The choices a business makes about shipping and packaging materials have big effects. Spoilage rates and packaging costs can add up quickly when you’re not using the best packaging for your needs, and it’s critical in every way to choose packaging materials that are properly equipped to keep your employees and your products safe.
Here, we’ll examine a common choice that shippers must make: whether to use a plastic drum vs. a steel drum. These common shipping drum materials each have their advantages, and each is a practical and economical shipping solution when used for the right applications.
Option A: Plastic Drums
Air Sea Containers 55 Gallon Open Head Plastic Drum
Plastic drums are shipping barrels made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). They’re extremely versatile and cost-effective, and they’re popular for shipping everything from beverages to industrial chemicals.
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Closure systems on plastic drums come in two varieties:
- Open-head, which has a detachable lid held in place by a ring lock.
- Closed-head, which has a bung to which a spout can be attached for dispensing the contents.
Polyethylene drums are popular for shipping all kinds of liquid and semi-liquid goods, but they’re a common choice for certain types of hazmat shipping due to their resistance to corrosion. New polyethylene drums are also a great choice for food and beverage shipping.
Option B: Steel Drums
Air Sea Containers 55 Gallon Open Head Steel Drum
Steel drums are shipping drums made from steel. Like plastic drums, they come in both open-head and closed-head varieties.
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Steel drums are extraordinarily strong and tough, and they’re versatile as well. Steel drums can store almost any kind of substance, although they shouldn’t be used to store corrosive substances that can damage the steel. The extreme durability of steel drums makes them a popular choice for hazardous materials shipping.
Comparing Plastic Drums and Steel Drums
Now, let’s compare these two options on some of the most important factors that shippers must consider:
- Compatible Materials: The number one factor to consider is whether the goods you’re shipping are compatible with the material of the barrel. Many kinds of materials can be shipped in either kind of shipping drum, but corrosive materials should usually not be shipped or stored in steel barrels, and certain chemicals that attack polyethylene should not be shipped or stored in plastic barrels.
- UN Rating: Both plastic drums and steel drums from Air Sea Containers are UN rated for the transportation of hazardous materials (within the compatibility limits described above).
- Palletization: Both plastic drums and steel drums can be easily palletized and moved via forklift.
- Strength and Durability: Both types of drums are extremely strong and durable. However, pound for pound, a steel drum does have the edge on material strength, with a higher resistance to punctures, leaks, and impacts. This makes steel drums a preferred choice for shipping heavy solid goods, as well as many kinds of hazardous materials.
- Corrosion Resistance: Like many metals, steel is vulnerable to corrosion. Steel drums today are sometimes lined with polyethylene, giving them temporary resistance to corrosion. However, overall, there’s no doubt that polyethylene barrels are the preferred storage material for substances that corrode metal.
- Price: Purchased new, plastic drums usually cost less than steel drums. However, refurbished plastic drums and refurbished steel drums are roughly the same price.
- Tare Weight: Polyethylene drums weigh less than steel drums. That can make them easier to handle and carry, as well as possibly saving on shipping costs.
Cutting Costs on Shipping Drums
Every business wants to cut costs, and when working with shipping drums, it’s possible to do it without sacrificing quality. Let’s look at a few different ways to do that.
First, consider the various cost factors of each type of drum. If your goods will ship equally well in either material, using new polyethylene drums is less expensive than using new steel drums, and you may be able to save money on shipping and/or fuel costs by using lighter polyethylene drums.
Air Sea Containers’ reconditioned shipping drums are also an ideal choice for businesses that need quality shipping drums at a lower price point. Our drums are professionally cleaned and restored using a reconditioning process that includes a high-pressure washdown and special cleaning solutions that remove residue, making these drums a safe and cost-effective option for most shipping applications. (Note that reconditioned shipping drums aren’t recommended for food and drinking water applications and may not meet FDA standards for storing potables.)
Our packaging experts are happy to answer any more questions you might have about our plastic drums for sale and steel drums for sale. Just call (866) 596-9448 or contact us online to find the packaging supplies information you need.
