Products · Virgin
Sometimes the answer really is new.
A reused tote fits most jobs. But there are specifications where virgin material is the requirement rather than the preference. When that is your situation, request a quote and we match you with a partner supplier who offers new units.
The short answer
New 275 and 330 gallon composite IBCs, with UN-marked options, through partner suppliers in our network. Ask for a landed price so you can compare honestly against reconditioned and rebottled. Pricing is by quote.
Four situations where new is correct
- Regulated export documentation. Some destinations or customers may not accept a reused assembly. Check the requirements before you order rather than after.
- Pharmaceutical and high-purity intermediates. Where the risk around trace contamination is not really about probability at all.
- Insurance or contractual conditions. If a policy or a supply agreement specifies new containers, that is a legal fact rather than a technical one.
- Dedicated long-life service. A tote that will sit in one process for many years is a case where starting the clock at zero can make economic sense.
And four where it is usually unnecessary
- “It needs to look clean inside” — rebottled gives you a new bottle, typically for less.
- “We do not know what was in used ones” — a unit with documented prior contents answers this, and a rebottled one avoids it.
- “Procurement policy” — worth checking whether the policy names containers specifically or was written for something else entirely.
- “It is only a small price difference” — across a large order it is rarely small, and reusing a tote avoids making a new one.
| New | Rebottled | Reconditioned | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle | Virgin | Virgin | Original, washed |
| Cage & pallet | Virgin | Reused | Reused |
| Typical relative price | Highest | Middle | Lowest |
| Interior appearance | As-new | As-new | Clean, may shadow |
| UN marking | Available | Ask the supplier | Ask the supplier |
| Food-use documentation | Ask the supplier | Ask the supplier | Documented prior contents only |
Specifications
Common new configurations.
| Config | Capacity | Cage / base | Outlet | Marking | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 275 standard | 275 gal / 1041 L | Galvanised cage, composite base | 2" butterfly, S60x6 | — | General industrial service |
| 275 UN-marked | 275 gal / 1041 L | Galvanised cage, steel base | 2" ball valve | UN 31HA1 (typical) | For regulated liquids; check current regulations |
| 275 food-contact resin | 275 gal / 1041 L | Galvanised cage, composite base | 2" butterfly, EPDM | — | Ask the supplier for documentation and check current regulations |
| 330 standard | 330 gal / 1249 L | Galvanised cage, steel base | 2" butterfly, S60x6 | — | General industrial service |
| 330 UN-marked | 330 gal / 1249 L | Galvanised cage, steel base | 2" ball valve, FKM gasket | UN 31HA1 (typical) | Solvent-compatible gasket set |
Keep the paperwork
Whoever you buy a new tote from, keep its serial, configuration, bottle type, base, thread, gasket compound, UN marking and test date, and what you put in it. That record is what makes a container easy to resell or reuse later, because provenance is the scarcest thing in the used-container trade.
When you are finished with the unit — in two years or in twelve — a tote with a known history is far easier to place with a buyer or reconditioner than one nobody can vouch for. A unit kept in dedicated service is usually a good candidate for reconditioning and another round of use.
When you are done with it
Sell it on rather than scrap it.
Empty totes you no longer need can be offered to partner suppliers who buy used units. Units that cannot be reused can often be recycled — HDPE bottles and steel cages are recyclable where facilities accept them.
Selling used totesNew totes — common questions
Why would a reuse-focused site help with new totes?
Because some specifications genuinely require a virgin unit: certain high-purity applications, some export documentation requirements, some insurance or contract conditions. When that is real, you need a new unit, and we can pass your request to a partner supplier who offers them. When it is not, a reused tote usually does the same job.
When is a new tote NOT necessary?
More often than people think. If your objection is appearance, consider rebottled — the bottle is new and the cage is cosmetic. If your objection is prior contents, rebottled also addresses it. If your objection is 'our procurement policy says new', check whether the policy names containers specifically or was written for something else.
