IBC TOTESPA

Keep the totes you own

Reconditioning, so your containers come back working.

Washing, repairs, new fittings and a leak test for totes you already own. Request reconditioning quotes from partner suppliers in our network.

Short answer

IBC reconditioning typically covers washing, cage and base repair, new valve, gasket and lid, and a leak test. It is available through partner suppliers serving Pennsylvania; pricing is by quote.

Includes
Wash, repair, test
Pricing
By quote
Area
Pennsylvania
Fulfilled by
Partner suppliers

Work order · 90-second form

Quote reconditioning

How many totes, what they held, their condition and where they are.

A partner supplier replies to this address.

a 10-digit US or Canadian number with area code

a 5-digit US ZIP code or a 6-character Canadian postal code

IBC Totes PA is a referral service. Quotes are fulfilled by partner suppliers in our network.

The usual sequence

What reconditioning involves.

  1. 01

    Inspect

    Bottle, cage joints, base and fittings are checked and the prior contents confirmed.

  2. 02

    Wash

    A wash matched to the residue.

  3. 03

    Repair

    Bent cages straightened, rust treated, damaged bases repaired or replaced.

  4. 04

    Refit

    New valve, gasket and fill lid as needed.

  5. 05

    Test

    A leak test before the tote goes back into service.

Reconditioning questions

Asked and answered.

Reconditioning — FAQ

What does IBC reconditioning include?

Usually washing, inspection of the cage and base, straightening and de-rusting, valve, gasket and lid replacement, and a leak test. Some reconditioners also rebottle and re-mark containers for regulated use. Ask exactly what is included.

Is reconditioning cheaper than buying replacements?

Often, especially if you already own the containers and want to keep them. Compare a reconditioning quote with a quote for used replacements.

Can a reconditioned tote be used for regulated transport?

Only if it is reconditioned, tested and marked to the applicable rules. Check current regulations and ask the supplier whether a unit is suitable for your liquid.

What if a container cannot be reconditioned?

A cracked or contaminated bottle can often be replaced (rebottling). A cage with structural corrosion goes to scrap metal recycling.

IBC reference · on every page

Reference sheets for the numbers people ask about most.

Specifications, grade descriptions, thread standards, weights, gasket selection, freight limits and conversions. Open what you need; none of it is gated.

Container specs14 rows

Typical dimensions for the two common composite sizes. Check the plate on a specific unit.

The two common composite IBC sizes
Attribute275 gallon330 gallon
Capacity275 gal / 1,041 L330 gal / 1,249 L
Footprint48" × 40"48" × 40"
Height46"53"
Tare weight125–135 lb140–155 lb
Gross, water≈2,425 lb≈2,900 lb
Max gross mass2,800 lb3,300 lb
Stack, full2 high2 high
Stack, empty4 high4 high
Two-high stack height92"106"
Per 53′ van, volume4840
Per 53′ van, weight-limited17 full14 full
Fill opening6" vented or solid6" vented or solid
Discharge2" butterfly, S60x62" butterfly, S60x6
Forklift entry4-way4-way
Grade descriptions6 rows

How grades are commonly described. Ask each supplier for their own written definition.

Common used-tote grade descriptions (definitions vary by supplier)
Grade AGrade BGrade C
CleaningWashed or rinsedWashedRinsed or as-is
BottleClear to translucentLight haze permittedStaining likely
OdourNoneFaint, product-typicalMay be present
Prior contentsKnown, benignKnownMay be unknown
CageSquare, little rustSound, cosmetic dentsCosmetic damage
Typical useClean-water and general storageIndustrial and agriculturalNon-potable water, waste, rough duty
Threads & adapters9 rows

The outlet thread decides which adapter you need.

Threads and adapters
FittingSpecificationTypical use
3" butterfly3" flange, PP bodyBatch dumping, viscous liquids
2" butterflyS60x6 outlet, EPDM seatStandard discharge
2" camlockS60x6 → 2″ male camPump and transfer hose
2" NPTS60x6 → 2″ male NPTRigid plumbing
1" camlockS60x6 → 1″ male camControlled filling
3/4" GHTS60x6 → garden hoseIrrigation, wash-down
1/2" spigotS60x6 → spigotHand filling
S60x660 mm OD, 6 mm pitch buttressCommon modern outlet thread
S100x8100 mm OD, 8 mm pitchOlder or European valves — use a bushing
Weights by product10 rows

gallons × 8.34 × specific gravity + tare. The number people skip.

