Metal packaging is strong and sustainable, which is why it has been the top packaging choice for many businesses for many years. Because metal has been used to make containers for a long time, metal packaging has evolved to include a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. The type that's right for your business will depend on many factors including:
- The product being stored
- The quantity being stored
- Whether it's being exported
- Whether it needs to comply with regulations
- Whether it's water-based or solvent-based
Read on to explore the myriad metal packaging options out there and to discover which container could fit the needs of your business.
Metal Pails
Metal pails are designed to safely ship and store a wide range of products. The best quality pails are UN certified and have been tested to withstand the rigours of the road. One of the reasons pails are so good at keeping contents sealed is that they have closures engineered to create a watertight and airtight seal.
There are two different types of pail lids. The most commonly used is a two-part system; a metal pail lid fits over the pail and is then sealed via a tinplate pail ring, which fits over the pail rim and tin lid. This ensures the lid will not come loose in transport.
The other option is a lug lid. The lug lid is engineered to be self-sealing. It has angled metal tabs that grip the pail and is applied using a manual or pneumatic closing tool. This type of closure must be used with a lug lid pail. Some businesses prefer this type of pail because it can be quicker to use and more economical.
Tulip pails are nestable metal buckets, so they are very efficient to store when empty. They are typically available in smaller sizes including 3 and 5 litres. Tulip pails are more sustainable than plastic buckets and more space-efficient than lever lid tins.
Standard and lug pails are available with two options of internal coatings; lacquered, for water-based products and unlacquered for solvents. Pails are also suitable for offset printing, making them a practical choice for industrial use.
Invopak supplies a wide range of pails from 3 litre to 25 litres, which you can order direct from our online store or if you’d like to discuss your specific requirements get in touch with the team.
Metal Drums
Metal drums come in a variety of sizes and styles but they all have one thing in common. Strength. Every drum Invopak sells is UN certified, which means they have passed rigorous testing. Drop tests, pressure tests, leakproof tests, seam tests, stacking tests - so when you order a metal drum from us you can be confident it is fit for purpose.
Metal drums have been the tried and trusted container for bulk shipping for decades, and they are the safest way to ship large quantities of liquids, oils, chemicals and solvents.
Steel, tinplate, lacquered, plain, new or re-conditioned; whatever you need to bulk ship there will be a drum to match.
Blue steel drums stacked on wooden pallets ready to ship
Steel Drums
Steel drums are ideal for transporting and storing liquids and are used in a variety of industries where safety and reliability are essential. Current industry applications include paint and coatings, solvents, oils and aggressive chemicals.
Quality steel drums are manufactured from thick-gauge steel and are UN approved safe for shipping and export. They are available in open top and tighthead versions.
Open top steel drums have a removable top and ring-latch closure. They also have separate bung closure holes in the top for syphoning. Open top metal drums are very versatile and can be used for powders, solids, semi-solids, hazardous waste and construction materials
Tighthead steel drums are the best choice for oils and liquids because they are manufactured as a sealed unit and are filled and emptied via small bung openings in the top. Tite-seal bung closures offer a leak-proof sealing method, making tighthead drums ideal for shipping chemicals and other dangerous substances.
Metal drums come with either a plain or a lacquered interior. Plain metal drums are the most commonly used and are designed for solvent-based liquids. Lacquered metal drums have a protective internal finish, which protects the container against corrosion when used with water-based products.
Tinplate Drums
Tinplate drums are available with either a screw-top or berg-top opening, they are lighter than steel drums. The standard size is 25 litre, and they come with a plain or lacquered internal finishes. UN approved tinplate drums are a practical choice for storing and shipping smaller volumes of liquids and chemicals.
Paint Tins
Paint tins, "do exactly what it says on the tin" - they're tins for paint! The classic design consists of a round metal container and a separate, press-fit lever lid. Spring steel retaining clips can also be used for extra security when goods are shipped.
Small lever lid tins are ideal for paint samples
Our 2.5 litre and 5 litre paint tins are now manufactured here in the UK, in our factory in Manchester. This means we can offer an excellent product and service at an excellent price. Click here to watch our CRO Scott Sandilands explain why when we made the move into manufacturing it had to be metal.
Wholesale Tins
Ordering your tins wholesale or directly from the manufacturer offers service as well as cost benefits. Invopak offers tiered price-breaks, so that our customers benefit when purchasing larger quantities.
Rectangular Tins
Rectangular tins are a popular choice for paints, coatings and chemicals as well as edible oils. They are available in 5 litre and 10 litre sizes and are UN approved for shipping and export.
Invopak's rectangle tins are now being manufactured here in the UK, which means a faster turnaround, more secure supply, and a better service. We also offer bespoke printing for this range, click here to discover more.
Printed rectangle tins being made in the Invopak factory
Aluminium Bottles
The first job of any container is protection, and when the value of a product is its aroma or taste, those qualities (and not just the product itself) must be preserved too. Aluminium bottles were developed to do just this - to protect the valuable fragrance oils and essences used in the perfume industry.
Our aluminium bottles are made by Tournaire from a single piece of aluminium, so there are no seams that could leak. Aluminium is light and durable, and unlike glass bottles they won't break.
The closure is just as important as the container when it comes to creating leak-proof packaging. Tournaire's system-plus caps and closures create a strong, water-tight seal and are also UN certified for safe shipping and export.
The lavender fields of Provence near where our Tournaire bottles are made
Aluminium bottles offer the ultimate protection for high-value liquids, so their use has spread outside the perfume industry. They are now used for storing a wide range of valuable commodities from automotive additives to laboratory supplies to vape liquids.
We are Tournaire's UK supplier, and stock the full range of sizes from 38ml sample bottles right up to 32 litre bulk shipping bottles. Take a look at the complete Tournaire selection here.
Metal - the Sustainable Packaging Choice
Metal recycles forever so metal packaging recycles forever too! Containers made of metal, whether tinplate, steel or aluminium can be melted down and re-used an infinite number of times with no loss of quality.
Metal is a permanent material so whether it's a car or a paint tin it can be recycled forever with no loss of quality
Metal is valuable, it is a precious resource that costs money to extract, so it makes economic sense to recycle as much as possible. This is one of the reasons that approximately 75% of all aluminium and 67% of steel that has ever been produced is still in use today (according to a report from Euric). Figures that are rising every year as recycling technology becomes more advanced and more frequently used globally.
Read more about the sustainability of metal packaging in this article.
Invopak - Your Metal Packaging Supplier
Do you still have questions or need more information about what metal packaging to choose from? Contact us with your enquiries and we will be more than happy to help.