Heavy Duty Steel Cullet Tubs for the Glass Industry
A cullet tub is an industrial-grade, heavy-duty metal box with corrugated (ridged) sides and a reinforced bottom designed to handle abrasive and exceptionally heavy materials like broken glass (cullet), steel castings, and forgings.
Why They Are UsedEnergy Savings:
Adding cullet to new batches of glass lowers the melting point of the furnace, saving roughly 2–3% on energy costs for every 10% of cullet used.
Material Handling:
Because crushed glass is abrasive and heavy, manufacturers and recyclers rely on these indestructible tubs to withstand rough handling without breaking.
For over 18 years NSMC has been designing and manufacturing steel tubs for OEMs and manufacturing companies across the United States from their mid-west facility located in Davenport, Iowa. We started by fabricating cullet tubs for glass manufacturing companies and quickly expanded to the casting, machining, and construction industries. We developed a good reputation for making custom tubs and corrugated tubs that are literally indestructible.
Because you buy directly from the manufacturer you can build tubs to your specifications and options that fit your needs, like drop gates, casters, placard holders and more. It also provides us better control over the quality and turnaround time on orders. We use our in-house stamping presses to form the sides of the container, use our dedicated welding lines to create a solid durable frame, and even use our in-house powder coating and painting line to add custom colors along with labeling and stenciling for your needs.
Why are the sides of the tub corrugated?
The corrugation process creates a series of parallel ridges and grooves. This design significantly increases the strength-to-weight ratio. It allows the tub to handle thousands of pounds of material without needing thick, excessively heavy steel plates.
How much weight can a standard cullet tub hold?
Most industrial corrugated steel tubs are rated to hold between 4,000 to 7,000 pounds, depending on the specific gauge of the steel and the box dimensions. This depends on the specifications set for the tub.
Are these tubs safe to stack?
TYes. Most of these containers are built with corner stacking targets or legs. These features allow fully loaded bins to be safely stacked up to 5 units high, which helps maximize warehouse and manufacturing floor space.
What is "gauge" and what size is used for these tubs?
Gauge refers to the thickness of the steel. Industrial cullet tubs typically utilize heavy-duty 13-gauge to 7-gauge steel, with heavy-gauge reinforcement on the bottom to absorb the impact of heavy parts being dropped inside.
Can I get these tubs with a drop gate?
Yes. Tubs that are taller (usually 24 inches or more) often feature optional drop-gate designs on the long side. This allows workers to easily reach in and remove specific parts or empty the contents without having to flip the entire bin.
Can the tubs be lifted by a crane or forklift?
Absolutely. They are engineered with material handling in mind. Options include standard 4-way forklift entries, enclosed fork tunnels for safety during dumping, and integral hoisting hooks or lifting lugs for crane systems.
Why are many of these tubs left unpainted?
Approximately half of all industrial foundry tubs are sold as raw, unpainted steel. This is because in environments where extremely hot metal or sharp abrasive parts are handled, paint will quickly burn, melt, or chip. Leaving them bare avoids contaminating the parts being stored.
Do they offer tubs with holes for heat dissipation?
Yes. For applications that involve ovens or hot, newly forged steel parts, manufacturers offer bins with perforated sides to let heat escape safely and speed up the cooling process.