What does a new IBC tote cost?
Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers. New tote prices move with the polyethylene and steel markets and with freight, so ask for a landed price (unit plus delivery) so you can compare it like-for-like against reconditioned and rebottled quotes.
Do new totes come UN marked?
They can. A UN marking applies to the complete assembly as tested and includes a date. If you are shipping regulated liquids, include the UN number and packing group in your request so the supplier can quote a suitable unit, and check current regulations for your material.
Total cost
New against reused over a multi-year programme.
Unit price is the only line that appears on a requisition, but it is not the only cost. These are the lines worth comparing when you get quotes.
| Line | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Purchase | Unit price for new, rebottled and reconditioned at the same quantity |
| Freight | Usually similar for each option at the same quantity and distance |
| Gaskets and valve seats | Wear items regardless of whether the tote started new |
| Cleaning between products | The same for any tote in service |
| Damage replacement | Cheaper per unit for less expensive containers |
| Resale at end of use | What the units may be worth to a buyer when you are done |
The line that surprises people is damage replacement. A new unit is not necessarily more damage-resistant than a sound reused one — the cage and base do most of the structural work — so replacing a damaged unit costs whatever that kind of unit costs.
Specification
What to state when ordering new.
A new-unit order has more variables than a reused one, because nothing is fixed by what already exists. Incomplete specifications are a common cause of a wrong delivery.
| Field | Common options | Often assumed if unstated | Gets it wrong when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 275, 330 gal | 275 | Your ceiling or rack height is tight for the taller 330 |
| Bottle | Natural HDPE, food-contact resin, UV-stabilised or dark | Natural | Food service was assumed rather than stated |
| Base | Composite, steel, wood, moulded plastic | Varies | You rack units and need a base suited to racking |
| Fork entry | Four-way, two-way | Four-way | Your loading approach is fixed |
| Outlet thread | S60x6, S70x6, S100x8 | S60x6 | Your existing fittings do not mate |
| Valve | 2" butterfly, 2" ball full port, 3" butterfly | 2" butterfly | Product is viscous or you pump rather than gravity drain |
| Gasket compound | EPDM, FKM (Viton), silicone | EPDM | Product contains oils, fats or aromatics |
| Cap | Vented, solid, tamper-evident | Varies | Product is volatile or hygroscopic |
| UN marking | UN-marked, or none | None | You ship regulated liquids — check current regulations |
| Markings | Blank, customer stencil | Blank | Your asset register needs numbers on the cage |
Lead times
What tends to affect a new-unit delivery.
New units depend on manufacturer production and allocation. A partner supplier follows up with availability for your request; these are the factors that usually matter.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Standard 275, no options | The most common configuration |
| 330 gallon | Produced in lower volume than 275 |
| UN-marked assembly | May be allocated separately from standard units |
| Non-standard base | Some bases are made in batches |
| Non-standard thread | S70x6 and S100x8 are less common |
| FKM or silicone gaskets | Often sourced rather than stocked |
| Customer stencilling | An extra step after the unit is made |
| Tight resin market | Allocation can tighten across the supply chain |
Honest comparison
What a new unit gives you over a rebottled one.
This is the list, including the rows where the answer is 'not much'.
| Attribute | New | Rebottled | Real difference? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle | Virgin, never filled | Virgin, never filled | None |
| Interior appearance | As-new | As-new | None |
| Prior-contents question | None | None | None |
| Cage | Virgin galvanising | Reused, inspected by the supplier, may show wear | Mostly cosmetic |
| Base | New | Retained, repaired or replaced | Cosmetic if replaced |
| UN marking | Available | Ask the supplier | Depends on the unit |
| Warranty | Manufacturer or supplier terms | Supplier terms, if any | Ask before you order |
| Price | Highest | Typically lower | Ask for both quotes |
| Environmental | New materials | Reuses the cage and pallet | Reusing a tote avoids making a new one |