Monoflo International has introduced two new reusable container designs aimed at improving performance and efficiency in automated warehouse environments. The company announced the Foldable Stack-Only (FSO) container and the Dual Base Stack-Only (SO) container, both designed for automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and high-throughput distribution operations.
Production of the containers is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026, although the designs are already being specified for select projects. Monoflo plans to showcase the new containers at upcoming logistics events including LogiMAT in Stuttgart, Germany, and MODEX in Atlanta.
Automation continues to reshape warehouse operations, placing greater emphasis on container design as a key component of system performance. Distribution centers increasingly rely on reusable plastic containers that integrate smoothly with conveyors, robotic handling, and automated storage systems.
Dennis Williams, director of Monoflo’s Automation Group, said container design must evolve alongside rapidly advancing automation technology.
“Automated storage and retrieval systems are evolving quickly,” Williams said. “Packaging needs to support those systems with the reliability and performance required for high-speed environments.”
The Foldable Stack-Only container is designed to combine the durability of traditional rigid automation containers with the storage and freight advantages of collapsible packaging. Monoflo said the container offers a 4:1 collapse ratio, allowing up to 75 percent reductions in freight volume and significantly lower storage requirements when empty.
Collapsible containers have historically been difficult to integrate into automated systems because of strength and reliability concerns. According to the company, the FSO design is engineered to maintain structural rigidity while remaining compatible with fixed-wall stack-only containers already used in automated distribution facilities.
Monoflo also introduced its Dual Base Stack-Only container, a one-piece injection-molded design developed specifically for automated material-handling systems. The container is designed to balance strength and manufacturing efficiency by combining structural characteristics typically associated with welded bases with a lighter, molded construction.
The container incorporates a textured base and angled rib geometry designed to improve conveyance performance and reduce operational noise in high-throughput systems. Smooth interior and exterior surfaces also make the container suitable for sanitation-sensitive environments such as fresh food distribution.
Reusable plastic containers have become an important element of automation infrastructure as warehouses adopt robotics, shuttle systems, and other high-speed handling technologies. In these environments, container design can influence system efficiency, product protection, and overall throughput.
Monoflo International manufactures reusable injection-molded packaging including containers, totes, trays, and pallets used in logistics, retail, and manufacturing supply chains. The company has long focused on engineered packaging for automated material-handling systems.
The new container designs reflect the growing role of reusable packaging as an integrated component of modern warehouse automation.
For more information, visit miworldwide.com.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
