Milk Crates
Milk Crates are ordinary containers mainly used to store and transport dairy products. Milk crates are often found at the back of diary stores or some can be found stacked and left unguarded at utility places of department stores. Milk crates have so many uses aside from containing milk products. However, the increasing versatility of milk crates have made authorities worry so much about rampant theft.
Milk crates are four-sided boxes usually made of strong plastic. The earliest milk crates were made of wood. Today, aluminum and steel crates are now produced along with the use of plastic as a more popular material. Plastic milk crates are actually made of polyethylene resin, a high density material, which is liquefied, cast and hardened in a mold. The Rehrig Pacific Company in the United States is known for its high quality milk crates. The company started production in 1913 and now bears the reputation as the country’s biggest supplier of milk crates.
Since milk crates are used for transporting and containing dairy products, these containers are often subjects of carriage abuse. Milk crates are stacked, pushed, dragged and hauled. But despite the wear and tear milk crates can last for years. This is due to its resilient design that defies corner cracking, bending and coarse handling. All of these qualities make the milk crate a valuable container.
Milk crates, from the warehouse of dairy products distributors and retailers, can now be found in offices, recording studios, fitness gyms, living rooms and bedrooms of many homes. Because of its durability, milk crates are a likely alternative to expensive cabinets and shelves.
One of the versatile uses of milk crates is fitness gym containers. Fitness gym owners find milk crates great for storing fitness equipment and tools. Weight training tools like dumbbells, bars, collars, weights and paraphernalia can be kept safely in milk crates as opposed to placing fitness tools on the floor. Milk crates can endure the weight of these tools and these can be dragged easily anywhere in the fitness gym.
Recording studios and the so-called garage musicians are also taking advantage of the availability of milk crates. Instead of making storage cabinets and shelves to keep their collection of records, they use milk crates. What’s good about crates is that they can be stacked on top of each other, making it a space saver. Crates are durable too, so CD collectors don’t have to worry about falling and cracking CD jewel cases and vinyl records hobbyists can keep their collection in good shape.
Another practical storage use of milk crates are book, videos, office supplies, files and folders and toys storage. Milk crates are also great as speaker stands. For outdoor use, some people find milk crates as viable make shift tables and benches. With just a few planks of lumber or plywood placed on top of stacked milk crates, anybody can enjoy a simple conversation.
Bird enthusiasts would nail used milk crates on trees to accommodate the eggs of nesting birds. In Melbourne, Australia, a person took time to stack 150 milk crates and formed not just figures but true works of art. Some have even made push carts out of milk crates. Milk crates have also made their way to interior design as lamp decoratives in bars and art exhibits.
Milk crates indeed have gone from its original purpose. Some can purchase milk crates in utility stores. However, authorities in the diary products industry are alarmed with the rampant theft of milk crates either used for other purposes or for transporting dairy products. Dairy farmers and distributors are concerned that the use of stolen milk crates might trigger contamination in milk products.
Several stores though are offering discounted prices for milk crates. You may visit distributors and retailers of diary products and ask for used milk crates.