4 Ways that Gorilla Drum Streamlines the Lab Pack Loading and Unloading Process

Laboratories, medical facilities, universities, and pharmaceutical companies must transport and dispose of large volumes of hazardous waste as part of their daily operations. Aside from the safety concerns associated with transporting hazmat solids, one of the biggest challenges these companies face is the time, money, and resources that go into using 55-gallon steel drums as lab packs. 

What’s more, pending Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) legislation on the reconditioning of 55-gallon steel drums for repeat use — a practice that is quite common for lab packs — is poised to increase the lead time and cost of using steel drums as a lab pack solution. 

With Gorilla Drum™, medical facilities, universities, and laboratories can not only leverage a more eco-friendly lab pack solution, companies can also streamline their logistics to increase efficiency and productivity. Here, we’ll look at four ways Gorilla Drum’s™ innovative, flexible design can streamline the lab pack loading and unloading process.

1. Gorilla Drum™ is lightweight and completely foldable

With an average unfilled weight of 40 to 60 lbs, traditional 55-gallon steel drums are virtually impossible to move without a forklift. Plus, their bulky design and engineering means companies can only palletize just four drums per pallet, for a total of only 208 drums per 53-foot truck. 

Our 55-gallon steel drum alternative uses a corrugated plastic frame that is lightweight — each unfilled Gorilla Drum™ unit weighs just 7.5 lbs — and completely foldable to optimize the number of units you can fit on a pallet and standard truck. In fact, you can transport 4,160 Gorilla Drum™ units per 53-foot truck to help reduce your number of FTLs. 

Additionally, the lightweight design makes it easy to move the unit around a warehouse or storage facility, and the foldable frame virtually eliminates the need for specialized equipment to transport units.

2. Our ergonomic design makes each unit a breeze to move

Whereas traditional 55-gallon steel drums require special equipment or palletizing in order to load or unload, Gorilla Drum™ cuts the monkey business by using innovative, durable lifting loops, dolly band, and belly band that are compatible with a standard forklift and two-wheel dolly. Plus, these mobility features reduce the number of warehouse personnel required to transport filled units throughout a given facility.

In addition, a zipper-top lid provides a tight seal and superior protection for the hazardous materials inside the unit to reduce the likelihood of workplace accidents or spillage in the event the unit is dropped. 

This also contributes to Gorilla Drum’s™ durability and reliability as a lab pack solution for hazmat solids. Our 55-gallon steel drum alternative is DOT and UN certified, and it’s also rated X for use with Packing Groups I, II, and III to help you safely and efficiently handle the widest range of hazardous materials.

3. Gorilla Drum™ can be prepped for loading and unloading in just a few simple steps

The process of cleaning traditional 55-gallon steel drums for repeat use is both costly and time-consuming. The process requires the use of chemical agents that can be expensive and difficult to acquire, and the environmentally damaging nature of these solutions can hamper your sustainability efforts. Plus, this process is likely to undergo significant changes as the EPA reconsiders new regulations with drum reconditioning. 

Our steel drum alternative significantly reduces the amount of cleaning and sterilization required by using a plastic inner lining that can be installed in mere minutes to help protect the interior of the unit — this also helps extend the service of each Gorilla Drum™ unit to optimize your equipment costs and reduces the amount of lead time required to fill lab packs.

Each Gorilla Drum™ unit can be unfolded and expanded in just six simple steps without the need for specialized tooling and equipment. The plastic liner can be secured using a reusable zip tie, and our innovative zip-top lid provides secure, reliable containment. Our handling instructions detail how quick and easy it is to unfold and prep your Gorilla Drum™ unit for use.

4. Gorilla Drum™ can help reduce the likelihood of costly workplace accidents

Workplace accidents are no joke when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of employees, but accidents due to the heft and design of 55-gallon steel drums can also result in costly disruptions in the loading and unloading of lab packs. Accidents in the form of drops, spills, or breaches can also pose significant environmental concerns via the exposure of hazardous materials. 

The lightweight design of our steel drum alternative mitigates the potential for drops, and the zip-top lid significantly reduces the likelihood of accidents during the drum sealing process. Plus, the lifting loops, belly band, and dolly band reduce the physical exertion and danger required to move both filled and unfilled drums. 

With our revolutionary 55-gallon steel drum alternative, companies can optimize the lab pack loading and unloading process. But this is just the beginning of the noise you can make by choosing Gorilla Drum™ as your steel drum alternative.

Want to learn how Gorilla Drum™ helped a global package handler save time and money by conserving warehouse space and streamlining waste hauling processes? Download our new case study to read the full story.