Customers ask all the time how we set buyback pricing on empty fleets. The answer isn’t complicated but most yards don’t walk through it. Here are the five variables that drive the number we offer.
Variable 1: previous contents
Food-grade history: highest buyback. Industrial mild aqueous: high. Fertilizer and ag chemistries: medium. Petroleum, glycol, surfactants: medium-low. Aromatic solvents, chlorinated compounds, unknown contents: zero or scrap value. The previous-contents disclosure is the single biggest factor.
Variable 2: bottle and cage condition
A clean bottle in a sound cage on a usable pallet: full buyback. Bent cage feet (repairable): -$2 to -$5. Cracked cage welds: cage scrap only. Bottle damage: bottle scrap. The triage happens at pickup or upon receipt.
Variable 3: brand and bottle origin
Major-brand bottles (Schutz, Mauser, Greif) are the most resaleable and command the highest buyback. Less-common brands sell for less. Bottles with worn-off manufacturer markings are downgraded because we can’t verify origin or remaining life.
Variable 4: fleet size and pickup geometry
A fleet of 24+ on a single pickup is cheaper for us to logistics than three batches of 8. We pass some of that savings back as per-tote price. Below 12 units, the per-tote price drops to cover the pickup overhead.
Variable 5: distance
Within 60 miles: full price, free pickup. 60–150 miles: price minus our transport cost. Over 150 miles: we usually can’t source-buy unless the fleet is large enough to fill a truck.
Worked example
A customer 90 miles away has 24 Schutz 275s, food-grade history (corn syrup), in good condition (no cage damage, plastic pallets). Per-tote buyback at our rates: $48 for the bottle, $14 for the cage, $4 for the pallet = $66 gross. Less pickup overhead at the 90-mile distance: ~$8/tote. Net buyback: ~$58/tote, ~$1,400 total for the fleet.
Same scenario but ag-fertilizer history (UAN-32) instead of food: $42 + $14 + $4 = $60 gross. Net buyback: ~$52/tote.
Same scenario but unknown history: bottle is unresellable, scrap only at $3/bottle for HDPE recovery. Cage and pallet still have value: $21 gross per unit. Net: ~$13/tote.
Why we walk through the math
Because customers who understand the math sell better-prepared fleets. Knowing that previous contents drives 50% of the price encourages careful documentation. Knowing that pickup geometry matters encourages consolidating empties. Knowing that brand matters helps customers spec their initial purchase. Everyone wins when the buyback economics are transparent.
Questions on this one? Email info@ibctankscleveland.com. We answer everything inside one business day — usually inside four hours.