Drum Containers Guide: Selecting the Best Option for Your Business

Selecting the right drum container goes beyond simply picking the right material. It’s about ensuring product protection, meeting regulatory standards, and aligning with your sustainability goals. In this guide, we’ll explore the most common types of drum containers, their key uses, and how to choose a reliable drum supplier.

What Are Drum Containers Used for?

When people hear “drum container,” they often think of bulk packaging for industrial chemicals or hazardous materials like paint or fuel. But drum containers are incredibly versatile and used across a range of industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and more.

Drum containers are ideal for:

• Product Protection: Drums safeguard contents from contamination, impact, and environmental stress during transit.
• Storage: Whether your product is temperature-sensitive or hygroscopic, the right drum container can provide the insulation and seal you need.
• Efficient Transport: Stackable and space-optimized, drum containers simplify shipping logistics and reduce freight costs, especially critical for scaling operations.
  

Types of Drum Containers for Product Packaging

Choosing the right packaging material depends on your product’s physical properties, industry regulations, and brand values. Let’s look at some of the most common drum container types and their use cases. 

Plastic Drum Containers

Plastic drums are durable and resistant to rust and corrosion, making them ideal for a variety of applications. Tight head drums are recognized by their sealed tops and large openings for convenient access and easy filling or dispensing.

Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), plastic tight head drums are incredibly durable and offer excellent protection for their contents. They come in a range of options, from economical light-duty to UN-approved high-performance versions. 

Plastic drums are also reusable and recyclable, making them an environmentally friendly choice. Plus, they’re easier and more affordable to transport than their heavier weight counterparts.

Paramount Global offers three convenient sizes for bulk or wholesale orders.

Plastic Drum Sizes	Use cases
30 gl plastic drum	Food products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and non-corrosive liquids.
35 gl plastic drum
55 gl plastic drum

Steel Drum Containers

Steel drums are an excellent choice for storing and transporting chemicals, paints, coatings, hazardous waste, food, and pharmaceuticals. When it comes to packaging, metal drums, particularly steel drums, stand out for their incredible durability. They are highly resistant to punctures, cracks, and extreme pressure. This durability allows them to withstand even the toughest transport and storage conditions, including rough handling, high temperatures, and exposure to the elements.

Metal drums can also be reused and reconditioned multiple times, making salvaged drums a cost-effective and sustainable option. 

Open head steel drums are designed for easy access and secure storage of both liquid and dry goods. 55-gallon drums are the most common size of this metal drum container. Their removable, resealable lids come with various closure options like bolt rings, lever locks, or lug covers, allowing for flexibility based on your needs.

A key feature of open head drums is the wide opening, which makes filling and dispensing simple. Interior linings such as epoxy, epoxy phenolic, or rust inhibitors are available to protect contents and prevent contamination or leaching.

With steel drums, you can be assured that your goods are well protected. 

Paramount Global offers steel drums in one size for bulk storage:

Steel Drum Sizes	Use cases
55 gl steel open-head drum	Chemicals, paints, coatings, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and hazardous waste.

Fiber Drum Containers

Fiber open head drums are a lightweight, durable, and eco-friendly packaging option, ideal for bulk and wholesale needs across industries like food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and pet care. Made from sturdy fiberboard materials, fiber drums are suitable for dry and solid products.

These fiber drums are available in a wide range of sizes and feature an open top with a resealable cover for easy access and secure storage. Closure options include slip covers or lever locks, with UN-rated versions available for transporting hazardous materials safely.

Paramount Global offers fiber drums in multiple sizes and closure options:

Fiber Drum Sizes	Use cases
12.5 gl Kraft Fiber Slip Cover Open Head Drum	Best for dry ingredients in the food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, pet care, and other industries.
13 gl Kraft Fiber Slip Cover UN Open Head Drum
13 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
15 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
20 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
24 gl Kraft Fiber Slip Cover UN Open Head Drum
28 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
30 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
38.5 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock Open Head Drum
47 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock UN Open Head Drum
55 glKraft Fiber Slip Cover UN Open Head Drum
67 gl Kraft Fiber Lever Lock UN Open Head Drum

How to Pick the Right Drums for Your Packaging Needs

The right drums for your product depend on how the material interacts with the product, both in the short and long term. To find the right drum for your packaging and shipping needs, consider these key factors:

Drum Capacity

Choosing the right drum size depends on how your product behaves over time. Consider factors like how it settles and expands with temperature changes, and how exposure might affect shelf life. You’ll also want to consider headspace, the unfilled area inside the drum. Regulatory guidelines may change over time to require more headspace in the future, so planning ahead can save time and money later.

Material Compatibility

Drums are typically made from plastic, steel, or fiber, with each material offering unique advantages depending on your product and industry. While steel is the most common material for metal drums, you can also find some made of aluminum, stainless steel, and combinations of other metals.

Before choosing a drum, review your industry’s safety standards and any specific considerations you need to make when choosing a packaging material. Determining how your product will be stored and used is also crucial. For instance, dense powders stored over long periods or exposed to certain elements can become compacted, making them more difficult to handle or remove.

Regulatory Compliance and Safety

Compliance is about more than just meeting legal requirements. It’s about protecting your customers, team, and the environment. Regulations can vary based on product type, hazard classification, and sustainability goals. The UN updates packaging codes every two years, so staying up to date on UN rating codes is essential. 

Partner with a packaging supplier that prioritizes compliance and can help you meet FDA, DOT, and UN regulations. Working with a knowledgeable packaging supplier ensures your packaging stays compliant and can help you avoid costly errors. 

When to Use Drums vs. Alternative Containers

Drums are a great bulk packaging solution, but they’re certainly not the only option available. Here are a few common use cases to help you decide which one is right for you. 

When to Use Drum Containers

Drum containers are recommended for the following uses:

• Large volumes: With a capacity of up to 67 gallons, drums are great for shipping heavy loads and large bulk quantity goods.
• Durability: Drum containers are designed to withstand pressure, making them suitable for hazardous materials and strict compliance regulations.
• Stackability: Drums are made for stacking and space optimization, so they’re a great option if you’re shipping out a high volume of bulk packaged goods.

When to Consider Alternative Containers

Although drum containers are a versatile option for many products, they’re not the best fit for every application. If you need lower volume packaging solutions, smaller options like pails or buckets may be a more practical and cost-effective choice.

On the other hand, IBC totes can hold several hundred gallons for large-scale shipping and storage needs and may be a better choice for maximizing volume and efficiency.

Regardless of container size, it’s necessary to consider how your product will be accessed for use. The opening and closing mechanism plays a key role in how easily the end user can distribute and dispense your product. Choosing the right container type depends on balancing volume needs with handling and usability.

Get the Right Drum for Your Product Packaging With Paramount Global

When it comes to bulk packaging, Paramount Global delivers. As a trusted drum supplier with an extensive range of high-quality drum containers and other packaging solutions, we aim to meet the exact needs of your product, industry, and supply chain. 

Not sure what you need? Our experienced team is ready to guide you every step of the way, offering tailored advice to ensure compliance, performance, and efficiency.

From drums to IBC totes and pails, we’ve got the right fit for your operation. Don’t leave your packaging to chance—partner with a team that delivers quality and reliability. 

Explore our catalog or contact us today to get started.