In this article, we take an in depth look at Food Handling & Storage Containers, answering the most common questions surrounding this subject.

If you work within a food processing or preparation environment, you will likely have a lot of experience with Food Handling & Storage Containers. From stacking trays and ingredient dispensers to tapered trucks and stainless steel EuroBins, factories across the country would grind to a halt without these valuable solutions.  

Although there’s no denying the importance of Food Handling & Storage Containers, it can sometimes be difficult to know if you have made the best choice for your site. With so many to choose from, how can you be sure that you have selected containers of the right size, shape, colour, and material? With this in mind, we decided to answer some of the most common questions surrounding this subject.

There are interesting takeaways in each section, but you can also click the links below if you would prefer to skip to the subject most relevant to you and your site:   

What size containers should I select?   

Should my Food Handling Containers be injection moulded or roto moulded?

How do I know if a Food Handling Container is resistant to on-site chemicals or by-products?

How many different types of Contact Approved Containers are there?   

How do I avoid mixing up my containers once they arrive at my factory?

How do I save money on my Food Handling Containers?

What size containers should I select?   

Starting at 8 litres and working all the way up to 455 litres, Klipspringer’s range of Food Handling & Storage Containers has a size for every application. When it comes to evaluating the different options, you should factor in the following four points:  

  • Volumetric requirements of different products vary greatly. For example, 25kg of water and 25kg of offal will need bins or trucks of very different sizes.
  • Typically solids in production, such as your products and ingredients, are measured by weight, whereas the capacity of a container is measured in litres. You will need to convert your numbers before placing an order.
  • If you are searching for a particularly large container, finding a roto moulded option is more important than ever, as it will be able to support extremely heavy weights.
  • If your site has limited space and you are concerned about having too many containers to find a home for, try to find a stackable option that can be neatly tidied away when it’s not in use.

Should my containers be injection moulded or roto moulded?

Injection moulding and roto moulding are the two most popular processes used to produce plastic Food Handling & Storage Containers.  

Injection moulding  

A preheated polymer is injected under pressure into moulds. This causes the moulds to open and release the formed article. The process is quick and efficient, resulting in lower costs per unit. However, the finished result is not as robust as a roto-moulded alternative.

We have found that this method works well for the creation of smaller items; however, bigger items such as tapered bins, interstacking bins, tapered tanks, tapered trucks, and ingredient dispensers, require the durability provided by the roto moulding method.  

Roto moulding 

Polymer granules are placed inside a heated mould tool. This mould is rotated, and as the granules melt, they are evenly distributed on the inside surface, becoming smooth and solid as they cool. The production process is slow, something that drives up the cost of each unit, but the final product is extremely durable and has a much longer life span. When a roto moulded container comes up against the rigours of production, storage, and waste disposal, its inherent strength offers an excellent return on any initial outlays. 

Injection moulding:

  • 11 distinct colours
  • Wide selection of sizes for table and floor-based requirements
  • Available for same-day despatch
  • Lower initial cost
  • Less durable option with a shorter life span
  • More likely to struggle against tough environments and processes

Roto moulding:

  • 11 distinct colours
  • Wide selection of sizes for table and floor-based requirements
  • Available for same-day despatch
  • Designed and manufactured to withstand the toughest environments and processes, saving your factory money in the long run
  • UV Stable – No fading colours
  • Guaranteed to last – shatter and splinter resistant for the ultimate in food safety
  • Higher initial cost

How do I know if a container is resistant to on-site chemicals or by-products?

Animal fats and cleaning chemicals are notorious for breaking down the molecular structure of plastics, causing potential breakages and foreign body risks. Even if your factory doesn’t deal with animal fats, your hygiene team will be working with cleaning chemicals on a regular basis, making it extremely important for you to find out if the containers you have in mind are up to the challenge.

You should also apply this approach to any other chemicals or by-products derived from the processes taking place at your site. Failing to do so could result in you having to replace your equipment prematurely. Breakages and foreign body risks could also spell disaster for upcoming audits and quality control checks.  