Gross weight by product — the calculation people skip
ProductSG275 gal gross330 gal grossStack?
Ethanol0.791,940 lb2,310 lbYes
Diesel / fuel oil0.852,080 lb2,480 lbYes — steel bin only
Vegetable oil0.922,240 lb2,670 lbYes
Water1.002,425 lb2,900 lbYes
Latex emulsion1.052,540 lb3,040 lbWith care
Brine 23%1.202,880 lb3,450 lbNo
Liquid fertiliser 28-0-01.283,065 lb3,670 lbNo
Corn syrup 42 DE1.333,180 lb3,810 lbNo — partial fill
Sulphuric acid 50%1.403,340 lb4,000 lbPartial fill
Sodium hydroxide 50%1.523,615 lb4,335 lbPartial fill
Gasket selection9 rows

General guidance only. Confirm compatibility with the product's SDS and your supplier.

Gasket and wetted-part selection
Product familyGasketValve bodyContainerAvoid
Water, brine, glycolEPDMPolypropylenePoly IBC—
Dilute acidsEPDMPolypropylenePoly IBCBrass, carbon steel
CausticsEPDMPolypropylenePoly IBCAluminium
Alcohols under 20% ABVEPDMPolypropylenePoly IBC—
Alcohols over 20% ABVVitonStainlessStainless binPoly bottles
Vegetable and mineral oilsVitonPolypropylenePoly IBCEPDM gaskets
Fuels, diesel, keroseneVitonPP or stainlessSteel binPoly bottles
Aromatic solventsVitonStainless316L binAll poly parts
Flavour, essence, botanicalVitonStainless316L binPoly bottles
Freight limits8 rows

Volume capacity and weight capacity are different numbers, and weight wins.

What fits on what — volume and weight limits
VehicleFull, 2 highWeight-limited fullEmpty, 4 highLiftgate
53′ dry van481796No
48′ flatbed401780No
26′ box truck24848Yes
16′ box truck12524Yes
Sprinter van428Yes
20′ sea container201740No
40′ sea container421784No
Drop trailer, 53′481796No
Conversions10 rows

The arithmetic that comes up daily.

Common conversions for IBC totes
FromToMultiply byWorked example
US gallonsLitres3.785275 gal = 1,041 L
LitresUS gallons0.26421,000 L = 264 gal
US gallons of waterPounds8.34275 gal = 2,294 lb
PoundsKilograms0.45362,425 lb = 1,100 kg
InchesMillimetres25.448" = 1,219 mm
Cubic feetUS gallons7.48151 ft³ = 381 gal
Cubic yardsCubic feet271.4 yd³ = 37.8 ft³
psiFeet of head (water)2.311.7 psi = 3.9 ft
Feet of headpsi0.43324 in stand = 0.87 psi
gpmLitres per minute3.78570 gpm = 265 L/min

Vocabulary, in twelve lines

IBC
Intermediate bulk container — anything between a drum and a tanker, in practice 110–550 gallons on a forkliftable base.
Composite IBC
An HDPE bottle inside a welded steel cage on a pallet base. The 275 and 330 gallon workhorses.
Tare
Empty weight of the container: 125–135 lb for a 275, 140–155 lb for a 330.
Gross mass
Container plus contents. Most 275s are rated to 2,800 lb; exceed it and the bottle bulges rather than bursts.
Node
A welded intersection in the cage where load actually transfers. The correct place to inspect.
S60x6
The standard outlet thread: 60 mm OD, 6 mm pitch buttress. Hand tight only.
Prior contents
What the container last held, logged against the original label. The single most consequential fact about any used tote.
Rebottle
A new HDPE bottle fitted into an inspected existing cage — a never-filled interior on a reused frame.
UN 31HA1
Marking for a composite IBC approved for liquids. Belongs to the assembly and carries a service life.
Regrind
Granulated recycled HDPE. Post-industrial IBC regrind goes to pipe, conduit, pallets — never food contact.
Reuse
Putting a container back into service instead of making a new one. It avoids the materials and energy a new container would need.

Full glossary

How quotes work

IBC Totes PA is a referral service. Send a request through the form and a partner supplier in our network follows up with pricing and availability for your area of Pennsylvania.

Request a quote

Next step

Reusing a tote avoids making a new one.

Request a quoteSell your empties