Plastic bucket: the essential ally for your packaging

At Fidel Fillaud, our commitment is to provide high quality packaging solutions tailored to the specific needs of our customers. We understand that every industry has its own requirements when it comes to containers, and we are committed to helping you make the choice that best suits your needs. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of 1L IML Plastic ice cream containers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

This guide has been designed to help you navigate through our range of plastic buckets and choose the perfect one for your specific job, industry and needs. You'll find information on the different materials used, customisation options, tips on choosing the right pail for your needs, and much more.

All you need to know about the materials and characteristics of plastic buckets

A plastic pail is moulded packaging, usually with a handle for easy transport. It is widely used in various sectors to package, store and transport solid, liquid, powdery or pasty products. The basic components of a plastic pail are the body, usually cylindrical, and the lid. Depending on the model, the pail may also include a seal to ensure that it is watertight, and a tamper-evident seal.

What material should you choose for your plastic bucket: PP, PE or rPP ?

• Polypropylene (PP): A rigid material that offers excellent resistance to pressure and force. It can also withstand high temperatures, with a melting point in excess of 160°C. What's more, PP is fully recyclable, making it an environmentally-friendly option.

• Polyethylene (PE): Robust and dimensionally stable, polyethylene is the material of choice for industrial pail. It is suitable for storing and preserving all kinds of products, whether liquid or solid, food or non-food.

• Recycled polypropylene (rPP): These pails are made from materials that are recycled after use. The proportion of recycled materials (PCR - Post Consumer Recycled) used in this type of bucket can vary from 25% to 100% depending on the model.

The strengths of a plastic bucket: what you need to remember

• Watertightness: Plastic pails have a good watertight seal, making them ideal for packaging viscous or liquid products. Some models are fitted with a seal to ensure optimum leak-tightness.
• Recyclability: Plastic pails are recyclable, minimising their impact on the environment. PP, PE and rPP buckets are 100% recyclable. 
• Handle: Plastic pails generally have a handle, either plastic or metal, to make them easier to carry. Some larger models have side handles.
• Tamper-evident option: Some pails have a tamper-evident feature. This feature is particularly useful for products with high added value, foodstuffs or hazardous products.

Versatility for storage and transport in different areas

Plastic pails are versatile containers used in a wide range of sectors. Their watertightness, strength and ease of handling make them practical for a multitude of applications. Below are a few examples of how plastic buckets are used in different sectors.

• From yoghurts to cereals: how do plastic pails protect food products?

In industry, the plastic pail plays a key role as food packaging, ensuring the packaging and distribution of a variety of products. For example, they are widely used to package dairy products such as yoghurt and ice cream, condiments such as mayonnaise and ketchup, and bulk products such as cereals and sweets. Plastic food pails offer optimum protection against external contaminants, while making it easier to transport and handle products.

• Chemical content: plastic pails, a robust and safe solution

Plastic chemical pails are also widely used in the chemical industry, particularly for packaging paints, varnishes, glues, resins, cleaning products and swimming pool maintenance products. Their resistance to chemicals, their watertightness and their sturdiness are particularly appreciated in this sector. UN-approved pails are also available for transporting and storing hazardous products in chemical packaging.

• The key role of plastic pails in beauty product packaging

Manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products also use plastic buckets to package their products. They can be used to hold creams, hair masks, bath salts or body scrubs in large quantities. Plastic buckets used for cosmetic packaging guarantee optimum preservation of products, while allowing practical and efficient distribution.

• Health sector: plastic pails guarantee the safety and hygiene of materials

Finally, in the healthcare sector, plastic pails are widely used as healthcare packaging, enabling the storage and transportation of medical materials, surgical supplies, medicines and medical waste. In this crucial context, they must comply with extremely strict quality and hygiene standards to guarantee the safety and integrity of products and medical waste.

The flexibility and robustness of plastic pails make them suitable for a multitude of uses in these different sectors. Choosing the right pail will depend on your specific needs, the nature of the product to be packaged and the standards specific to your sector of activity.

Buying advice to find the right plastic pail for your needs :

Choosing a plastic pail is not a matter of chance. It's essential to consider your specific needs, the type of contents you plan to store, and the requirements specific to your sector. This will help you select the pail with lid that best meets your expectations. Here are a few points to consider:

Depending on the content :

• If you're planning to package liquids, you'll need a pail that offers maximum leak-tightness, specially designed for transporting and storing liquids, could be a good option. If you're packing hazardous liquids, UN-approved plastic pails for liquids will be more suitable.