The Klipspringer range has been exclusively selected for the food industry and is designed for even the most demanding of production environments. The equipment within this range is fully certified for food contact use and you can access the Declarations of Compliance below:

Declarations of Compliance

How many different types of Food Handling & Storage Containers are there?   

There are over 35 designs within Klipspringer’s range of food contact approved storage containers. If you would like to learn more about each option, simply click on the images below:

Box Pallets

  • 5 colours
  • Solid, perforated, or with an accompanying drain
  • Low tare weight

Trays

  • Colour coded
  • Food contact approved
  • Stackable
  • Dolly option for moving

Interstacking Bins

  • 4 sizes (15-64 ltr)
  • Combine with lid and dolly
  • Hygienic design
  • Rota moulded

Tapered Trucks

  • 8 sizes (72-455 ltr)
  • Nest for efficient storage
  • Swivel castor wheels
  • Roto moulded lid

Tapered Bins & Tanks

  • Over 13 sizes (20-370 ltrs)
  • Nest for efficient storage
  • Shatter/splinter resistant
  • Compatible lids for all sizes

Ingredient Dispensers

  • Sloping lids and channels
  • Stainless steel and shatterproof polycarbonate lids available

EuroBins

  • Made from electropolished grade 304 stainless steel
  • Hygienic design
  • Strong and durable

Pallets

  • Roto moulded
  • 4-way, lipped design
  • Made from MDPE
  • 5 colours

Food Contact Storage Bins

  • 5 colours
  • Durable Design
  • Large printing area for individual labelling

Snap Shut Pails & Buckets

  • Up to 11 colours
  • Hygienic design
  • Option to combine with compatible lid

How do I avoid mixing up my containers once they arrive at my factory?

If you are going to get the most out of your Food Handling & Storage Containers, they will need to be treated with respect from the moment they enter your factory. The last thing you want is for your operatives to be moving containers into the wrong area of your site or filling them with the wrong products. You also don’t want your team to be wasting time looking for the right container because they are unsure of the system in place. The following two steps will help you to avoid this:  

  • Implement a colour-coding policy that reflects the zones your containers will be stored in and the products they will hold. This will make life easier for your operatives, reduce the risk of cross contamination, and extend the life span of your equipment. Available in up to 11 distinct colours, our containers are the ideal choice for sites that are looking to embrace this approach. 
  • IndeliMark your containers. This is another great way to ensure easy identification. Covering everything from area segregation and allergen control to serial numbers and sequential numbering, IndeliMarking uses specialist lasers to create a permanent ‘impression’ on your containers without compromising on safety or hygiene.
Discover Klipspringer's Guide to Colour Coding
IndeliMark your Storage & Equipment

How do I save money on my Food Handling & Storage Containers?

If you are working within a particularly tight budget or receive incentives for hitting financial targets, it is natural that you would want to reduce your expenses wherever possible. Luckily, this doesn’t have to jeopardise the quality of your containers. Instead, you can enjoy the best of both worlds – delivering the best equipment to your site whilst securing a fantastic deal. Below are three ways for you to do this:  

  • Due to manufacturing methods, food handling containers are impacted by economies of scale. Therefore, it is well worth your time to estimate your usage over a period of 6 or 12 months. By pushing up the number of containers ordered in one go, you can obtain the best unit price.  
  • Next, you should make sure the colouration used in your containers is UV stable. This is true of the colour additives present in roto-moulded polymers. Maintaining colour distinction is vital for correct identification. If you are handling strong-coloured sauces or ingredients, we would recommend running an on-site trial. Taking these precautions will save you the cost of replacing your equipment after just a short period of time.  
  • As previously mentioned, the production process behind roto moulding results in a higher upfront cost, but the extended lifespan results in long term savings. By opting for roto moulded containers, you could prolong the time period before you have to replace your equipment. 

We hope that you have come away from this article with enough valuable information to inform your future decisions regarding Food Contact Containers. If there are any areas where you would like further guidance, the Klipspringer team would be happy to help you with your enquiries. Simply contact our team on 01473 461800 or sales@klipspringer.com. Alternatively, you can fill out the form below.  

If you would like further guidance relating to Food Contact Containers, the Klipspringer team would be happy to help. Share your details below to arrange a free consultation.