56 x 48 in plastic bulk containers
56 x 48 in is the first of the long footprints, eight inches longer than 48 x 48. It carries parts that are a little too long to lie flat in a 48 in container, like trim panels, tubing and extrusions, without going to a much bigger box.
Heights it comes in
- 19 in
- 25 in
- 34 in
- 42 in
From Container Exchanger plastic gaylord page, reviewed 14 November 2026.
Containers made on it
- Collapsible containerHeights from 19 to 42 in. The low 19 in model suits long flat parts layered with dunnage.
- Sleeve packA long base with a sleeve that lifts off, for parts unloaded by hoist.
- Plastic pallet boxRigid, for long parts that stay in one plant.
What it fits
A 56 in long container won't sit in rack bays built for 48 in pallets without overhang, and it needs forks long enough to carry it safely. Measure both before you order. On a trailer, the 48 in side runs across two to a row as with the shorter footprints, and the 56 in length sets how many rows fit.
Low heights are common on long footprints. A 19 in tall container holds long parts in a few layers with dunnage between them, so nothing at the bottom carries the weight of everything above.
This footprint sits between the standard boxes and the long ones. It takes parts a little over four feet long without moving to a much bigger size, and it still turns easily in an aisle. Plants that make seats, instrument panels, larger moulded parts or bundles of tube often settle on it. A 56 in container uses 8 in more of a trailer row than a 48 in one, which costs fewer rows per load than the longer footprints do.
Check rack bay depths before ordering. A selective rack set up for 48 in pallets has beams 42 to 44 in deep in many warehouses; a 56 in container overhangs that by a good margin, and some plants won't allow it. Floor storage avoids the question.
Measure the part diagonally as well as straight: a part that won't lie flat in a 48 in box sometimes fits corner to corner, and a part that just fits in 56 in may not leave room for dunnage. Check your trailer pattern too, since 56 in rows use more of the floor than 48 in ones.
Seat makers often use this size with racks that hold each seat upright, so the containers fill evenly and nothing rubs.
Two 56 x 48 in containers side by side measure 96 in across their 48 in sides, which fits a dry van; turned the other way, two 56 in sides need 112 in, wider than any trailer. The loading pattern is fixed before the first load, and doorways and lift gates on the route need the same check, since a 56 in container carried lengthwise on forks sticks out further than people expect.
Questions about 56 x 48 in
- Which way does it go on the truck?
- Usually with the 48 in side across the trailer, two to a row, so the 56 in length runs along the trailer. That keeps rows square and lets a forklift load from the back.
- Do I need longer forks?
- Often, if you lift from the 56 in side. Standard forks are too short to carry a 56 in container safely from its long side; lifting from the 48 in side avoids that.
- Is there a lid?
- Lids are made to match the footprint; quote them on the same line as the containers.
- What parts suit it?
- Seats, dashboards, larger moulded parts and short bundles of tube, anything a little over four feet. Appliance and furniture components sometimes use it as well, where a part overhangs a 48 in box by a few inches.