As far as industrial machinery goes, there are few staples more versatile than self-dumping hoppers. These heavy-duty machines are specifically designed to handle all sorts of bulk material—from plastic pellets, wood and powders in your warehouse or manufacturing facility to animal feed and grain on the farm—and to make your material handling processes as simple as possible. Self-dumping hoppers can be used for storing, sorting, collecting, recycling and other applications, and are easy to integrate with your forklift, fork truck, Gaylord boxes and the rest of your equipment.
Such hoppers are designed to be perfectly balanced so that they safely roll forward when loaded, and then move to an ideal dump angle, releasing the contents before automatically returning to a locked position. This allows you to easily release heavy loads in a manner that requires little training and is safe for you and your employees. Some heavy- and medium-duty hoppers feature extended sides, continuous welding, fork pockets, a safety restraint and a low-profile design for even more convenience. Dump hoppers typically feature a steel construction, often with a powder-coat finish for extra durability.
Volume and weight capacity varies depending on which self-dumping steel hopper you choose. Volume is typically measured in cubic yards (cu. yd.) and weight is typically measured in pounds. If you need a higher weight and load capacity, a heavy-duty style is best for you. There are also medium-duty self-dumping hoppers for those who don’t mind a lower weight and volume capacity. In general, though, self-dumping hoppers can hold between 1,000 and 6,000 pounds of material. Because they come in so many different sizes and options, it’s somewhat simple to find one that seamlessly integrates into your supply chain.
Reasons to Invest in a Self-Dumping Hopper
- They Make Your Job Easier—Perhaps the most important feature of a heavy-duty, self-dumping hopper is that it streamlines and simplifies your workflow by adding easy loading and unloading to your process. Metal hoppers are simple to use and integrate with your forklift truck, helping to load, transport and unload bulk items, waste and parts. They’re easy to add to your shipping, packaging, manufacturing, recycling, handling or logistics facility.
- They Retain Their Value—As you can tell from our selection of used self-dumping hoppers, there’s a great demand for hoppers that have been lightly used. Because most are made with durable stainless steel and other high-quality materials, they can endure for years, even in the most demanding applications. Used self-dumping hoppers are also great for temporary applications.
- They’re Safe—One of the most important things to consider when investing in any kind of industrial equipment is safety for your employees. Most hoppers are equipped with a variety of safety features that help prevent injury and accidents by operators or anyone who works in the area. Most feature secure-locking positions and safety restraints—primarily chains and latches for stability—and straight-forward controls.
- Many Different Options Available—There is really no standard when it comes to the typical self-dumping hopper unit. While some facilities can benefit from a heavy-duty hopper with a higher weight capacity, you may find that a low-profile hopper—for example, one that provides increased capacity with a lower height requirement—will work better in your environment.
- They’re Versatile—No doubt about it, these containers are some of the most versatile in industrial applications. Regardless of if you go for a medium-duty hopper or something built for the most demanding industrial jobs, your dump hopper is equipped to handle everything from lightweight pallets and parts to “flowable” materials that are notoriously hard to sort and transport. These hoppers can even be used to handle liquids!
Ready to make an investment in a high-quality self-dumping hopper? Partner with Container Exchanger to buy new or used. Our customer service team is always on hand to help you decide which size and type of hopper is best-suited for your needs and budget. We’re also happy to help you sell your self-dumping hopper if you decide that it’s no longer a requirement in your facility.