ECT
Edge Crush Test. A measure of how much vertical compression a corrugate board can take before buckling. Higher number = stronger box. The headline strength rating most boxes are sold by.
GMA pallet
Grocery Manufacturers Association standard pallet, 48 × 40 inches. The dominant North American pallet footprint.
Gaylord box
Industry shorthand for a heavy-duty corrugated bulk container, usually sized to fit a 48 × 40 pallet. Named after the Gaylord Container Company that popularized them in the 1950s.
IBC
Intermediate Bulk Container. A standardized 275- or 330-gallon liquid container, typically a caged HDPE bottle on a pallet.
S60×6
The most common European-standard IBC outlet thread. We carry adapters in both directions.
Triple-wall
Corrugate with three layers of fluted medium between two outer liners. The standard durable wall count for multi-trip Gaylord boxes.
Knock-down flat (KDF)
A box shipped unassembled and banded flat. Saves freight, requires assembly on the receiving dock.
Telescoping cover
A lid that slides down over the box top with full overlap, vs a flap-fold lid. Better for multi-trip durability.
ISPM-15
International phytosanitary standard for wood packaging. Required for international shipment. Heat-treated and stamped.
Linerboard
The flat outer paper layer of a corrugated board. The two surfaces between which the fluted medium is glued.
Fluted medium
The wavy paper layer sandwiched between linerboards. Provides compression strength.
Reverse logistics
Moving packaging or product backward through the supply chain — outbound packaging cycling back to the original shipper for reuse.
Closed loop
A packaging program where the same boxes cycle between a fixed set of origin and destination facilities, never being purchased new repeatedly.
Diversion
Sustainability term for tonnage prevented from entering a landfill waste stream. Closed-loop programs are reported in pounds diverted.
WARM model
EPA Waste Reduction Model. The federal life-cycle assessment framework most North American sustainability claims are normed against.
Buttress thread
A high-strength asymmetrical screw thread. Common on IBC outlets, designed to take pressure under load.
Hot-shot
Shipping industry term for an emergency partial-truckload pickup using a smaller vehicle than a 53' van. We run them.
Backhaul
The return leg of a truck route. Often available at a discount because the truck would otherwise run empty.
Caged tote
An IBC where the inner HDPE bottle is supported by a steel cage. The dominant industrial format.
Rebottled
An IBC where the steel cage is refurbished but the inner HDPE bottle is new. Best-of-both for cost and cleanliness.