A new and improved apparatus or system for automatically assembling or erecting tote containers, and a corresponding method or process for practicing or implementing the assembly or erection of the tote containers, is disclosed wherein tote container workpieces are disposed in a serial array within a magazine or hopper. The tote container workpieces are serially and individually removed from the magazine or hopper, expanded from their FLATTENED states to their OPENED or EXPANDED states, and have their flap members folded upwardly and inwardly with respect to the lower or bottom edge portions of each tote container workpiece, in accordance with a predetermined procedural sequence, whereby each tote container is automatically assembled, as a result of the flap members being engaged with each other in an intermeshed, interengaged, and interlocked manner so as to effectively form the bottom support surface of the tote container without the need for fixing, bonding, or otherwise permanently securing the flap members together. As a result of such structure, each tote container is then capable of being used, and as may be subsequently desired or required, disassembled and reused.