Alec Dicken

Updated: 5-3-22

For many users of bulk bags, the rules and regulations that surround the food industry are an everyday part of life. Dealing with the various certifications, processes, standards, and testing is an extremely tedious but crucial part of maintaining a clean and successful food-grade facility.

Updated 4-19-2022

It is important to follow safe use guidelines when transporting and storing products with flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs). These include guidelines from manufacturers, suppliers, and the Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container Association (FIBCA).

Updated 4-5-2022

When using woven polypropylene bulk bags, it is important to use them per the instructions provided by both your supplier and the manufacturer. It is also important that you do not fill bags over their safe working load and/or reuse bags that aren’t designed for more than one use/trip. Most bags are manufactured for a single use bag but some are specifically designed for multiple uses.

Updated: 3-22-2022

FIBC Bulk bags come in many sizes, shapes, and materials. There are a wide range of customizations to consider when choosing the right bulk bag. The type of closure used to seal the bag is an important features because it can affect the integrity of the bag. There are many different types of bottom closures that can be customized to fit your application. 

As we have expanded our product offering at National Bulk Bag into the agriculture industry, we’ve greatly expanded on the types of topics covered in this blog. A big part of that has been the packaging and/or storage materials that we carry. Almost all products that we sell at NBB are used in bulk transportation and/or storage – that’s simply a fact.

Paper window bags are a staple in the agricultural industry. Due to their sturdy paper construction and the window that allows product to be showcased, many retail agricultural operations prefer the paper window bag over any other packaging option.

The agriculture industry ranks as one of the heaviest users of bulk bags and FIBCs. This is only natural, as the agriculture industry includes countless applications and uses for these types of bags, including storing and transporting produce, grain and other crops. The wide variety of bulk bags available on the market makes them an ideal solution for many of these applications.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chains are in complete disarray – this isn’t news to anyone. In fact, we’ve covered various supply chain issues in recent blog posts, including the increased demand for raw materials, the rising market and demand for resin, and unparalleled lead times across many industries.

It’s no secret that global supply chains are currently facing unprecedented strain. It seems like every day we are seeing news about process increases or shortages of key products ranging from lumber and building materials to cars and trucks. The bulk bag industry has not escaped the current supply chain crisis unscathed. FIBC orders are facing significant delays, with lead times longer than any in recent memory. As stock becomes increasingly harder to come by, bulk bag prices have also seen a significant jump.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far reaching impact on many industries, with the bulk bag industry being no exception. In past blog posts, we discussed some of the ways the pandemic has impacted our industry, including disruptions to the supply chain, delayed production and shipment times, and more. Another impact from COVID that often goes overlooked is the shift in purchasing trends across the bulk bag and packaging industries.

In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a massive $330 million agricultural grant designed to help agricultural producers and supply chain organizations recover from the pandemic. The funds are part of the USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers program that launched in March. Far from being a simple aid package, the grant has far reaching goals – and potential impact. Understanding these goals and their potential impact on the agricultural industry, as well as our own industry, is important to the grant’s long-term success and your own future operational planning.

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t just disrupted your daily routine and kept millions home from work – it has also profoundly impacted global supply chains. In some instances, supply chains around the world have been ground to a halt, creating a scarcity of common products both in the household and within many industries. However, recent issues with scarcity have equally as much to do with demand as they do with more limited supply.

It’s no secret that 2020 was nothing short of crazy. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly spread across the globe, impacting the lives of almost everyone in the world. Countless industries and businesses faced unforeseen and nearly insurmountable challenges to their daily operations, staff and supply chain. The manufacturing industry was hit particularly hard by the pandemic – material sourcing challenges led to increased lead times, cost increases and other frustrations for organizations focused on the creation of products and goods. As such, many within the manufacturing industry have dubbed 2020[...]

Continual growth of the bulk bag industry has led to new applications, products and industry use cases. In addition to innovative new products, evolution within the FIBC industry has resulted in improved solutions to old challenges and replacements to existing products.

Product innovations within the FIBC industry are occurring on a large scale outside of the United States. Many overseas suppliers maintain and run facilities that meet international standards and are consistently looking for new ways to innovate and create new products for the industry.

The FIBC industry is continually evolving in response to the changing requirements of end users. As the industry evolves, so do the products offered by vendors. At National Bulk Bag, we are continually excited by the new and refined products entering the market. Many of these product innovations offer promising benefits for specific industries and use cases.

If you’re working with a quality FIBC distributor, chances are they have an available in-stock bag that will work for your product and application. This is generally a fantastic option as it is usually a cheaper option, offers significantly reduced lead times (time from bag purchase to delivery), and can deliver large quantities quickly. However, there are circumstances where an in-stock bag may not be compatible with your operation and/or facility.

At National Bulk Bag, we are constantly striving to help our current and future customers stay safe while using FIBCs in their workplaces and/or production facilities. Part of this effort is a continuing dedication to releasing educational materials (be sure to check out our Official Safety Guide) and promoting other materials from our partners.

As 2019 came to an end and 2020 was just beginning, the world saw a drastic de-escalation in the ever-changing trade war between the United States and China. We wrote about the potential impact the trade war could have back in early 2019 with this post (“Impact of the USA-China Trade War on the FIBC Industry”). At that time, it was impossible to know just how far the trade war would escalate and which products the tariffs would ultimately impact the most.

As new industries emerge, new opportunities emerge with them. Previously regulated industries like hemp and cannabis are suddenly open for business in the United States and have become large users of products like FIBC bulk bags. However, with these new opportunities have also come plenty of new challenges – especially inside industries that while legal, remain heavily regulated with guidelines and laws often being completely different state to state.