Metal Pail & Tin Pail Wholesale Suppliers

Metal pail formats, materials, and applications

Metal pails (also called tin pails or tinplate pails) are cylindrical or tapered containers typically in the 1L–20L range, produced from tinplate (electrolytic tin-coated steel) or tin-free steel, with a separate lid and typically a wire bail handle. Metal pails are the preferred format for paints and coatings (where the industry standard 1L, 2.5L, 4L, and 5L metal paint can formats dominate), food ingredients (ghee and cooking fat in 5L–20L pails, honey, glucose syrup, jam), pharmaceutical and chemical raw materials, and agricultural products. Lid types include: open-head with slip lid (press-fit or slip-fit lid for solid or semi-solid products — provides access and re-sealability); lever-ring lid (a separate lid secured by a steel lever ring, providing a more secure closure for liquid-containing products and products requiring a tighter seal); ring-pull or easy-open lid (for convenience applications); and screw-top (for chemical and pharmaceutical applications requiring hermetic seal). Interior coating options are: uncoated tinplate (suitable for non-reactive solids and dry powders); plain lacquer (general protection); epoxy-phenolic lacquer (maximum chemical resistance for paints, chemicals, adhesives); gold phenolic (oleoresin) lacquer (traditional food-grade coating for tomato-based, acidic, and fatty foods — the gold colour is characteristic of quality food tins); and food-grade white enamel. For food applications, the manufacturer must provide a Declaration of Compliance for the interior coating under EU Regulation 1935/2004.