When shipping products in a steel drum, it’s important to find a solution with the right dimensions to provide ample space and the best possible protection for your product during transport.
The U.S. 55-gallon steel drum has been an industry standard since it was first patented in 1905. Internationally, it is known as a 208-liter drum, and it is widely used to ship crude oil, among other products.
55-Gallon Drum Dimensions
If you intend to ship products using a steel drum, you’ll need to know the answer to the question “How tall is a 55-gallon drum?”
Check Out Our Collection of Plastic DrumsThe internal height of the drum is 33.5 inches. The steel body adds a half-inch to the height, making the barrel 34 inches tall. With barrels positioned an inch apart, four of them will fit onto a standard shipping pallet that measures 4’x 4’.
A conventional 55-gallon drum has an interior radius of 11.25 inches, meaning it has a 22.5-inch interior diameter. The characteristic steel ridges add an extra half-inch to the barrel, making the external diameter 23 inches.
55-gallon drums have a hole at the top, known as the bung, which allows the contents of the barrel to be extracted with a 55-gallon drum pump or another dispensing system. The bung usually measures two inches in diameter, which allows a pump to be screwed to the barrel for safe and secure dispensing.
Features of the 55 Gallon Drum
A key feature of the 55-gallon drum is that it’s designed to carry hazardous and unstable contents. The barrel has characteristic ridges that help to reinforce its walls and a United Nations (UN) safety rating.
Drums can be manufactured using different materials. There is an all-plastic or poly drum; a carbon steel design that features a chemical resistant, epoxy-phenolic lining; and a standard, unlined version that’s made using cold-rolled carbon steel. Some manufacturers paint their drums for easy identification.
Origins of the 55-Gallon Drum
The origins of the 55-gallon steel drum can be traced back to 15th century England and the 42-gallon tierce. The tierce, effectively a wooden barrel, was used by King Richard III of England to transport wine after he standardized liquid measurements in the 1400s.
Use a 55-Gallon Drum Pump to Safely Transfer or Dispense LiquidsThe tierce was later used for transporting butter, molasses, salted fish and whale oil. In 1859, Edwin L. Drake discovered oil in Pennsylvania and adopted the tierce for shipping his distilled kerosene.
The Evolution of the 55-Gallon Drum
Manufacturing wooden barrels was time-, labor- and resource-intensive, and standard horse-pulled carts could only transport eight barrels at a time. There was wasted space between the barrels that could have been occupied by additional goods to provide another revenue stream.
Elizabeth Jane Cochran, also known as the journalist Nellie Bly, discovered shippers in Europe were using steel containers to transport glycerine. With this knowledge, she tasked Henry Wehrhahn, one of her employees at her Iron Clad Manufacturing Company, with creating a watertight steel barrel.
In December of 1905, Henry Wehrhahn received two patents, leading to the first 55-gallon drum project: to design and manufacture the modern 55-gallon drum.
Widespread War Use
The 55-gallon drum was widely used during World War II. The drums enabled the faster transport of aviation gasoline, which was used to refuel aircraft onshore. Some experts credit drums with helping the U.S. win the Guadalcanal Campaign in the first U.S. offensive in the South Pacific Theater.
High-Quality Shipping Supplies Matter for Your KPIs
Maintaining an effective supply chain is one of the most important KPIs for packaging and label issues. It’s crucial to choose high-quality shipping containers for transporting products that meet regulations, are easy to identify and are quick to load and unload so you avoid delays and shipping penalties.
Time is money when shipping items. The 55-gallon drum is designed to make loading and unloading quick and easy. Drums can be rolled into place or put on a pallet to be positioned by a forklift. Using easy-to-manage packaging solutions will often improve your on-time shipping rate.
Choose Air Sea Containers for 55-Gallon Drums
Air Sea Containers provides a variety of plastic and poly drums with open- and closed-head designs available for your shipping needs. Our poly shipping drum is UN-certified and suitable for Hazmat shipping.
With a number of 55-gallon drum accessories available, including an easy to use dispensary pump, drum fittings and faucets, we have everything you need to implement a high-quality, reusable shipping solution. To learn more about our environmentally friendly, cost-effective and convenient packaging solutions, call us at (866) 272-9880.
