Products · replacement parts
One broken component should never retire a whole tote
A cracked bottle, a splintered pallet, a bent cage: each is one component out of three. Partner suppliers can supply all three separately, so a single swap often saves the whole tote.
Request replacement components
Give the tote brand and the part you need. The details on the cage plate identify most units.
Replacement components
| Component | Condition | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HDPE bottle, 275 gal | New | The route to a never-filled interior |
| HDPE bottle, 275 gal | Used, washed | Technical duty only |
| HDPE bottle, 330 gal | New | Taller; confirm cage height |
| Steel cage, 275 gal | Reconditioned, straightened | Brand-matched where possible |
| Steel cage, 275 gal | New | For matched builds |
| Composite pallet | Reconditioned | Steel frame, plastic deck |
| Plastic pallet | New | Food and wash-down areas |
| Steel pallet / skid | Reconditioned | Heavy duty |
| Wood pallet base | Reconditioned | Not for food or clean areas |
| Cage repair bar set | New | Reinforcement for bent bars |
| Bottom boss / outlet flange kit | New | Fixes a common leak point |
Availability varies by brand and partner supplier. Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers.
When to repair, and when to stop
- Repair: bent lower cage bars, splintered wood pallet, weeping valve, cracked lid, failed gasket, missing dust cap.
- Repair: stained or odorous bottle in a sound cage. This is exactly what rebottling is for.
- Stop and recycle the bottle: crazing radiating from the boss, a crack anywhere below the liquid line, stress whitening across a large area.
- Stop and recycle the cage: broken welds at several intersections, or corrosion that has eaten through a bar.
- Stop entirely: a bottle that held an unknown chemical and is destined for food or potable duty. No repair fixes a missing history.
Questions people actually ask
Are IBC bottles interchangeable between brands?
Not reliably. Schütz, Mauser, Greif and Werit differ in boss position, neck height and cage attachment. Give the brand and plate details so the supplier can match it properly.
Can I replace a bottle myself?
On most designs, yes, with two people: release the top rail, lift the bottle out, seat the new one, refit the rail and the valve. Ask the supplier for instructions for the specific design.
Is a rebottled tote with a new bottle still UN marked?
Generally no. Replacing a component affects the original design approval, so the rebuilt assembly needs testing before regulated transport. See UN / DOT regulations, check current regulations and confirm documentation with the supplier.
Repair-or-replace decision table
The question asked most about parts is whether it is worth it. Usually yes; here is where the line sits.
| Fault | Repair if | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Weeping valve | Always | Repair |
| Perished lid gasket | Always | Repair |
| Splintered wood pallet | Always | Repair (swap base) |
| Bent lower cage bars | Welds intact | Repair |
| Broken weld, one intersection | Only one or two | Repair |
| Broken welds, several intersections | Rarely | Replace cage |
| Stained but sound bottle | Always | Use as-is for technical duty |
| Odorous bottle, sound cage | If food duty needed | Rebottle |
| Cracked bottle, sound cage | Always | Rebottle |
| Crazing from the boss | Never | Recover the material |
| Corroded cage bar, perforated | Never | Recover the material |
| Unknown prior content, food needed | Always: history cannot be washed | Rebottle |
Components fail; assemblies rarely do. The genuinely terminal faults are boss crazing, cage perforation and a missing history, and a new bottle fixes one of those three. Pricing for parts and rebottling is by quote from partner suppliers.
Replacing a bottle yourself
Two people, basic tools. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific design.
- 01
Identify the cage
Record the plate and the top rail. Schütz, Mauser, Greif and Werit differ in neck height and boss position. Fitting the wrong bottle stresses the neck and it will fail later.
- 02
Let a cold bottle warm up
A cold bottle is stiff and creases easily. Handle it at room temperature.
- 03
Release the top rail
Bolts or clips depending on the design. Keep the fasteners; they are design-specific.
- 04
Lift the old bottle out
Two people, straight up. Do not drag it against the cage bars.
- 05
Inspect the cage while it is open
This is the only time you will see the inside of the frame. Check the welds, the base attachment and the boss cut-out.
- 06
Seat the new bottle
Lower it square, align the boss to the cut-out first, then let the neck settle. If it does not drop cleanly, stop: you probably have the wrong bottle.
- 07
Refit the rail evenly
Over-tightening distorts the neck and the lid will weep later. Tighten evenly in a cross pattern to the manufacturer’s figure.
- 08
Fit hardware and leak test
New valve gasket, lid, cap. Then fill with water, leave an hour, and check the boss, the seams and the lid. Keep the record.
Parts questions
Can I buy cages without bottles?
Yes, reconditioned or new, through partner suppliers. Cage-only purchases often go to replacing a small number of crushed frames.
Can I buy a pallet base on its own?
Yes. Base swaps are one of the most economical ways to move totes into food or wash-down service. See pallet types.
Are parts interchangeable between 275 and 330 gallon units?
Valves, lids, gaskets and caps generally are. Bottles, cages and top rails are not: the 330 is taller and the frames are built to different dimensions.
Are parts available for European-built totes?
Some. BSP-threaded valves, S70 caps and Werit-compatible hardware are less common. Describe the fitting on the quote form and a partner supplier follows up.
What is the boss kit?
The outlet flange assembly at the base of the bottle. If it weeps at the joint rather than at the valve, that is the part.
Parts availability by manufacturer
What is generally easy to find, and what is harder.
| Part | Schütz / Mauser / Greif | Werit and other European builds |
|---|---|---|
| New bottle, 275 gal | Commonly available | Less common |
| New bottle, 330 gal | Less common | Less common |
| Reconditioned cage | Commonly available | Rare |
| New cage | Usually to order | Rare |
| Top rail and fasteners | Commonly available | Less common |
| Composite or plastic pallet | Commonly available | Commonly available |
| 2 in valve | Commonly available (NPS) | BSP thread; less common |
| 6 in lid | Commonly available | S70 caps; less common |
| Gasket sets | Commonly available | Commonly available |
| Boss / outlet flange kit | Varies | Less common |
European builds are the awkward column. BSP threads and S70 caps are not interchangeable with North American hardware, so if you run a mixed set, label those units. The partner supplier confirms availability and lead time with the quote.
A repair rule of thumb you can use on the spot
When a damaged tote is in front of you and someone is asking whether to bin it, the decision comes down to three questions asked in order.
1. Is the bottle crazed at the boss, or is the cage perforated?
If yes to either, the unit is finished as a container. Recover the material. No repair reliably addresses these two failures.
2. Is the bottle sound?
If yes, everything else is usually an inexpensive fix: valve, gasket, pallet, cage straightening, lid. Even all of them together usually cost less than a replacement unit, and the repaired tote keeps its documented history.
3. Is the cage sound but the bottle tired, stained or odorous?
Rebottle. You get a never-filled food-contact surface and the cage’s remaining service life.
The summary
Two terminal faults, everything else repairable. Many totes are scrapped for reasons in the "everything else" category. Pricing for parts and rebottling is by quote from partner suppliers.
More parts questions
Can parts ship internationally?
This service handles requests from across the United States. Bottles and cages are bulky freight and rarely make sense across a border; a supplier in your own market is usually better.
Can I return an unused part?
Returns are set by the partner supplier’s own terms. Gaskets and seals are often non-returnable once opened.
Are rebuilt valves available?
Often, with a new gasket fitted. For a critical duty, consider new: a valve is a small part of the cost of the assembly and the most consequential when it fails.
Can I get parts for a tote bought elsewhere?
Yes. Include the brand, the cage plate details and the part on the quote form.
Reuse first, then recycle.