Buying the right bucket for the job
July 17, 2014 at 5:51 PM
As many as there are uses that you can conjure for a bucket (and boy have we thought of a few, here at H&O), then there will be a bucket to suit that requirement. Sizes, shapes, materials, strength and density... all of these come into play when deciding what container will suit your needs, and ultimately do the job.
Buckets can range from the domestic workhorse bucket up to a UN-grade container for hazardous waste. The first kind exists in all of our homes - used out in the garden, for washing the car, even cleaning up the BBQ ahead of the summer that we are all promised – once again – lies just around the corner. In terms of anything hazardous, such as dangerous materials or chemicals, our own UN Containers are designed to specifically meet the requirements of chapter 6.1 of the UN’s recommendations for the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
So, the uses for buckets are endless - from garden planters to children’s shelving - and the containers built to serve those needs are equally numerous. The good news, however, is that H&O can supply all styles of containers, to suit all requirements and price points. To help you along the way, however, here are some of the things you need to be thinking about, before you make your purchase:
1 Quality
Of course you want a bucket that will do the job, and will also continue to do the job for the time that you need it. So if you are looking for a quality, durable container, check whether the company practices good quality control procedures. Specifically, check whether they operate within ISO 9001:2008. If so, they have committed to meeting strict production requirements. In addition, the company must also deploy a quality management system to enhance customer satisfaction, whilst also committing to continual improvement, both of which should benefit you as the customer.
2 Rigorous Testing
Also, if you are specifically after containers that match certain quality levels - for instance for the storage or transport of food - ask how the company tests their buckets. You should be looking for a company that tests, continually, for things like lid strength, temperature tolerance, compression and crack resistance. Why not go one step further and ask the buckets to be tested in the same conditions that your own company will use them, even with your own materials contained within? Our customers come back to us time and again because ours are up to the job where others aren't.
3 Looks
OK, we’re not in Milan buying frocks here, agreed. However, if the buckets are to be used by your company, they will probably function as the outward facing image of your business, even more so than the products contained within. As we have discovered, there are endless uses for the bucket so consider carefully which one suits you - in terms of size, yes, but also shape, and quality and finish of the material. Think of these buckets as the commercial packaging for your products. And like any packaging, it is important that the packaging looks good, properly reflecting the image of your company. So think about things like colour, and the branding of your company on the exterior.
4 Utility
It’s no good buying a 20-litre containers if you’re selling eggs. So following on from the previous point, think through your specific requirements. You’ll find that modern container manufactures constantly strive to create different container shapes and sizes. In certain cases, and dependent on numbers, there might also be the opportunity to contract mould a container to suit your precise requirements.
5 Price
OK we’ve left a big one for last. The recession has caused many businesses to look for price first. That, of course, is understandable, but should always be related back to quality. You need the bucket to do the job, and if it fails in its basic function – if it leaks or breaks, for instance - it may damage your company’s reputation... and lose you business.
So, plenty to think about. More, in fact, than you might have considered, when deciding to buy a bucket. Bottom line? Make sure you decided on a reputable manufacturer of containers and, of course, we hope that will be H&O!
Add Pingback
RL Plastics Ltd | Britannia House | Dock Road | Birkenhead | CH41 1DF
T: 0151 639 0002 | F: 0151 639 0006 | E: sales@ho-plastics.co.uk
