The big bags, also often referred to as Flexible Intermediate Big Containers (FIBC) are an excellent tool for shipping goods, however, they have difficulty gaining acceptance within some industries. In Europe, the bags are much more widespread and their uses are wider across all industries. In the UK, the bags are used extensively in some industries, while others have not embraced bags as their intermediate packaging of choice.
What exactly is an FIBC?
A FIBC which is also called a large bag in essence a bag constructed from threads of polypropylene that are woven. The fabric of the bag is created similar to the way you produce cotton clothing where the strands are produced and then put together. The different is that these bags are able to hold a significant amount of weight. In general, they are packed with about 2200 – 3000 lbs of various substances. However, when the appropriate storage equipment has been installed, these bags can accommodate 12,000 pounds of material.
What kind of items or materials are stored in FIBCs or large bags?
Many industries already utilize large bags like agriculture or aggregate, grains, fertilizer, plastics, chemicals, powders, mining, etc. The most commonly used markets for bags are pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture and chemicals.
The majority of these markets prefer to transport in huge quantities, however it’s not always feasible. Some customers aren’t able to handle big trucks and need a smaller quantity of product. For instance farmers who require just 2,000 pounds of fertilizer or seeds might not be able to take a full truckload, which is why big bags are the best choice. Another scenario is when shipping internationally in shipping containers, large bags can be a convenient way for under-industrialized countries to receive items. The transportation of chemicals used in the gold mining industry to Africa would not lend itself to big shipments. The products must be packed delivered in small bags or large bags which allow the handling of these chemicals even in the most primitive infrastructure (dirt roads, a lack of equipment).
Why aren’t FIBCs and big bags more popular?
There are a variety of reasons why FIBCs have not widely used are skepticism or misinformation regarding the product. If you’re skeptical, many don’t believe that a 5 lbs plastic bag can safely hold 3,000 lbs. until they are in an industry where they see this being done. The misconceptions are that many do not understand how they function and think that a huge infrastructure is required to load or unload the bags. Big boxes are easy for certain industries to identify because they understand how boxes work. In addition, some companies already have significant investments in the equipment needed to empty boxes such as box tippers. Stacking could influence the decision as well. Many businesses stack on the floor 3 high, so boxes could be stacked up three levels without much planning while big bags take more planning and knowledge of the product.
Why Should You Use Big Bags?
Easier to store
In the average, big bags with the same amount as a large box will have about 200 bags on a regular-sized pallet. Therefore, on average 7000 bags cover the same area as 500 large boxes. If you’re a business that is strapped for space, this can be a huge advantage.
It is easier to purchase
For boxes that are new procurement managers have to constantly procure boxes to fill demands. With the use of used boxes, which are used by many industries, they are not always available, which is why the need to search with many suppliers (each monthly) is essential. The search for used gaylord boxes is dependent on the volume of production who are producing boxes that are disposed. If the industrial production is down, there’ll be fewer boxes for sale on the market on the second hand market to buy. With bags, the procurement may be less frequent, as the space used to store one bag will equal the same space as one container truck.
Simpler to use
A huge bag weighs 6 to 4-6 pounds, so one female worker can handle them easily. On the other hand, an octagon box will require two persons to set up for loading and can weigh as much as 30 to 45 pounds.
Ability to hold more
A 4-5 wall big box is able to hold between 1,800-2,000 pounds. While a large bag can be designed to hold up to 4,000 pounds. with the same footprint as the big box. Therefore, you have the same footprint, but double the size.
Landscaping Supply Companies
A few companies provide mulch, rocks stone, sand dirt and more. in big bags. There are many reasons to use these bags, since they can easily transport loads of five or more components at the same time with bags that separate every item separate. Furthermore, each bag can be carried to the specific spot where it is going to be utilized. A majority of big trucks means that the materials will be mixed up during transport or send several trucks. In addition, they will dispose of it at a central location. After that, it will be transported manually or by other means to where it’s required.
Construction
What kinds of building materials? Companies in the construction industry could gain from using bagssince they could place the bag close to the place where the product is either in use or being recycled. This eliminates the need to move materials around multiple times which is a great deal of work. For instance, pipe fittings, concrete ties, rebar, mortar, bricks etc. Also, if materials that are thrown away in construction The bags can be near the location of the rehab and then loaded once and then hauled out to a dumpster. The large bags can help save time.
Recycling
If you recycle plastic, metal or clothing, these bags can be a huge advantage over big boxes. If you’re sending these items overseas The bags can be placed two-high in a shipping container and made to remove any wasted space. Also, you can eliminate the requirement for costly pallets treated with heat. When using boxes, you have to use pallets, therefore the cost is higher.
Charitable Organizations
Charitable institutions take in an enormous amount of material including clothing, books and toys, shoes, and many more. They need to handle all the material in order to sell it at a retail store or get it ready to ship overseas. Bags can be designed at various sizes and heights to accommodate various kinds of materials that need to be handled. For instance bags can be made to be 84″ tall, so it would only the need to have one bag per two boxes to go into an overseas container. In the same way, the biggest bags could measure 24″ tall to be placed near a table for sorting into the various bags, which means there is more potential for flexibility.
As described above There are many benefits when using bags that are large Therefore, some companies or industries ought to look at what is required for them to make the switch. They will not be disappointed. If you’re looking for more information, contact a big bag supplier to get more details.