IBC Transportation & Delivery
Need IBC totes delivered or moved? ABC IBC connects you with partner suppliers who can often arrange delivery with an order or pickup of used totes. Options depend on quantity and location.
Request IBC Delivery
Send a free, no-obligation quote request and a partner supplier follows up.
Requests From Across the US
ABC IBC takes requests from across the US. Whether delivery or pickup is available depends on partner suppliers in your area, so include the delivery or pickup location in your request.
Common Ways IBC Totes Travel
Partner suppliers choose a shipping method based on order size and site access. These are the options you are most likely to hear about.
LTL (Less-Than-Truckload)
For a small number of totes, LTL freight shares truck space with other shipments, which keeps costs down for smaller volumes. Totes are secured to prevent shifting in transit.
Best for: small quantities, one-time purchases, DIY projects.
FTL (Full Truckload)
For large orders, a full truckload carries only your totes from the supplier to your site, with less intermediate handling. It is usually the lower per-unit option once an order is big enough to fill a trailer.
Best for: manufacturers, farms, distributors, large commercial orders.
Flatbed
For sites without a loading dock, such as construction sites, farms and rural properties, a flatbed allows loading and unloading from the side with a forklift. It can also suit totes fitted with extra valves or fittings that stick out from the cage.
Best for: job sites, farms, locations without docks.
Local Delivery or Pickup
When a partner supplier is close to you, they may be able to deliver or collect totes directly, or let you pick them up yourself with a suitable truck or trailer. Ask about this in your request.
Best for: nearby orders, small quantities, collecting used totes.
Getting Ready for a Delivery
Stacking & Securing
Caged IBC totes are designed to be stacked when empty, with the pallet of the upper tote resting on the cage frame of the one below. Totes in transit are normally strapped at the base of the cage so they cannot shift.
Totes with liquid inside are generally not stacked in transit and need extra securing, with valve caps tight and sealed. Not every partner supplier ships filled totes, so say so in your request if you need it.
On your side, plan for a forklift or pallet jack, or a truck with a liftgate, and clear access to where the totes will be unloaded. Let the partner supplier know about any access limits when you request a quote.
What Affects Delivery Cost
Delivery is by quote from the partner supplier. These are the main factors:
- Distance: How far the totes travel from the partner supplier to your site.
- Quantity: Larger orders usually cost less to ship per tote than small ones.
- Shipping Method: LTL, full truckload and flatbed are priced differently.
- Delivery Requirements: Liftgate service, residential delivery and limited-access sites can add cost. Ask the partner supplier what is included in their quote.
- Empty vs. Filled: Empty totes are the standard. Filled totes need more securing and may need a specialized carrier.
Pickup Services
If you have surplus, empty or end-of-life IBC totes, a partner supplier may be able to collect them for cleaning, recycling, or resale. Send your location and quantity in a quote request.
Whether pickup is free depends on the partner supplier, quantity, condition and location. See our IBC Pickup & Recycling page for more.
How It Works With ABC IBC
ABC IBC does not run trucks. When you request totes or a pickup, we pass your request to a partner supplier in our network, and that supplier quotes the totes and any delivery together and arranges the shipment with you.
Need Totes Moved?
From a single tote to a full truckload, send a free quote request and a partner supplier follows up with delivery options for your location.