New boxes, for the three jobs used boxes should not do
We would rather sell you a used box — it is cheaper for you and better for the fiber. But three applications genuinely require new, and pretending otherwise would cost you more than the boxes.
Ask about new gaylord boxes
Tell us what you have or what you need. A real person in Houston reads every one of these — usually within a couple of hours during dock time.
At a glance
- Construction
- 2-wall through 5-wall, plus tri-wall octagon
- Dimensions
- Any inside dimension, 1" increments
- Flap styles
- RSC, full-overlap, HSC with separate cap, sleeve
- Ratings
- ECT and Mullen certificates supplied
- Lead time
- 2–4 weeks depending on corrugator schedule
- Minimum
- Typically one bundle; run quantities price better
The three cases for new
Direct food contact
If product touches fiber, the fiber needs a documented history that used stock cannot provide. You can often work around this with a food-grade poly liner inside a used box — plenty of operations do — but where the box itself is the contact surface, buy new.
Regulated and hazardous packaging
UN-rated packaging is certified as a complete system: box, closure, liner and pallet together. A used box breaks that chain. There is no argument available here and we will not sell you one.
When the box is the first impression
Some customers do not mind receiving product in a box with somebody else's half-scrubbed logo on it — plenty of industrial buyers actively prefer knowing you did not burn money on packaging. Some do mind. You know your customers better than we do.
Specifying a new box properly
- Inside dimensions, always. Outside is what the box measures; inside is what fits.
- Wall count derived from real weight — weigh one full box, multiply by stack height minus one, add 40% if it sits over a month and 30% more if it stores humid.
- Flap style. Full-overlap costs more board but doubles top and bottom protection.
- Closure. Separate telescoping cap, or flaps, or a sleeve on a base — this changes the whole geometry.
- Pallet pairing. Square boxes need square pallets. Do not put a 48×48 on a 48×40 and hope.
Hybrid programs
The arrangement we set up most often: new boxes for the regulated or customer-facing stream, graded used for everything else, on the same delivery. It is one supplier, one invoice, and the used side subsidises the new side more than most buyers expect.
New Gaylord Boxes — common questions
How long does a new box order take?
Two to four weeks, driven by the corrugator's schedule rather than ours. If you need boxes this week, used stock is not the cheaper option — it is the only option.
Can you match an existing box exactly?
Send us one, or send the inside dimensions and wall count. Matching from a sample is more reliable than matching from a drawing.
Do new boxes come with certificates?
Yes — ECT and Mullen values on the box maker's certificate, which is what your auditor will ask for.
Will you buy them back later?
Yes. A new box that has been through one clean fill is Grade A, which is our most valuable used category.