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Intermediate bulk containers

IBCs are exerting wide-ranging impacts across diverse industries, on both the user and supplier sides.

To understand the role of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) is to understand the name itself: containers, in that they hold contents; bulk, in that the contents are of large, undivided quantities; and intermediate, in that the containers hold quantities that are smaller than those of tank cars but larger than those of industrial drums, pails, and totes. IBCs are used for liquids and particulates (i.e. powders, granulates, resins), products that later will undergo filling into smaller packaging or will be an ingredient or component in a production or manufacturing process.

Within such industries as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and household chemicals, packaging professionals devote themselves to the design and development of packaging, the receipt of packaging, the filling of packaging, and the shipping of packaged products. How the inputs to production come packaged──whether in IBCs or other industrial containers──might be regarded as the province of corporate purchasing agents or of someone at the production facility. Such thinking, however, undermines the opportunity for packaging professionals to contribute outside their traditional spheres of influence.

IBCs reduce costs and increase efficiencies in material handling, transportation, and warehousing, under certain scenarios, such as a company that receives contents in 55-gallon drums. A switch to IBCs that hold the equivalent of multiple drums means fewer handlings and better utilization of cube during transportation and storage. Safety also benefits due to fewer encounters between personnel and containers. Even if a company already utilizes IBCs, it might not be utilizing the variety best suited to its needs.

Rigid intermediate bulk containers (RIBCs)

A popular type of RIBC is a composite, consisting of a durable plastic (i.e. HDPE) container (commonly known as a bottle) housed within a metal cage and mounted on a pallet. The result is a structure designed for handling by forklift or pallet jack. This type of RIBC can be of one-time usage; however, the more favorable economics attach to the multiple-use variety, which can be collapsed for purposes of returns.

Another popular type is the metal tank, made of stainless steel. Unquestionably durable, they are used for all types of liquids, even flammables.

RIBCs, whether composite or stainless steel, dispense through ports, typically located at the base, and hoses or pipes that attach to the ports; thus, RIBCs lend themselves to contents that flow, liquids, for sure, but also granulates.

For applications that fall under the purview of the FDA, the materials in direct contact with the contents must have that agency’s approval. And for applications involving hazardous materials, there must be compliance with the multiple agencies that promulgate haz-mat regulations. Then there are fire-codes, to which plastic-component RIBCs are subject, owed to their combustibility.

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