Foldable Heavy Duty Metal Stillage for Warehousing, Storage and Returnable Logistics
Robust steel frame, foldable construction and forklift-friendly base. 500-2,000kg load capacity. Collapses to 200-350mm when empty — 75% space saving on return transport. Factory direct, custom sizes available.
A collapsible steel stillage (also called a pallet cage, steel pallet box, metal stillage, or wire mesh container) is a heavy-duty industrial storage and transport container constructed from a rigid steel frame with wire mesh, solid steel plate or expanded metal sides. The key feature of a collapsible stillage is its foldable construction — when empty, the sides fold inward to reduce the overall height by 60-75%, dramatically reducing space required for return transport and empty storage.
Steel stillages handle loads that would be impossible or impractical in plastic containers or cardboard — typically 500kg to 2,000kg per container. The four-way entry base is forklift and pallet jack compatible, allowing stillages to be moved efficiently within a warehouse or loaded onto vehicles without manual handling of the contents.
Elipacko supplies heavy duty collapsible steel stillages direct from our manufacturing facility. Custom dimensions, load ratings, surface treatments and door configurations available with 10-unit MOQ.
Steel stillages are the standard reusable container for heavy automotive components including engine blocks, transmissions, axle assemblies, body stampings and frame components. The rigid steel structure protects components from handling damage. Stackable design allows efficient use of warehouse vertical space. Returnable stillage programs in the automotive industry typically achieve 10+ year service life per container.
Metal components, fabricated steel parts, castings and forgings are commonly transported and stored in steel stillages. Open mesh sides allow inventory to be visually checked without opening the container, and allow air circulation to prevent condensation on metal parts. Stillages can be used directly on pallet racking systems with appropriate rack-mounted bases.
Stillages transport bricks, tiles, pipes, fittings, fixings and other construction materials from warehouse to job site. The heavy-duty construction handles construction site environments. Lockable stillages secure materials overnight on open sites. Empty folded stillages can be efficiently returned to the supplier for reuse.
Large retail distribution centers use steel stillages for bulky goods that do not lend themselves to standard carton picking — garden furniture, appliances, power tools and large format items. The visibility provided by mesh sides improves pick accuracy. Stillages move between storage, picking and despatch areas using standard warehouse fork trucks.
| Parameter | Standard Options | Custom Available |
|---|---|---|
| Load Capacity | 500, 750, 1000, 1500, 2000kg | Up to 3,000kg |
| Standard Dimensions | 1200x800mm, 1200x1000mm base | Any dimension |
| Height Options | 600, 800, 1000, 1200mm | Custom |
| Collapsed Height | ~200-350mm | Design dependent |
| Material | Q235 steel | Stainless steel |
| Forklift Entry | 4-way | 2-way option |
| Surface Treatment | Powder coat, paint | Hot-dip galvanized |
| Door Options | No door, drop gate | Full door, half door |
| MOQ | 10 units | Negotiable |
Steel stillages and wire mesh containers are closely related. A stillage typically features a solid steel base plate and wire or bar mesh sides, while wire mesh containers may have wire mesh on all surfaces including the base. Our heavy duty collapsible stillages feature a robust steel tube frame with mesh or bar sides and a solid or perforated steel base plate. The terms are often used interchangeably in industry.
Yes. Our heavy duty steel stillages are designed for multi-tier stacking with specified stack load ratings. Standard configurations support 2-tier stacking (one loaded stillage on top of another). For higher stacking, additional corner post reinforcement is added. Always verify the stacking load rating matches your application before specifying multi-tier stacking.
Hot-dip galvanizing provides the best long-term corrosion protection for outdoor and high-humidity environments. The zinc coating penetrates the steel surface and provides sacrificial protection even when scratched. Powder coating provides good corrosion resistance in indoor environments and is available in any RAL color. For marine or highly corrosive environments, stainless steel construction is recommended.
Yes. We offer full drop-front doors (entire front panel drops for forklift loading), half-height drop gates (for manual picking access while the top half remains fixed), and swing doors on one or more sides. Door configuration is specified at the ordering stage and manufactured into the stillage frame.
Under normal industrial handling conditions, a well-maintained steel stillage has a service life of 10-20 years. The steel frame is essentially indestructible under normal loads. Wear occurs at hinges, latches and base pads from repeated folding and fork truck impact. These wear components can be replaced to extend service life. Powder coat touch-up prevents surface rust from spreading.
Standard dimensions with standard configurations: 15-20 days. Custom dimensions or non-standard configurations: 20-30 days including drawing approval. Rush production in 10-15 days available for standard configurations at additional cost. We provide production drawings for approval before fabrication begins on all custom orders.
0% anti-dumping duty (Thailand-manufactured) · 3-day production · Door-to-door US delivery
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