- Material
- Plastic corrugated board
- Typical footprints
- 48 x 40, 48 x 48 or 48 x 45 in
- Sidewall height
- Usually 24 to 50 in
- Use
- Closed-loop programs where boxes make many trips
What it is
Plastic corrugated board has the same fluted structure as paper corrugated, in polypropylene. A plastic gaylord is cut to the same pallet footprints: typically 48 x 40, 48 x 48 or 48 x 45 in, with sidewalls usually 24 to 50 in high. It is made for closed-loop programs where boxes make many trips, because it holds up to wet and to repeated handling in ways paper does not.
That is also why it is not our core line. A paper gaylord is expendable: you can use it once or a few times and then recycle it as OCC. A plastic one is meant to come back. If you run a closed loop, the box belongs to your program. If you have an expendable lane, paper is the usual answer.
Paper or plastic
| Question | Paper corrugated | Plastic corrugated |
|---|---|---|
| Trips | One to a few, then recycle as OCC | Many, in a closed loop |
| Wet | Loses strength; wet boxes go to OCC | Holds up to damp better |
| Return | Rarely returned | Built to come back |
| Printed spec | Maker's stamp on the wall | Check the maker's rating on the board |
| Fit for backup packs | The usual expendable stand-in | Only if the program will take it back |
What to send
Tell us the footprint, the height and what the box will carry. If it is for a one-way lane, a rectangular corrugated gaylord in the wall count that fits is the usual choice. If you have plastic gaylords to move, describe the footprint, the condition and how many, and say whether they are on a pallet.
For parts moving in a long lane or overseas, packaging is generally one-way, because returning it costs too much. See export and cross-border lanes and expendable vs returnable packaging.
Facts and figures
- A bulk box is also called a bulk bin, skid box, pallet box, bin box, gaylord or octabin, and is usually double-wall or triple-wall corrugated fiberboard. (Wikipedia, Bulk box, retrieved 2026-11-10.)
- US corrugated boxes had a recycling rate of 96.5 percent in 2018. (epa.gov, retrieved 2026-11-10.)
Terms
- gaylord: A pallet-size bulk box; originally a trade name of the Gaylord Container company, now the generic word.
- regrind: Ground plastic scrap, one of the most common loads shipped in used gaylords.
- poly liner: A plastic bag liner that keeps resin, powder or food from touching the board.
- lid (cap): A corrugated top cut to the box's footprint; often sold separately.
- knocked down (KD): Folded flat for shipping or return.
Plastic and corrugated side by side
A plastic corrugated box sheds water and washes clean, but it costs more and does not recycle with old corrugated containers. Choose it for a closed loop that returns, and corrugated board for one-way trips.