it matters here |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTM D4727 | ASTM International | Corrugated and solid fibreboard specification — board grades, construction and tolerances. | The document a packaging engineer cites when specifying board. |
| ASTM D642 | ASTM International | Compression testing of shipping containers. | The laboratory basis for compression figures, before real-world derating. |
| ASTM D4169 | ASTM International | Performance testing of shipping containers and systems. | Where a customer needs a distribution-cycle test rather than a static number. |
| TAPPI T 811 | TAPPI | Edge crush test of corrugated board. | The procedure behind published ECT values. |
| TAPPI T 810 | TAPPI | Bursting strength (Mullen) of corrugated board. | Legacy carrier metric; still relevant for sharp-edged contents. |
| ISPM-15 | IPPC / FAO | Heat treatment and marking of wood packaging in international trade. | Applies to the pallet, never to the corrugated. Most export holds trace to an illegible stamp. |
| FEFCO codes | FEFCO / ESBO | International numbering for box styles — 0201, 0300 series, trays and sleeves. | The unambiguous way to describe a style on a drawing, instead of 'the normal one'. |
| GMA pallet standard | Grocery Manufacturers Association | 48 × 40 inch stringer pallet dimensions and construction. | Defines the footprint three quarters of the used market sits on. |
| ANSI MH1 | ANSI / MHI | Pallet dimensions, performance and terminology. | The reference for rack load versus floor load figures. |
| ISTA 1A / 3E | ISTA | Pre-shipment transit testing procedures. | Occasionally requested by retail customers for unitised loads. |
| NMFC / freight class | NMFTA | Freight classification for LTL shipments. | Empty corrugated is bulky and light, so class is driven by density — this is why LTL quotes surprise people. |
| Recovered paper grade 11 | ISRI specifications | Old Corrugated Containers, including prohibitive material limits. | What your bales are graded against, and where contamination penalties come from. |
| Measure | Imperial | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard footprint | 48 × 40 in | 1,219 × 1,016 mm | The GMA pallet that standardised US distribution. |
| Triple wall thickness | 7/16 in | 11.1 mm | Takes about 7/8 in off interior width across both walls. |
| Typical capacity | 2,200 lb | 998 kg | Triple wall BCC, evenly distributed, matched pallet. |
| Container cube at 36" | 33.3 ft³ | 0.943 m³ | Outside dimensions, before board thickness. |
| OCC bale | 1,000 – 1,400 lb | 454 – 635 kg | Typical bale from a horizontal baler. |
| Trailer capacity, knocked down | 400 – 600 units | — | 53-foot dry van; cube limited, never weight limited. |
| Moisture ceiling for OCC | 12% | 12% | Above this you are selling water at a penalty. |
FAQ
Common questions on this subject
Short answers to common questions. If yours is not covered, ask it on the form and a partner supplier in our network can answer it with your quote.
All 33 answersCan boxes be cut to a custom height?
Some suppliers can trim taller used boxes down to a true score line. Mention the height you need on the form and the supplier will say whether trimming is available.
Can used containers be used for food?
It depends on your process and your requirements. With food, a liner is the contact surface, and container origin matters. Check current regulations and your customer's specification, and say what you need on the form.
Can I get pallets and liners too?
Yes. Recycled, export, plastic and presswood pallets, plus lids, caps, liners, corner boards, slip sheets and strapping, can be requested on the same form so they arrive with your boxes.
Are used containers safe for food handling?
The board is not the food-contact surface; a liner is. Whether a used container suits your food process depends on its history and your own requirements, so check current regulations and your customer's specification, and say so on the form.
What about confidential printing on our boxes?
Mention it on the form. Options include covering old marks, cutting the printed panel away, or sending the unit straight to recycling. The supplier handling your load will confirm what they can do.
What is the difference between grade B and grade C?
Grade B has sound structure with cosmetic wear: scuffs, old labels, minor edge fray. Grade C is working condition: repaired or trimmed corners, visible wear, possibly reduced height. B suits customer-facing use; C suits internal staging.
Keep reading
The blogRelated reading
What Is a Gaylord Box, Really?
The container named after a Michigan paper company that became the standard bulk box of American warehouses.
Read →How Used Gaylords Are Graded
A, B, C and D are not vibes. Here is what a careful grader looks at, in what order, and what gets rejected outright.
Read →Gaylord Box Sizes Explained
Why 48×40 dominates, when 40×40 is smarter, and how to choose a height that fits your racking rather than your habit.
Read →ECT, Burst and Stacking Strength
A plain-language guide to the three numbers printed in the box maker's certificate — and which one to actually use.
Read →Next step
Know the style you need?
Name the style and the size in a free, no-obligation quote request. Availability depends on partner suppliers.