Whether you call them Gaylords, pallet boxes, skid crates, or corrugated bulk bins, you need these corrugated cardboard containers for organizing loose materials. Gaylords are named after the Gaylord Container Company, which invented them in the 1980s, so it’s become the common term used for cardboard cartons, even those produced by other manufacturers.
These large, heavy containers are hard to handle, which is why Gaylord rotator boxes have become a great investment for any company regularly using Gaylords.
Benefits of Using Dedicated Gaylord Rotators
The Gaylord rotator is a powerful device that helps you tilt and tip your largest cardboard cartons for easy emptying. Using a rotator allows you to fill hoppers or sort materials directly into trailers as your existing forklift rotates it, offering the following benefits:
- Can reuse intact cartons because you won’t have to slice the sides or bottom
- Easier recycling by keeping the materials intact
- Long-term reuse opportunities since the rotators are built from durable sheet metal
- Fits a wide range of forklift forks and can be easily customized for your equipment
- Contains the Gaylord during emptying to prevent dropping or damage
- Compact and easy to store when not in use
- Simplified design with few moving or mechanical parts to maintain
- Long-lasting coatings to prevent corrosion, even in outdoor or harsh indoor environments
- Complete emptying due to its full rotation
- Reduced labor costs associated with manual emptying
- Available in two size options to fit most common pallet dimensions
Limitations of Rotator Use
Although rotators are versatile and work well for many industries, there are some limitations:
- Only works with certain Gaylord sizes, although two sizes are available to fit a wide range of cartons
- May still damage cardboard cartons with thinner sides
- Requires a few seconds of manual adjustment to contain each Gaylord before it’s dumped
- Limited weight capacity, with the heaviest stone and metal materials potentially overwhelming the design
- Works best with standard forklift forks rather than modified or specialty forks.
Considering the fact that there’s no need to buy a specialized lifter or new forks just for this kind of rotator equipment, these limitations are hardly a problem for most users. Only those lifting the heaviest or largest cartons may find these rotators unsuitable for their operations; in that case, self-dumping hoppers or other equipment may work better.
How Do You Use a Gaylord Rotator?
It’s a simple process. It begins with adding the Gaylord to the rotator. A forklift operator lifts it into the open device, then a worker manually adjusts the two side guards that prevent the carton from falling out during dumping.
After that, the forklift operator simply rotates the forks, inserts them into the slots on the side of the rotator, and safely lifts the carton over the receiving container. With a steady and slow rotation of the forks, the carton is emptied, and both the cardboard and pallet are retained inside the rotator. It’s all brought back to the ground, ready for the forklift driver to disengage and easily remove the pallet and carton again.
Best Use Cases
These rotators can lift cartons containing thousands of pounds of product or scrap. That makes them a great fit for:
- Recycling scrap and aluminum cans
- Handling carpet or foam scrap
- Sorting crops that can handle a short drop into a trailer
This list isn’t exhaustive; the use cases are practically endless, and will work for almost any industrial application involving cardboard cartons.
See If a Gaylord Rotator Is Right for You
Roura manufactures custom Gaylord rotators and other must-have material handling equipment, including self-dumping hoppers. Explore our products, or contact our experts for product recommendations or design assistance.