What are plastic agricultural bins?
Why choose plastic agricultural bins instead of wood crates?
RPP Containers carries a variety of products used in food harvesting and processing. These containers are designed to replace legacy wood crates and represent a long-term solution that’s easy to clean, store, reuse, and ship. The two main categories of these products are vented harvest bins and solid wall bulk bins. Injection-molded from FDA-approved materials that are both durable and lightweight, they are safe for use with food products.
Agricultural plastic containers and bins are extremely durable, made from injection-molded FDA-approved materials, and are lightweight. The injection molding process eliminates the need for nails, creates smooth, non-porous surfaces, and eliminates the possibility of damaging and contaminating products with splinters. The smooth, non-porous surfaces reduce the risk of bacteria, contaminants, or insects. The vented harvest and solid wall bulk bins are made of 100% polypropylene material, so they are recyclable when they reach the end of their life cycle.
For decades wooden crates and boxes have been the standard for fruit, vegetable, and other food-grade applications. As times have changed and stricter regulations and standards have been put into place, the wooden boxes and crates are being phased out and replaced by plastic, durable agricultural bins.
Are all agricultural bins the same?
There are two types of agricultural bins that are commonly used: vented harvest bins and solid wall bulk bins. Both versions are made from the same injection-molded FDA-approved plastic.
Vented Harvest Bins
Vented harvest containers are constructed with smooth plastic surfaces, which can be easily cleaned to meet strict food safety requirements. The polypropylene construction also ensures the necessary unmatched durability and reliability to handle a variety of produce. Each of our harvest bins features industry-leading venting. Vents in a bin allow airflow through the container to ensure fruits and vegetables are appropriately cooled. Venting also facilitates better storage in controlled atmosphere (CA) rooms for apples and other sensitive produce.
Solid Wall Bins
Solid wall bulk bins are made from FDA-approved plastics, making them ideal for food processing, agricultural, pharmaceutical, wine processing and industrial applications. They are engineered to meet USDA guidelines for sanitation and easy cleaning. Our bulk bins are also durable, splinter-resistant, and lightweight. Reusable bulk bins have non-porous surfaces to limit abrasions and reduce the possibility of unwanted contaminants. Bulk bins come in a variety of sizes to suit nearly any material handling need.
What are the benefits of using vented and solid wall bulk bins?
Temperature controlled
Designed with temperature control in mind, you will not need to worry about your crop overheating in the hot sun during the harvesting process. The light color of the bins reflects sunlight and, in turn, will absorb less heat, which keeps your product from getting too hot. The vented and solid wall bulk bins can also withstand cold temperatures of processing facilities and refrigerated storage.
Secure safe stacking
While harvesting, it is beneficial to be able to stack your full containers on top of one another to save space. The bases of the solid wall bulk bins have feet designed for stacking so that the container is safely and securely stacked on top of the container below without damaging any product. The containers will be able to stack with or without a lid.
clamshell nesting
When you are finished using vented harvest or solid wall bulk bins for the season, you can easily stack and store the containers when not in use to take up less space at your facility. To maximize your storage space you can use the clamshell method to stack and store the vented and solid wall bulk bins. Place one bin on it's side and place it inside the bottom bin. The top bin is flipped upside down and placed over the nested bin.
Are there other uses for agricultural bins?
Solid wall and harvest bulk bins were created for transporting and storing fruits and vegetables, but they also work well for other food products like fish and meat. Solid wall bulk bins have recently grown in popularity in the aquaponic industry.
Do you have questions?
If you would like to learn more about harvest bulk bins or solid wall bulk bin visit the pages of our website or call 513-489-2244 to speak with an account manager.
