Buying guide
The two most common collapsible bulk container footprints differ by five inches of width. That five inches decides whether the container matches your pallets and racking, how many fit a trailer, and which used and reconditioned lots are easiest to find. Here is how to choose.
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| Spec | 48 × 40 | 48 × 45 |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 48 × 40 in — the GMA grocery pallet | 48 × 45 in — the automotive (AIAG) footprint |
| Floor area | About 13.3 sq ft | About 15 sq ft (about 12% more) |
| Heights in our catalog | 25, 30, 34, 39, 45, 46 and 50 in | 25, 27, 34, 39, 42, 48 and 50 in |
| Fits standard pallet racking | Yes, on 40-in-deep beams | Usually; check beam depth and overhang |
| Typical programs | Grocery, retail, distribution, export, mixed-pallet warehouses | Automotive Tier 1/2, returnable packaging loops, parts and sub-assemblies |
| Collapsed stack | About 3:1 | About 3:1 — up to 252 collapsed units in a 53′ trailer versus 84 standing |
| Used and reconditioned supply | Good, especially 48×40×25 and ×45 | Strongest: the most common footprint in returnable fleets |
If your product already moves on 48×40 pallets, through 40-in-deep racking or into mixed-pallet trailers, choose 48×40 and nothing else changes. If a customer or program specifies the automotive footprint, or your existing fleet is 48×45, stay with 48×45 so dunnage, dividers and rack positions keep working.
Both footprints load two across a standard trailer, so the floor count per trailer is similar. The difference shows up in racking and on the floor: 48×45 takes about 12% more area per container, which matters in a crowded line-side layout, and less in a yard.
Within each footprint the height sets capacity and stacking. Low 25-in units are the easiest to fill and empty by hand and stack highest when collapsed; 34-in is the all-round height; 45-in and up carry the most volume per footprint but need a forklift for every move. Compare the height options on each footprint page.
Used and reconditioned 48×45 containers are usually the easiest to find in quantity because they come out of automotive loops. 48×40 used stock is strong in the 25-in and 45-in heights. Live counts and prices for both are below; new Orbis and Monoflo containers are available in either footprint as factory orders.
Both footprints take drop doors, lids and divider sets. Divider inserts are footprint- and height-specific, so order containers and dividers together and keep one footprint per program where you can.
Avoid it inside one loop. A 48×45 container on a 48×40 pallet position overhangs by five inches and can jam a conveyor or rack entry. Mixed fleets work fine when each footprint has its own lanes.
Live counts and prices from the Pennsville, NJ and Tampa, FL yards. Freight to your ZIP is added at checkout or in your quote.
Reconditioned · 48×40×25 in
Reconditioned Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 40 × 25 in
408 in stock
From $114.00 / unit · buy online
Used · 48×40×25 in
Used Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 40 × 25 in
408 in stock
From $74.00 / unit · buy online
Used · 48×45×34 in
Used Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 45 × 34 in
30 in stock
From $140.00 / unit · request a quote
Reconditioned · 48×45×34 in
Reconditioned Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 45 × 34 in
30 in stock
From $180.00 / unit · request a quote
Used · 48×45×34 in
Used Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 45 × 34 in
24 in stock
From $130.00 / unit · request a quote
Reconditioned · 48×45×34 in
Reconditioned Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 45 × 34 in
24 in stock
From $170.00 / unit · request a quote
Reconditioned · 48×40×45 in
Reconditioned Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 40 × 45 in
17 in stock
From $160.00 / unit · buy online
Used · 48×40×45 in
Used Collapsible Bulk Container – 48 × 40 × 45 in
17 in stock
From $120.00 / unit · buy online
No. The pallet base is 45 inches wide, so the container is five inches wider overall. Dividers, lids and rack positions are specific to each footprint.
48×40 fits 40-inch-deep beams directly. 48×45 usually works on common beam depths with a small overhang; confirm your beam depth and the rated load before stacking.
Up to about 252 collapsed 48×45 units versus 84 standing, which is why backhaul freight is the main saving in closed-loop programs. 48×40 counts are similar.
Prices are set by condition and height more than footprint. Compare the live prices below; used 48×45 and 48×40 containers at the same height are usually within a few dollars of each other.
Yes. Drop doors come in 0, 1 or 2 door configurations depending on footprint and condition; the product page lists what the offered lot has.
Yes, used and reconditioned, at our Pennsville, NJ and Tampa, FL yards. Reconditioned and used stock ships in 1–3 business days; new containers ship in 1–4 weeks.