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Storage Containers

Industrial Containers, Totes, and Trays

Keep parts moving and workstations organized with industrial handheld containers and totes built for production floors, warehouses, maintenance departments, and shipping areas. They handle daily abuse, lifting, stacking, staging, and transport while keeping small parts, components, and supplies sorted, protected, and easy to grab. Whether you are feeding an assembly line, running kitting operations, or cleaning up inventory, the right tote system improves speed, accuracy, and ergonomics and cuts the time lost hunting for parts or re-picking the wrong components.

Most of the range comes down to what happens when a container is empty. Stack-only containers hold their shape and load but take full space when empty, nest-only containers collapse into each other but cannot build a stable loaded column, and stack-and-nest containers do both when rotated 180 degrees. Check the published nest ratio on stack-and-nest totes, since a 4.0:1 ratio means four empties occupy the height of one.

Material limits matter as much as style. Most totes are high-density polyethylene (HDPE), with published ranges around 0°F to 120°F (some attached lid containers are rated from -20°F), so they are not wash-line or hot-parts containers. Fiberglass composite containers are published to -60°F and 250°F, and wire baskets and part wash containers suit cleaning and drying. For static-sensitive electronics, ask for the measured surface resistance in ohms rather than the word “ESD,” because dissipative material in the 10⁶ to 10⁹ ohm range controls discharge, while overly conductive material can produce damaging peak currents.


Product Lines:

Divider box containers (Akro-Mils, LEWISbins, Quantum), straight wall containers (Quantum, Monoflo, Akro-Mils, Buckhorn, Orbis), and attached lid containers for organized parts storage and secure transport; Kadon solid and vented tote boxes and stack and nest containers; stack-only and nest-only fiberglass containers from MFG for heavy loads and heat; Quantum Cross Stack tubs; conveyor, assembly, and ventilation trays, including the Metro WavDri cannabis drying tray; part washing containers and baskets; Jesco heavy duty and Quantum modular stacking wire baskets; and I.D. label placards for facility-wide identification.


Selecting the Right Type:

♦ Storage style, choose Stack & Nest for closed loops with a return leg, Stack Only for heavy loads that stay loaded, or Nest Only when containers are mostly empty or ride a conveyor.
♦ Contents, choose divider boxes for kitting, straight wall for maximum cube on a pallet, attached lid for secure transit, and Cross Stack tubs when you need access to the container below.
♦ Airflow, choose vented containers for wet parts and drying, or solid containers to retain small parts and keep dust out.
♦ Temperature, choose fiberglass for hot parts and heavy loads, part wash containers or wire baskets for washing, and confirm the temperature rating of any plastic tote against your actual cycle.
♦ Static-sensitive parts, choose ESD containers and confirm the measured surface resistance in ohms against your ESD control program.


Where Commonly Used:

Containers and totes are used on assembly lines and in kitting operations to improve speed, accuracy, and ergonomics, in warehouses and distribution centers where stackable and nestable containers maximize vertical storage, in maintenance and parts washing areas for cleaning and organization, and in shipping areas for daily lifting, stacking, and transport.


CustomMHS is an authorized distributor for all brands on this page. All purchases include the manufacturer’s factory warranty.

 

Not sure which container fits?

Choosing the style is only half the decision, because a part has to clear the inside bottom of a tapered tote, not its outside top, and stack height depends on the bottom container support rating, not the per-tote load. Our guide covers sizing, both load ratings, and the cost per trip of returnable containers.

Read the Containers, Totes & Trays Buying Guide →

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No obligation. Every quote is personally reviewed by our team to ensure accurate pricing and recommendations; it is never automatically generated.

 

lewisbins containers

Divider Box Containers

Adjustable dividers separate and organize small parts within a single container.

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straight wall containers

Straight Wall Containers

Vertical-wall design maximizes usable storage volume for parts and components.

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Attached Lid

Attached Lid Containers

Built-in hinged lid keeps contents secure and protected during transport.

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kadon containers

Kadon Heavy Duty, Solid & Vented

Heavy-duty construction with solid and vented styles for demanding daily use.

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lewisbins containers

Stack & Nest Container, Solid & Vented

Stacks when full and nests when empty, with solid and vented options for airflow.

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container

Stack Only Fiberglass Container

Fiberglass construction delivers maximum stacking strength for heavier loads.

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Quantum Cross  Stack Tubs

Quantum Cross Stack Tubs

Cross-stacking design allows secure stacking in either orientation.

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lewisbins containers

Nest Only Container

Compact nesting design saves space when containers are empty.

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lewisbins containers

Conveyor, Assembly & Ventilation Trays

Purpose-built trays move parts efficiently through the production line.

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Metro DT1826-P WavDri Cannabis Drying Tray


Metro WavDri Cannabis Drying Tray

Ventilated design supports controlled drying in cannabis processing operations.

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lewisbins containers


Part Wash Containers and Baskets

Durable construction supports parts cleaning and washdown workflows.

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wire baskets



Heavy Duty Wire Baskets

Rugged wire construction withstands daily handling in demanding environments.

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Modular Stacking Wire Basket


Modular Stacking Wire Baskets

Open-wire construction allows ventilation and visual inventory checks during stacking.

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label placard, placards


I.D. Label Placards for Containers and Totes

Placards keep container contents identified and organized across the facility.

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Handheld containers or totes are widely used in various industries, including manufacturing, logistics, retail, and more, for transporting, storing, and organizing items. They offer a range of benefits that contribute to operational efficiency, organization, and safety.
 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between stack, nest, and stack-and-nest containers?

The difference is what happens when the container is empty. Stack only containers stack on top of each other whether full or empty, giving maximum stacking strength but no space savings when idle. Nest only containers slide inside one another when empty, which is compact but does not stack when loaded. Stack-and-nest containers do both, stacking when full and nesting when empty. CustomMHS carries the full line of container and tote systems, backed by each manufacturer's warranty.

Which style should I choose for my operation?

Look at how many empties you hold at a time. Stack and nest is the flexible middle option and suits most facilities, since containers cycle between loaded and empty. Stack only makes sense when containers stay loaded and stacking strength under heavy contents is the priority, which is why fiberglass appears in that group. Nest only fits operations where empty container storage is the constraint and stacking loaded containers is not part of the workflow.

When do I need vented rather than solid containers?

Vented containers allow air to move through the load, which matters for parts that arrive damp from washing, plating, or machining, and for anything that would trap moisture in a sealed container. Solid containers fully contain contents, which keeps small items from working through openings and keeps dust off what is inside. Both stack and nest containers and Kadon heavy-duty containers are offered in each version, so the choice comes down to the material rather than the container style.

What are divider boxes and cross stack tubs used for?

Divider box containers use adjustable dividers to separate small parts within one container, so several part numbers stay sorted without needing a separate tote for each. That suits kitting and assembly work where a single container feeds multiple components to a station. Quantum cross stack tubs take a different approach, allowing secure stacking in either orientation, which gives flexibility in how stacks are built and accessed.

How do containers and totes help your facility?

Standardized containers make storage repeatable, so parts occupy known space and stack predictably rather than being fit around whatever boxes are on hand. That supports vertical storage, which reduces floor congestion and keeps material off the ground where it gets damaged. Sorted, labeled containers also cut the time spent hunting for parts and the rework that follows when the wrong component gets picked. In assembly and kitting operations, a consistent tote system directly affects picking speed and accuracy, and I.D. label placards keep contents identified as containers move between departments so nobody has to open a tote to learn what is inside.