48 x 40 in plastic bulk containers
48 x 40 in is the footprint of the standard GMA pallet, the most common pallet in the US, so a container on it drops into racking, onto conveyors and across trailers already sized for pallets. More container types are made on it than on any other footprint we quote.
Heights it comes in
- 16 in
- 25 in
- 30 in
- 31 in
- 32 in
- 34 in
- 39 in
- 42 in
- 46 in
- 48 in
- 50 in
From Container Exchanger plastic gaylord page, reviewed 14 November 2026; 31, 32 and 46 in are the containers listed below, from their makers' pages.
Containers made on it
- Collapsible containerA 32 in tall model carries 1,500 lb, folds to 13.5 in and ships 240 collapsed or 90 assembled per 53 ft trailer.
- Tall collapsibleAbout 46 in tall, 2,000 lb and 40.5 cu ft, folding to 13.8 in for a 3.3:1 return ratio.
- Folding field bin32 in tall, 1,200 lb, 78 lb empty, drop doors on all four sides, 330 folded per trailer.
- Macro bin31 in tall, 1,500 lb or 190 gallons, nests empty at 150 to a truckload.
| Line | Imperial | Metric | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collapsible, 32 in | 1,500 lb; 13.5 in collapsed | 680 kg; 343 mm | 1 |
| Tall collapsible, 46 in | 2,000 lb; 13.8 in collapsed | 907 kg; 351 mm | 2 |
| Field bin, 32 in | 1,200 lb; 10 in folded | 544 kg; 254 mm | 3 |
| Macro bin, 31 in | 1,500 lb; nests | 680 kg | 4 |
Metric figures are converted from the maker's imperial figures (1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 lb = 0.4536 kg, 1 US gal = 3.785 L) and rounded. Sources last reviewed 14 November 2026.
What it fits
Pallet racking built for GMA pallets takes it without changes, and so does most pallet-flow and roller conveyor. On a trailer, the 48 in side runs across: two containers side by side take 96 in of a dry van that is roughly 98 to 101 in wide inside, depending on the trailer.
The one thing to check is height. A moulded base and rim add inches a wood pallet under a corrugated box didn't have, so measure the clear height in your rack bay before you pick from the heights above.
Because it matches the standard pallet, a 48 x 40 in container mixes freely with palletised loads on the same trailer and in the same racking.
Grocery, beverage and retail distribution in North America runs on this footprint, so containers here fit the dock plates, pallet jacks and conveyors those buildings already have.
Questions about 48 x 40 in
- Is 48 x 40 the same as a GMA pallet?
- The footprint is the same, 48 in by 40 in. A container on it has its own moulded base, so you don't put it on a pallet; it takes the pallet's place in the rack and on the truck.
- Which way do the forks go in?
- Most containers on this footprint take forks from all four sides. Some have runners underneath for roller conveyor, which limits entry to two sides. Tell us how the containers are moved and we match the base.
- What height should I choose?
- The tallest that fits your clear height in the rack and stacks safely on the truck, unless the product gets too heavy first. For dense parts, a lower container stays under its load rating when full.