Of all the materials used by water barrel manufacturers, plastics such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene are the most common; however, metals such as stainless steel may also be used in instances in which the water has not been and will not be treated with chlorine as it is highly corrosive to most metals. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Rahway Steel Drum Company, Inc.
Cranbury, NJ | 800-260-3786For over 60 years, Rahway Steel Drum Company has been a reliable supplier of 55 gallon drums and drum services. We supply containers from 1 quart to 330 gallons in quantities from 1 to over 100,000.

Container Distributors, Inc.
Venice, IL | 800-366-5098Container Distributors, Inc. is your one source for 55 gallon drums. We pride ourselves on our knowledgeable customer service staff, timely deliveries, and wide range of in-stock items.

Jakacki Bag & Barrel, Inc.
Chicago, IL | 800-760-3786Jakacki Bag & Barrel is the largest nationwide dealer for 55 gallon drums. Since 1942, we have sold 55 gallon drums of all assortments.

House of Cans, Inc.
Lincolnwood, IL | 847-677-2100House of Cans specializes in distributing plastic containers— bottles, drums, jars, jugs, and pails plus snap-lock and pry-off containers. We also offer plastic lids and shipping accessories. We offer our customers unrivaled customer service and high quality products. Our team is dedicated to advancing our company and creating innovative strategies and solutions.

Pipeline Packaging
Hudson, OH | 440-349-3200With over twenty years of experience, we are your premier source for 55 gallon drums and all corresponding products. Our talented teams of designers and engineers will work closely with you to come up with a product that will be just as unique as you need it and that will offer a long lasting value! We have made it our mission to put our customers first! To learn more about what we may be able to do for you visit us online today!

The most popular plastic choice, polyethylenes do have a downside as they are somewhat permeable to hydrocarbon vapors and should be kept away from stored gasoline, kerosene and similar substances. HDPE, however, offers a distinct benefit in that it is a FDA-approved material. Proper water storage is incredibly important for many industries including: sports and recreation, for applications such as hiking, climbing and other cardio-related activities; beverage, for water bottling applications, especially if water is collected from natural sources; agricultural and gardening, for use in irrigation applications; and wastewater, for use in storage of potentially hazardous tainted water.
As water barrels are most often plastic, then they are generally going to be formed through an injection blow molding process (metal would be formed through rotational molding or similar processes). The injection blow molding process is a combination of injection molding and blow molding. To begin injection blow molding, a parison is formed when a thermoplastic preform is heated to a molten state and then injected around a hollow mandrel, referred to as a blow stem. Once semi-cured, the newly formed parison is soft and formable.
Still around the stem, the parison is then placed into the blow molding chamber. Next, the steel blow stem is extended, forcing elongation of the plastic to the desired barrel size, typically 55 gallon, and also enhancing the tensile strength of the barrel. Then, the hollow blow stem is used to inject compressed air into the parison, causing the near-molten plastic to inflate like a balloon.
The inflation results in compression against the walls of the mold cavity, forcing the barrel to take shape. After cooling and hardening, the mold ejects the newly formed water barrel is ejected. Immediately, the water barrel exhibits a seamless design and does not require further trimming. As injection blow molding machines use multiple mandrels, they may be used to form a maximum of 12 water barrels at once.