The N55 is an FDA-compliant, reusable 55-gallon open-head nestable HDPE drum for food and beverage processing. Its conical shape nests empty drums inside one another — so return freight, empty storage, and warehouse footprint shrink with every cycle.
The N55 is FDA-compliant for food and beverage processing service.
Tri-layer construction pairs a pigmented sidewall with a virgin HDPE product-contact layer, which offers a visual advantage over steel during cleaning.
Supplied with a natural HDPE cover and natural HDPE lock band, with other colors available by request.
A channel molded into the drum body locates straps for restraint on the pallet and in transit — no slipping bands.
We state compliance the same way for every model: exactly, and only where it applies.
The N55 is FDA-compliant for food and beverage processing, with a virgin HDPE product-contact layer.
Model-specific compliance · N55The N55 is not UN/DOT tested and certified for regulated chemical transport. For regulated chemistries, our electronic wet chemical line is UN tested and certified by model — including X-rated Packing Group I service.
See UN-certified modelsCompliance statements are documented per model; a statement for one model is never extended to another. Documentation for the N55 is available on request.
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 55 gal (208 L) |
| Design | Open-head, conical nestable drum |
| Construction | Tri-layer HDPE — pigmented sidewall with virgin HDPE inner layer |
| Body height | 37.5 in |
| Total package height | 37.85 in |
| Drum body weight | 15.5 lb (± 0.5) |
| Total package weight | 18.5 lb (± 0.5) |
| Minimum sidewall thickness | 0.125 in |
| Cover | Natural HDPE cover with natural HDPE lock band; other colors by request. Replacement covers and lock bands are available separately. |
| Compliance | FDA-compliant for food and beverage processing service |
| Nesting | 728 nested drums fill a 53-ft trailer |
| Reuse | Designed for multiple reuse cycles |
| Restraint | Molded strapping channel for restraint on the pallet and in transit |
| Pallet compatibility | Improved stability and stackability with N55 pallets |
| Dimensions & tare weight | Body height 37.5 in (95.3 cm) · Top diameter 23.2 in (58.9 cm) · De-nesting height 7.4 in (19 cm) · Total weight including lid and lock band 20 lb ±0.5 lb (9.1 kg ±0.23 kg) · Max capacity 55 gal (208 L). Drum weight varies pending ratings. |
| N55This page | N55 PalletView N55 Pallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Reusable open-head drum for the product | Thermoformed HDPE pallet holding four N55 drums |
| Key feature | Conical nesting — 728 empty drums per 53-ft trailer | Captures drums on the bottom and, when stacked, on the top |
| In service | Filled, emptied, cleaned, and reused across cycles | Stacks filled — with drainage weep holes and wide forklift openings |
Answers to the questions we hear most before a first quote. If yours isn’t here, the form is the fastest route to a specific answer.
728 nested N55 drums fill a 53-ft trailer. The drum’s conical shape lets empty drums nest inside one another, so return freight and empty-drum storage consume a fraction of the space that straight-wall drums require.
Yes. The N55 is FDA-compliant for food and beverage processing service. Its tri-layer construction pairs a pigmented sidewall with a virgin HDPE inner layer.
It’s designed as a reusable alternative: a consistent, stackable, damage-resistant container that resists the corrosion and denting that retire steel drums, with no more sorting reconditioned drums to find acceptable containers.
No. The N55 works with standard pallets, and pairing it with the thermoformed HDPE N55 Pallet gives improved stability and stackability — the pallet holds four drums, capturing them on the bottom and, when stacked, on the top.
No — the N55 is built for food and beverage service and is not UN/DOT tested and certified for regulated chemical transport. For regulated chemistries, our electronic wet chemical line is UN tested and certified by model, including the X-rated C55UP for Packing Group I materials.
Tell us your product, annual volume, and handling requirements. Our team will confirm fit, walk through the nesting and reuse economics for your lanes, and provide the documentation your food-safety program needs.