A Comprehensive Guide to IBC Containers: Unlocking Efficiency and Versatility
An IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) is a reusable, industrial-grade container designed to transport and store vast quantities of non-hazardous and hazardous liquids. An IBC container is mounted on a pallet, permitting them to be moved easily using a pump truck or a forklift truck.
The pallet base also permits the IBC to be stacked twice high when full or four times high when empty. The bottles (inner containers) of the IBC are made of durable plastic like HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) or ordinary polyethylene. The outer container cage is made of either galvanised steel or iron.
Standard IBCs comprise a cuboid tank which is encased in a tubular frame or mesh cage for protection. Beneath is a fixed pallet, making it easy to handle the unit using a forklift or pallet truck. IBCs come in multiple dimensions. Most common sizes include a capacity of 1000, 800 or 600 litres. The volumes determine their dimensions.
Benefits of an IBC
IBCs have the same capacity as four plastic drums. Therefore, they permit users to make maximum use of the volume of liquids stored in a similar space. In addition, they have a rigid construction which enables their easy transport and serves to minimise risk during transit.
IBCs are simple and easy to use. Most feature screw-cap lids making them easy to fill, and an outlet valve at the bottom for decanting or emptying into small containers.
Since IBCs are made of durable materials, they can be used for multiple applications. Pallet pooling companies mainly offer total laundering services such that IBCs can be cleaned professionally to industry standards instead of replacing with new tanks, thus saving money.
The following are some key benefits of IBCs:
● Space saving: Thanks to the cubed shape of the IBC cages, they can be stacked up to four times high when empty and two times high when empty. This enables users to maximise the volume of liquids storable in a single space compared to foldable bins or drums.
● Re-usability: When IBCs are made of durable material, they are reusable at the end of their original objective. A wide range of re-bottled and re-conditioned IBCs that have been leak-tested and cleaned are ready for re-use.
● Easy access: Every IBC features a screw-cap lid of large diameter as well as a bottom-outlet valve rendering it simple to fill, clean and empty the IBC.
● Manoeuvrability: All IBC pallets, whether made of plastic, steel, wood, or a mix of materials, including forklift channels, ensure that they are easy and safe to move using forklifts.
● Filling and discharging: Composite IBCs depend on plastic liners which can be discharged and filled using various systems.
● Low cost: The producer/manufacturer can pack a product in bulk in one country and ship these to other countries at a lower cost. There it can be packaged for the final consumer as per the country’s regulations and according to the language and form suitable for that country.
● Efficiency: IBCs help to improve timelines for handling and logistics, capacities and efficiencies via single container dispensing, transit, loading, moving and filling.
● IBCs are potentially long-term assets because of the durability of construction materials.
Uses of IBCs
These containers are used like pallet crates for shipping/handling or storing:
● Food ingredients in the form of powders, granules and liquids
● Food syrups like molasses, maple syrup and corn syrup.
● Bulk chemicals, including dangerous goods or hazardous materials
● Raw materials and commodities utilised in industrial manufacture
● Rainwater
● Petrochemical products like adhesives, detergents, solvents, gas and oil.
● Industrial coatings and paints
● Used IBCs for building aquaponic systems for the home
● Pharmaceutical compounds, batch products, intermediates and ingredients
● Items related to health-care, waste materials, bio-waste and solid commodities
● Spirits production, wine fermentation and vineyards.
● Chemicals, greenhouses and nurseries in agriculture
● Water applications and wastewater across industries
● Used for activities in fire-fighting by landowners
Several food factories store food dyes, flavours and ingredients in IBCs. They may use them for mixing ingredients since they protect the latter from external conditions and help maintain their authentic flavour and aroma.
Forms of IBCs
An IBC can be bought as a new unit (cage and bottle), a re-bottled item (washed cage and new bottle) and a washed item (both cages and bottles are washed). Washed items are the least expensive, and new units are the costliest, with re-bottled items in the mid-point. At times, customers may buy a combination of all such units under a single price to simplify accounting.
The selection of the units or items mostly depends on either the perceived or actual sensitivity of the product to contamination and the total capacity for cleaning their specific type of product from the bottle. Items with a low risk of contamination are the main candidates for making washed items. Apart from products made in clean rooms (as per GMP- or Good Manufacturing Practices), the option to buy a new or washed item depends on factors of appearance or availability.
Lease of IBCs can take place in open-loop systems (the origin of washed or re-bottled items is flexible) or closed-loop systems (where IBCs are used by a specific customer and re-bottled or washed).
In sum, IBCs are widely used in many industries since they provide many benefits over containers of other shapes. For example, an IBC container can store a bigger volume in the same footprint than drums.