You should remember that some companies must transport and store massive amounts of semi-solids, pastes, solids, and liquids. Therefore, you should take advantage of IBC or Intermediate Bulk Containers you can find on the market.

Of course, you can choose a wide array of options for different uses depending on your preferences and quality requirements. It is a perfect solution for industries that operate with cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, and food & beverage.

These industries are continually increasing; meaning companies are buying more IBC tanks for storage purposes.

Getting a container can help your company, but first, you should know the type and option you should get. The main idea is to ensure the quality is properly assessed, which will allow you to protect the items you wish to store.

In the further article, we will explain to you a few things about an Intermediate Bulk Container, which will provide you with the relevant information you can use while choosing the one for your specific needs. Let us start from the beginning.

Things to Know About an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC)

Companies from all across the globe require containers to transport and store different materials. Therefore, if you wish to determine the best course of action, first, you should learn about an IBC.

Generally, an intermediate bulk container, which most of us know as an IBC tank, is an industrial-grade and reusable container you can use for numerous purposes. They are perfect for transporting, handling, and storing solids, semi-solids, and liquids, among other things.

Most of them are shaped like cubes, meaning they will not take up too much space. At the same time, you can safely move and store them by using a forklift.

Since they feature a specific shape, you can stack them and ship them in bulk, which makes them an affordable solution for shipping purposes.

That way, you can take advantage of shipping space, meaning you will end up spending less money on transporting while taking advantage of more products. We can differentiate two types of IBC tanks.

1.   Rigid IBC

The first one is rigid IBCs, which are stackable, versatile, and reusable. It comes with a pallet base that will allow you to move around without any additional hassle. The material of the tank comes from plastic or metal, while you can find a combination as well.

Generally, the material option depends on the things you wish to stack and transport. You should remember that they can hold between four hundred liters and up to three thousand liters, depending on your preferences.

The most common ones feature a thousand liters. It is an affordable solution you can use for numerous purposes, which makes it highly versatile and convenient.

2.   Flexible IBC

Another option you can get can withstand between five hundred and thousand kilos. It comes either from plastic or metal combined with folding plastic, wood, aluminum, and fiberwood.

One of the most popular options is folding IBC, where the sides can fold inward while empty, meaning you will get additional storage space when you stop using it. Remember that flexible IBC tanks are perfect for storing dry products such as fertilizer or sand.

Reasons to Use IBC Tanks

As you can see from everything mentioned above, use IBC tanks for numerous purposes. For instance, if you operate in the food industry, use them to hold granulated, powdered, or liquid food ingredients. At the same time, they are perfect for certain food syrups such as maple or corn.

Some people use them in wine fermentation processes, which is the perfect solution for alcohol production. On the other hand, you can use it for industrial coatings, paints, and place commodities such as industrial production and raw materials you wish to store or transport.

During the harvesting season, it is vital to use it to hold rainwater, which makes it useful in agriculture as well. Another option includes the construction industry, where you should use it for the material. Generally, it can hold highway or road materials, cleaning products, or paints for stripping roads.

Most people think that their main use is to store various chemicals. Of course, we recommend you place dangerous goods and hazardous materials inside. At the same time, they can hold specific petrochemical products such as solvents, detergents, gas, and oil, as well as pharmaceutical compounds.

Similarly, as mentioned above, you can store numerous chemicals and fertilizers for agricultural purposes. Besides, healthcare-related items are also perfect for the IBC tanks.

Benefits of Using IBC Tanks

You should remember that IBC comes with a few advantages compared with regular storage options within the packaging industry. One of the biggest ones is the appearance, meaning it is a cube.

Therefore, you will get a chance to transport it simpler from one place to another. At the same time, it does not matter which material you wish to store because it will leave the same footprint.

You can ship more options compared with standard packaging options used in numerous industries. Besides, most of them feature plastic liners you should discharge in different ways, meaning they are better for the environment than other options. You should know that you can bulk a half-complete product and package it completely in a different country.

As a result, you can handle the regulations when it comes to consumer requirements, especially if you wish to ship it to a country that comes with rigid codes. The best thing about them is the chance to organize and store them properly, meaning it is the perfect form that will save the overall space you wish to use.

Generally, you can lift them by using a jack or forklift and keep your storage as organized as possible. They are more efficient for organization than other options you can find on the market.