• If you're planning to pack solid products, watertightness is still important, but other factors may also come into play, such as ease of opening and closing, or the shape of the bucket to make it easier to dispense the product.

Depending on use :

• If you plan to reuse the pail several times, opt for a sturdy model with a metal handle for easier handling.

• If you plan to use the pail for long-term storage, the durability of the material will be a key criterion. Polypropylene or polyethylene buckets may offer better resistance to ageing and varying environmental conditions.

Depending on space constraints and specific industrial requirements :

• Space constraints can influence your choice of pail. For example, if you're short of storage space, stackable buckets can be an interesting solution. They are designed to be stacked without risk of distortion, optimising storage space.

• The specifics of your industry can also influence your choice. If your products need to be packaged in cartons for retail sale, square or rectangular pails may be more appropriate to maximise space in the carton and reduce transport costs.

 

Depending on your company's environmental impact:

In a world increasingly aware of environmental issues, your choice of plastic bucket can also be influenced by its impact on the environment. Traditional plastic pails, while effective and durable, are made from non-renewable resources and can contribute to plastic pollution if not properly recycled.

As a result, it may be beneficial to choose more environmentally-friendly plastic pails. For example, plastic pails made from recycled PP (rPP) are a greener alternative. RPP is made from recycled plastic waste, reducing the demand for virgin plastics and helping to minimise the environmental impact of plastic production.

What's more, the pails themselves are recyclable, helping to create a more sustainable production and consumption cycle.

 

Selection of plastic pails to suit your needs :

Standard plastic pails :

Our standard plastic pails come in a wide range of capacities, from 1 to 61 litres. Made from polypropylene (PP), these containers are available in white or crystal. We also offer black, blue, yellow and red pails. Depending on capacity and model, you can choose between a plastic or metal handle. Some larger pails are fitted with handles to make them easier to carry and handle. We also offer different shapes of plastic pails, such as round, rectangular or square, to meet your specific needs.

 

UN-approved plastic pails :

We offer UN-approved plastic pails for transporting and storing hazardous or high-value-added products. These round plastic pails are available in capacities ranging from 3 to 32 litres. They are marked in accordance with UN regulations to guarantee safety and compliance when transporting hazardous substances. They can be approved for liquids, solids or liquids and solids. You can choose from a range of colours, including black, white and blue, depending on the model. Depending on capacity, the pails can be fitted with a plastic handle or side handles to make them easier to grip and carry. Some models can also be used to package food products, depending on specifications.

 

 

RPP (Recycled and eco-responsible) pails :

As part of our commitment to eco-responsibility, we offer pails made from RPP (Recycled Polypropylene) plastic. These pails are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) or a mixture of PCR and post-industrial recycled plastic (PIR). RPP pails are available in capacities such as 2.5L, 5L, 10.3L, 11L, 12L and 16L, 17L, 20L, 20.5L, 25L, 27L, 30L, 33L. They come in dark grey or black and are designed for packaging products such as paint, glues, cleaning products, rat poison, gardening products, asphalt mixes, etc. Recycled pails offer a sustainable solution using recycled materials and are 100% recyclable.

Our associated covers :

Plastic pail lids are ideal for protecting and preserving the products contained in the pails. At Fidel Fillaud, we offer a complete range of lids for our plastic pails, with specific features to meet your needs. Here are some important points to know about plastic pail lids:

Types of cover :

• Snapper lids: These lids snap securely onto the pail. They provide an airtight seal to prevent leaks and contamination.

• Screw-on lids: These lids screw onto the pail for a hermetic seal. They provide a superior seal and are particularly suitable for products requiring maximum protection against moisture and air.

Closing options :

• Gasket: Some lids are fitted with a rubber or plastic gasket for optimum sealing. This seal ensures that the pail is hermetically sealed, protecting its contents from moisture, air and external contaminants.

• Tamper-evident: Some lids are fitted with a tamper-evident system, such as a security seal or anti-tamper device, to check whether the pail has been opened or tampered with.

Additional options:

• Pouring spout: Some lids can be fitted with a pouring spout to make it easier to pour liquids accurately into the pail.

• Wipe dispenser: fitted with an insertion device for picking up wipes

Customisation at the heart of your project :

We offer various customisation options to enable you to create unique pails that match your brand image. The choice of personalisation technique depends on a number of factors, such as production volume, design complexity, budget and specific project requirements. For large production runs with complex designs and bright colours, In-Mould Labelling (IML) may be the best option. Our team of specialists is on hand to advise you and help you choose the personalisation technique best suited to your project.

