DuraPlan | Custom Drop Bottom Bin

DuraPlan is known for delivering high-quality commercial bathroom fitouts, manufacturing premium compact laminate fixtures including cubicle partitioning, vanities, lockers, bench seating, wall panelling and cabinetry. As part of their manufacturing process, significant volumes of sawdust are generated and extracted through an overhead dust extraction system.

To support their production efficiency and housekeeping standards, DuraPlan required a purpose-built bin that could sit directly beneath their sawdust extraction hopper. The bin needed to:

• Fit precisely under the existing hopper discharge.
• Safely collect large volumes of sawdust.
• Be transported to a bulk skip bin.
• Be emptied without any manual handling or operator exposure.

The primary objective was to create a safe, efficient, and fully contained material handling solution that streamlined waste removal while keeping operators seated in the forklift at all times.

The project presented several technical constraints that ruled out standard off-the-shelf bins.

Firstly, the available access height and width beneath the extraction system hopper were both restrictive and unusually proportioned — lower and wider than typical bin dimensions. Any solution would need to maximise capacity while still fitting within these tight clearance limits.

Secondly, the top of the bin required precision-cut openings that aligned exactly with the extraction discharge ducts. If these openings were even slightly misaligned, sawdust spillage would occur. At the same time, the remainder of the bin needed to be fully enclosed to prevent dust escape and maintain a clean working environment.

Finally, the bin had to discharge completely when emptied. Sawdust has a tendency to bridge, compact, and cling to internal surfaces, so a flat-bottom or poorly angled design would result in material build-up — increasing cleaning time and reducing operational efficiency.

The solution had to balance dimensional precision, safe forklift handling, and reliable full discharge performance.

Working closely with DuraPlan’s design engineer, we developed a fully customised drop-bottom forklift bin engineered specifically for their extraction system.

The final design incorporated:

• Sloping internal sides to promote complete material flow.
• Custom-sized top openings precisely matched to the extraction hopper discharge ducts.
• A fully enclosed body to contain dust.
• A drop-bottom release mechanism for fast, controlled emptying.

The forklift operator can position the bin beneath the hopper, collect sawdust, then transport it directly to the bulk skip bin. Using the drop-bottom mechanism, the bin empties completely without the operator leaving the driver’s seat. Once lowered back to the ground, the bottom flap automatically closes, ready for immediate reuse.

The result is a streamlined, safe, and highly efficient waste-handling process. Manual handling has been eliminated, clean-up time reduced, and sawdust removal is now completed in a matter of minutes — all while maintaining a tidy and compliant production environment.