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FEFCO 0204

Center Special Slotted Container

  • Available in a wide range of custom configurations & material selection.
  • Order 1 sample. Or order 100K+ units. Or anything in between.
  • Affordable delivery across North America.
  • Design support, warehousing, testing, assembly available.
  • Widest machinery capability in America via 30+ specialist partner plants.
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Product details

Top highlights

  • Inner and outer flaps meet in the center for a gapless, double-thick floor and lid
  • Prevents dense or fragile products from tipping into a central seam
  • Requires external tape, strapping, or metal stitching to seal

About this product

The Center Special Slotted Container (CSSC) solves a specific problem: the uneven internal gap found in standard shipping boxes. By extending the inner flaps to meet exactly in the center, this box creates a perfectly flat, gapless floor and a double-thick barrier on both the top and bottom.

That flush interior prevents dense parts from snagging, tipping, or concentrating weight on a single seam. Because this design requires a stepped cutting profile and more corrugated board than a standard carton, it is a deliberate choice for heavy industrial payloads, fragile assemblies, and extreme vertical stacking.

Common uses

  • Dense machined parts that concentrate weight on the base.
  • Tall, narrow, or fragile items that might tip into a standard floor gap.
  • High-compression pallet stacking for heavy industrial goods.
  • Bulk granular or powder bags that could tear if sagging into a gap.

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Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

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Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

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Heavy-duty transit and flat-floor loading

Dense industrial parts

The flat inner floor prevents metal components from wedging into gaps, while the double-thick base absorbs concentrated weight that would blow out a standard seam.

Tall or narrow fragile goods

Items that are prone to tipping during transit benefit from the completely level interior, ensuring the payload remains upright and stable before the box is sealed.

High-compression pallet stacking

The double-wall construction on both the top and bottom provides massive vertical crush resistance, distributing the weight of heavy pallets evenly across the entire footprint.

Bulk granular or powder bags

Heavy bags can sag into the central gap of a standard box, creating stress points that lead to tears. The flush floor provides continuous support across the entire base.

Industries relying on gapless base protection

Automotive and machined parts

Teams shipping heavy hardware need a base that won't puncture from the inside out. The double-thick floor provides that margin of safety for dense, shifting components.

Appliance and equipment manufacturing

Heavy units require a rigid, level base during packing and transit. The gapless floor allows smooth top-loading without the product catching on uneven flaps.

Beverage and glass transport

Bottles and jars require a perfectly flat surface to prevent tilting and glass-on-glass contact. The continuous floor keeps dividers and inserts perfectly level.

When to compare standard or overlapping cartons

When the product spans the floor gap easily

If the product is lightweight or broad enough that an uneven floor gap does not affect stability, a standard Regular Slotted Container (0201) uses less board and simplifies the production route.

When outer puncture resistance is the priority

If the primary concern is extreme outer puncture resistance or tamper evidence rather than a perfectly flat interior floor, a Full Overlap Box (0203) provides a continuous outer shield.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include 0206, 0205b, 0206b. Use this as a variant check if a buyer brings an old code, sample, or dieline that looks close. The deciding details are usually the lock, slot, closure, wall build, part count, or fold sequence.

Board thickness, closure, and production route

Board grade and fold clearances

Because the inner flaps must meet exactly without crushing each other, heavy double-wall boards require precise fold allowances. Discuss the board caliper early so the cutting template can be tuned to prevent the flaps from bowing upward.

Production route and die-cutting

Unlike standard cartons cut with straight knives, the extended inner flaps create a stepped blank. This typically requires routing the job to a rotary or flatbed die-cutter, which changes the production path for repeat orders.

Sealing method

The box relies on external fastening. Decide whether the fulfillment line will use heavy-duty tape, strapping, or metal stitching, as this can influence the required board grade and packing speed.

Internal height reduction

The double-thick floor and ceiling consume more internal space than a standard box. The internal dimensions must be calculated carefully to ensure tight-fitting products still clear the top flaps.

Base-only flat floors and thick-board clearances

Asymmetric top and bottom

If the product needs a flat floor for loading but does not require extreme top-crush resistance, the top lid can be reverted to a standard gapped closure. This saves corrugated board and reduces unit weight.

Thick-board corner chamfers

For extreme heavy-duty applications using triple-wall board, the flap corners can be explicitly relieved or chamfered to prevent the thick material from binding when the flaps are folded shut.

Extended manufacturer joint

For extremely heavy payloads, the side glue flap can be widened or converted to a stitched joint to prevent the side wall from shearing under lateral stress.

Board and packing details

Blank sprawl and nesting efficiency

The extended inner flaps increase the overall footprint of the flat blank. For boxes with extreme length-to-width ratios, this can reduce how efficiently the blanks nest on a corrugated sheet, impacting material yield.

Variants for the CSSC

Flat-Bottom RSC Hybrid (0204a)

Maintains the flush, double-thick floor on the bottom but uses standard gapped flaps on the top to reduce material consumption.

Heavy-Board Tuned CSSC (0204b)

Incorporates explicit slot clearances and chamfers to ensure very thick double-wall or triple-wall boards can fold 90 degrees without binding at the center seam.

Additional notes

Internal height clearance

Because the top and bottom are double-thick, the internal usable height is reduced by two layers of corrugated board compared to the external dimensions. This must be factored in when specifying the box for tight-fitting products.

Related heavy-duty and slotted boxes

0201: Regular Slotted Container

The industry baseline. Consider this if a flat interior floor is not strictly necessary and simplifying the production route is the priority.

0203: Full Overlap Box

Consider this if extreme outer puncture resistance and tamper-evident strapping are more critical than a gapless interior.

FAQs

Production and tooling

Does this box require custom cutting dies?

Yes, in most cases. Because the inner flaps are longer than the outer flaps, the flat cardboard blank has a stepped edge. This shape usually cannot be cut on standard straight-knife slotting machines and requires a rotary or flatbed die-cutter.

Product fit and loading

Why choose this over a standard shipping box?

A standard box leaves a gap between the inner flaps, creating an uneven floor. If you are shipping tall, narrow, or dense items that might tip, snag, or concentrate their weight on that gap, the flush floor of this box provides a stable, level base.

Closure and sealing

Can this box be shipped without tape?

No. Both the top and bottom flaps meet in the center but do not lock. They require heavy-duty packing tape, strapping, or metal stitching to stay closed during transit.

Board and material

Can this be made in heavy double-wall board?

Yes, it is frequently made in double-wall board for heavy industrial transit. However, thick boards require precise fold allowances in the cutting template so the heavy flaps meet exactly in the center without bowing upward.

Packing labor

Does the flat floor slow down assembly?

Manual assembly takes roughly the same time as a standard box, but packers must ensure the inner flaps are pushed completely flat before taping the outer flaps to prevent the heavy board from binding.

Product fit and loading

Does the double-thick floor reduce internal space?

Yes. Because the top and bottom are double-thick, the internal usable height is reduced by two layers of corrugated board compared to the external dimensions. This must be factored in when specifying the box for tight-fitting products.

Cost and efficiency

Is this a good choice for lightweight products?

Usually not. Extending the inner flaps to meet in the center consumes more corrugated board per box. It is generally reserved for heavy or fragile payloads that genuinely need the structural reinforcement or a perfectly flat base.

Variants and options

Can the flat floor be used only on the bottom?

Yes. If you only need a flat base for loading but do not need a double-thick top, the 0204a variant uses a standard gapped closure on the top lid to save material.