In-Mould Labelling (IML) :

 

This labelling technique involves placing a pre-printed polypropylene (PP) label inside the mould during the plastic injection process. The label fuses with the plastic pail, creating an integrated, durable decoration. IML offers exceptional print quality, vivid colours and high resistance to water, scratches and wear. This method is particularly suited to large production runs and offers the possibility of 360-degree decorations.

Additional resources:
Liquor Bottle Sizes: A Complete Guide
Kraft Bubble Mailers

For more IML packaging containersinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

 

Impression Offset : 

Offset printing is a technique used in the packaging industry. Offset printing is suitable for simple designs with few colours and is cost-effective.

Colours available :

We offer a wide range of colours to customise your plastic pails. Standard colour options include :

• White: the most commonly used colour, offering a clean, neutral appearance.

• Transparent: for visibility of contents through the pail.

• Dark grey, black, yellow, orange, red, green, blue: add colour and visual appeal to your pails.

We also offer custom colour options to meet your specific needs.

How can you minimise the environmental impact of your pails?

There are several ways of reducing the ecological footprint associated with the use of plastic pails. These strategies are centred around key concepts such as recycling, reuse and the choice of recycled materials.

1. Recycling: Recycling is an important step in minimising environmental impact. This means not only recycling your plastic pails once they have reached the end of their useful life, but also ensuring that the pails you use are made from recyclable materials. At Fidel Fillaud, all our plastic pails are 100% recyclable, which means they can be turned into new products, reducing the need for virgin materials and cutting down on plastic waste ending up in landfill and the environment.

2. Reuse: Reusing pails can help extend their lifespan and reduce the need to produce new pails, which can have a significant impact on your company's carbon footprint. Please note that if the pail is to be used for food products, it is recommended that you choose a single-use pail.

3. Choice of recycled materials: Finally, it is important to favour products made from recycled materials whenever possible. Fidel Fillaud's rPP plastic pails are an excellent choice in this context. They are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) or a mixture of 75% PCR and 25% post-consumer recycled plastic (PIR). By choosing these products, you're not only helping to reduce the amount of plastic waste, you're also supporting the circular economy by encouraging the use of recycled materials.

By combining these three approaches, you can take a significant step towards reducing your environmental impact. Not only will this result in benefits for the environment, but it can also enhance your brand image and help you meet the growing expectations of consumers and regulators in terms of eco-responsibility.

Choosing the right plastic pail is crucial for effective packaging and optimum product protection. Whatever your industry - food, chemical, cosmetics or healthcare - we have the right plastic pail solution for you. Don't hesitate to contact us for more information, a personalised quotation or expert advice. We're here to help you make the right choice and offer you quality packaging solutions.

With food wastage another problem for the planet the more we know about different types of food storage, the better it is both for us as individuals and as a society. Food storage is important because it increases the shelf life of a product. Most of the edibles you buy in a supermarket will give you instructions on how to store it, including the place and temperature at which it should be kept.

Before we look at the different types of food storage, it is good to know the following:

Foods can be divided up into three main categories:

Perishable

These as their name suggests are the foods that will go off quickly unless they are stored correctly and even then they will only retain their freshness for three to seven days. They include fruits and vegetables, meats, cream etc.

Semi perishable

These are foodstuffs that if sealed in a clean vacuum sealed bag may remain unspoilt for six months to a year. They include, flour, dried fruits, grains etc.

Staple foods

These can include dried pulses, cans, the kinds of things that won’t spoil unless they’re handled carelessly. However, even if they’re stored under ideal conditions, they can start to lose quality over extended periods of time.

So as you can see types of food storage are all important when it comes to getting the longest shelf-life possible out of products.

Five different types of food storage you need to know about

Dry

There are many reasons why storing food in its dried form works. It’s just an excellent way to preserve food. You will probably already have dried items in your store cupboard, for example, different kinds of herbs, mushrooms, and dried fruits.

The way it works is that the water is removed from fresh food, preventing the growth of bacteria (this is a vital reason why foods are packaged). This can be achieved in a number of ways. If you’re drying herbs, you can hang them in your kitchen, or you may dry out tomatoes by placing them in the sun or the oven.

Drying produce not only makes it last longer, it also intensifies the flavour, as well as reduce its size, making storage easier.

