Buy-back and asset recovery
Set the exit plan up on day one, not in year five.
Product 04 · When nothing else will do
New
IBC totes
We would rather sell you a reused tote. Sometimes the specification will not allow it — a UN-marked shipment of a regulated liquid, a customer contract that forbids reuse, an insurer that will not budge. Then you want a new one, and we stock them.
Order desk
Price new IBC totes
Quantity and delivery ZIP are what move the price. Tell us those and the grade you think you need, and we will confirm or talk you down to something cheaper.
The short answer
New IBC totes are virgin-component containers: new HDPE bottle, new galvanised cage, new pallet, current UN 31HA1 marking and a full test certificate. Expect $310–$470 depending on size, pallet type and volume. Choose new when you are shipping regulated goods under a valid UN mark, when a customer contract mandates it, or when the tote will hold something that would make reuse irresponsible.
- Current-date UN 31HA1 marking with manufacturer test documentation
- Composite, plastic or steel pallet; steel where you need forklift abuse tolerance
- Natural, black UV-stable or conductive bottle options
- 2–4 week lead time as standard; stock units available same week
The four legitimate reasons to buy new
- You are shipping a DOT/UN-regulated liquid. A used tote's original mark does not carry forward for regulated transport without recertification by a competent authority. If you are offering hazardous material for transport, new or recertified is the only correct answer.
- A customer contract forbids reused packaging. Common in pharma, cosmetics and some export food supply chains. Argue it if you like, but do not quietly ignore it.
- The content is aggressive enough that history matters. Strong oxidisers and some solvents will find any micro-crack a previous life created.
- You need a specific build that does not exist second-hand — conductive bottles for flammables, jacketed units, or a specific valve standard fleet-wide.
Build options worth specifying
| Option | Choose it when | Cost effect |
|---|---|---|
| Composite pallet | Default. Indoor use, mixed handling | Baseline |
| Steel pallet | Heavy forklift traffic, outdoor yards, hot climates | +8–12 % |
| Plastic pallet | Wash-down areas, food plants, no metal policy | +4–6 % |
| Black UV bottle | Outdoor storage, light-sensitive product | +6–9 % |
| Conductive bottle | Flammable liquids needing static dissipation | +35–50 % |
| Vented lid | Anything that off-gasses or is filled hot | +2 % |
| EPDM vs Viton gasket | Chemistry dependent — ask us | +1–4 % |
| Restricted flow valve | Dosing accuracy, dispensing safety | +5 % |
What we do with your new tote when it retires
Buying new from us puts you at the front of the queue for buy-back. We log the lot, and when your units come out of service we will quote to take them back — reconditioned, rebottled or recycled — usually at a better number than the open market, because we already know their history.
That is the point of buying new from a recycler rather than a distributor. The container has an exit plan on the day it arrives.
?Common questions
Questions people actually ask
Do new totes come with a UN certificate?
Yes. Current-date 31HA1 marking on the data plate and the manufacturer's design-type test documentation on request. Remember the mark has a manufacture date and that hazardous-goods transport rules place limits on the age of the container in service; check your own operation's requirements.
How much cheaper is used, really?
On a 26-unit load of 275 gallon totes delivered in Texas, reconditioned B grade runs roughly a third of new and rebottled roughly 55–65 % of new. The gap widens as quantity rises because the freight is identical either way.
Can you match a specific manufacturer?
Usually. Tell us the brand and the valve standard your fleet runs and we will source to match, or explain honestly where a substitute is equivalent. Fleet consistency on valve threads is worth more than most people realise — mismatched outlets cost you an adapter drawer and a lot of small leaks.
»Keep reading
Reading a UN mark
31HA1 decoded, character by character.
The reused alternative
What you would be getting for a third of the money.