At National Bulk Bag, we are committed to educating and sharing our industry knowledge with our website visitors and customers. We have built NBB on producing exceptional results for our clients and being transparent and honest in all aspects of our business.
Although bulk bags are widely used across multiple industries around the world, all things FIBC on the internet seem to remain covered in a shroud of mystery. In this post, we attempt to bring transparency to 5 industry secrets that every buyer should know.
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1) Almost all FIBCs are manufactured outside of the United States.
Manufacturing flexible intermediate bulk containers is a complex and expensive process. This is why a majority of the bags used around the world and right here in the US are manufactured in India, China, and Central and South America.
It is extremely important to find a reliable supplier that has strong sourcing relationships. By doing so, you ensure that your bags are manufactured in the world's premier facilities. Also, if your supplier has strong sourcing relationships, they will regularly visit their manufacturers to ensure rigorous testing and standards are upheld. Suppliers with strong sourcing relationships will also offer much more transparency as to where their bags are manufactured. Transparency is a sign of a good supplier.
2) Baffled bulk bags do not hold more product. They hold less.
This is one of the most common misconceptions in the industry. Baffled bags do not hold more product. In fact, they hold less. Baffled bags are typically used for finer materials. Some of the benefits of using baffled bags are:
- Increased structural integrity
- Minimal bulging, more uniform in shape
- Easier handling, very effective with warehouse racking systems
For more information on baffled bags, click here to check out our blog post "What are FIBC with Baffles?".
3) GFSI, BRC, AIB, & SQF Certified Bulk Bags Don't Exist
It is common to find suppliers advertising that they stock BRC certified bags but there is a fundamental problem with that... they don't exist. GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), BRC (British Retail Consortium), AIB (American Institute of Baking), SQF (Safe Quality Food Institute) and other food accreditations do not certify bags, they certify the facilities that they are manufactured in.
One other important distinction to note is that GFSI does not offer accreditation of facilities. They do recognize other food safety initiatives such as:
- BRC (British Retail Consortium),
- FSSC22000 (Food Safety System Certification 22000)
- SQF (Safe Quality Food Institute)
- IFS (International Featured Standards)
For more information on GFSI, click here to check out our blog post "GFSI Standards for FIBCs".
4) Reusing bulk bags safely is difficult
Some bags are specifically manufactured for multiples uses. Because of this, many suppliers tout flexible intermediate bulk containers as the "green solution" for storing and transporting large quantities of product. Although this is true, it's not as easy to safely reuse bags as it may seem.
Multiple use/multiple trip bags are rated at a 6:1 safety factor ratio. Although these bags are rated for multiple uses, doing so safely can be difficult. Multiple use/multiple trip bags should be used in a closed loop system. After every use, each bag should be cleaned, reconditioned, and qualified for reuse. The bag should also be used for storing/transporting the same product in the same application every time.
For more information on how to safely reuse bags, click here to read our blog "FIBC Safety: 5:1 vs 6:1".
5) Recycling bulk bags is not feasible for most
Another reason why flexible intermediate bulk containers are touted as a "green" bulk packaging solution is because of their recyclability. Most bags are made from virgin polypropylene which is a common plastic that can be re-purposed into other plastic products. Most bags are suitable for recycling including those used to store construction materials, chemicals, grains, fertilizers, pigments and plastics.
Bags are collected in large quantities by industrial recycling companies therefore recycling is usually only feasible for businesses that use large quantities of bags or can store bags over time. There are also different recycling grades and not all bag recyclers collect all of them.
For more information on recycling bags, click here to check out our blog "Reuse and Recycle Guidelines for FIBCs".
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading our blog post "Top 5 Industry Secrets That Every Bulk Buyer Should Know"!
It's our mission to make your buying experience easy, informative, and enjoyable. We also want to share our knowledge with you so you can make the best purchasing decision for the company you represent. Our Buyer's Guide to Purchasing Bulk Bags includes critical information ranging from types of bags to important safety information about handling and transportation.
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