78 x 48 in plastic bulk containers
78 x 48 in is the longest standard bulk container footprint, six and a half feet, and it comes in just two heights, 25 and 34 in. It exists for parts that won't go in anything shorter.
Heights it comes in
- 25 in
- 34 in
From Container Exchanger plastic gaylord page, reviewed 14 November 2026.
Containers made on it
- Collapsible containerIn 25 and 34 in heights; folding matters most on the biggest empties.
- Sleeve packAn alternative where the longest parts are lifted out from above.
What it fits
With only two heights, the choice is short. 25 in suits long flat parts layered with dunnage; 34 in suits long parts that stand on edge or lie in bundles. If neither height suits, a sleeve pack lets you choose the sleeve height separately from the base.
Measure the route, not only the destination: a container this long has to clear dock plates, doorways and turns in the aisles of both plants on the loop. Tell us the forklift fork length, too.
Weight adds up quickly at this size. A full 78 in container of steel stampings or extrusions can approach the limit of a small forklift, and the centre of the load sits further from the mast than on a 48 in box. Check your truck's rated capacity at that load centre before the first one arrives. Empties are awkward for one person to fold; two people, one on each end, make it quicker and save the hinges from twisting. Store them folded on their bases, never on edge, so the walls don't warp under their own weight in a warm building.
Long containers also pay off differently on a trailer. Because each row eats 78 in of floor, a 53 ft trailer takes fewer rows than with shorter footprints, and the count per load falls. That makes the folded height on the trip back count for even more.
Few warehouses have rack bays for a 78 in container, so plan floor space: each stack takes about 26 square feet before aisles, and a 53 ft trailer takes eight rows in its roughly 630 in of inside length, with a few inches to spare.
Typical contents are bumper beams, roof bows, long trim strips, extrusions and pipe. Because so few containers are made at this length, a fleet usually comes from one maker and one model; adding to it later is easier if you record the model number when you buy.
Aircraft and rail-car builders sometimes use containers this long for structural members and ducting.
Questions about 78 x 48 in
- Is there anything longer?
- Not as a standard bulk container. Parts longer than 78 in usually travel on racks or in custom containers built for the part.
- Why only two heights?
- Few parts need this length and a tall container together; the 25 and 34 in heights cover most long flat parts and long bundled parts.
- Will it go through a dock door?
- Measure the door, the dock plate and any turn inside. A 78 in container on long forks needs room to turn.
- Are lids available?
- For some models. Ask; long lids are often sold separately.