The downside

Some vitamins and nutrients can be lost during the drying process, such as A, C and thiamine; especially if produce has been blanched beforehand.  Drying foods can be a long process and if you use an electric dehydrator, you’ll be using a lot of energy.

Frozen

Frozen foods have many advantages, the biggest being their convenience. For the home cook, making a big batch of something and then freezing it to eat throughout the next few weeks or even months is very time and cost effective, while a store of produce in your freezer means you’ll always have something to cook if you’ve not had the chance to do a shop. In general, many frozen foods retain vitamins and minerals because freezing preserves nutrients and they can even taste better than fresh (think frozen peas for example!).

The downside

When freezing foods you can be at risk of getting ill. This is because contrary to what people might think, freezing foods does not kill off possible bacteria, just slows down its spread. This is why the freezing process is so important. You should wrap or package foods properly and ensure that your freezer remains cold enough. It is also tempting to have foods in the freezer for months, even years on end, which isn’t good for either the taste of the food or potentially for you.

Freeze dried

Foods which are freeze dried are those which have been placed in a vacuum chamber and been dried so they contain no moisture. The big advantage of freeze dried foods is they can last decades and will taste great when re-hydrated.

You can freeze dry food at home with dry ice. Here’s how:

1. Place the food in freezer-safe bags.
2. Once bagged, place them in a cooler.
3. Cover with dry ice and leave for about 24 hours.
4. They should now be completely freeze dried, in which case you can remove the bags from the cooler and store them in an airtight container.

You can also freeze dry food in a special vacuum chamber. This is the most efficient method but it is also expensive as you need to invest in freeze drying equipment that speeds up the process.

The downside

Freeze drying can be expensive, if you invest in special equipment, it takes quite a long time and not all foods can be freeze dried. Unlike foods that are dried they retain their structure, so you won’t be saving any space in your food cupboard.

Canned food

We are all familiar with canned food but did you know that it dates as far back as 1809 when Frenchman Nicolas Appert invented the process in response to a call by his government for a means of preserving food for army and navy use?  www.britannica.com/topic/canning-food-processing When food is canned it is usually done within hours of it being picked, or prepared and this helps it retain its nutrients.

Basically, the food is placed in an airtight can, the lid is sealed and then the whole thing is heated rapidly for a specific amount of time to kill bacteria and prevent it from going off.

Canned foods used to be thought of as inferior to fresh or frozen, however it has been found that they can be as nutritious as fresh or frozen and, in some cases, even more so. They are the most durable of packaged foods and usually cheaper as well as being widely available.

The downside

Often the taste of canned food just isn’t as delicious as that which is fresh or frozen. Well, it can be different, at least. This may be because it has a high salt content, or added sugar, which isn’t exactly healthy for us. Canned foods are usually safe but if they don’t receive enough thermal heat treatment during the canning process, Clostridium botulinum spores may be allowed to germinate and produce botulism toxin.

Dehydrated

Dehydrated food is similar to freeze dried but it has the edge as it is lightweight and long lasting. Plus by removing all the moisture in the food you inhibit the growth of bacteria.  Dehydrated food can include things like soup mixes, herbs, fruit leather, kale and other vegetables. To dehydrate food you need a food dehydrator machine. Following the process, you need to ensure the food is completely cooled and then package it in a dry and clean container. Freezer containers, and bags are all good options too. Your dehydrated foods should then be stored in a dark and cool location.

The downside

Dehydrated foods will look, and taste differently and also contain a lot more calories per volume as water is removed from the food. Also, the process of dehydration is slow and rather dull to do, so you have to be passionate about your dehydrated goodies.

Why you should explore different types of food storage?

Most types of food storage will be familiar to us but not necessarily something we’d do ourselves, and yet there are many advantages of exploring the options:-

1. By storing food in different ways, you reduce food wastage which is better for our planet.
2. You can prolong the life of fruits and vegetables – especially if you grow them yourself.
3. It makes it possible for you to eat foods that are out of season.
4. You can buy things in bulk, which could save you money.
5. You can make experimenting with different types of food storage an amusing hobby.

If you wish to purchase any food storage plastic packaging, Venturepak can help you out. From square containers, to rectangular containers, to plastic ice cream containers, we have a wide range of food storage options for any occasion. If you would prefer to speak with someone about a bulk order you can also call us on 01744 415111 and one of our friendly team will be able to answer any queries.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit IML Packagings.