National Bulk Bag Blog

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. 

Updated: 3-8-2022

Bulk Bags are one of the most versatile bulk containers on the market. For the most part, no matter what product you are storing and/or transporting, there is a bag that fits your unique application.

The pandemic’s impact on supply chain has been covered at great length – COVID-19 has significantly impacted the availability of goods and materials across the globe. Consumer goods aren’t the only thing in short supply, though; many employers are also struggling to find quality workers to fill critical roles. The agriculture industry is in the midst of an historic workforce shortage as laborers are difficult to come by, with many produce growers facing serious labor challenges come harvest season.

2020 was a historically poor year for the potato industry. Record low yields and reduced global production resulted in a significant decrease in the availability of potatoes – the global cold storage stock of potatoes fell from around 1.12 billion pounds to 1.06 pounds.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lead times for many goods and raw materials have been significantly extended. Beginning in late 2020 and into early 2021, many manufacturers saw a huge spike in lead times due to skyrocketing demand following the initial lockdown periods across the globe. As the demand increased, supply struggled to keep pace, due often to understaffed manufacturing centers and increased delays in shipping and delivery of raw materials. No industry was immune, including the FIBC bulk bag industry as we covered in our recent post “How the Shipping Crunch Is Impacting FIBC Bulk Bag[...]

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.

We’ve covered FIBC construction extensively on this blog in the past, however, it’s been a while since we’ve specifically covered the types of construction as it relates to the way bulk bags are put together. This includes the seams, panels, and how they are sewn together.

As supply chain issues continue to impact the world, many industries are feeling the crunch. As part of our commitment to keeping up on the latest industry news, we’re continually examining the FIBC market and lead times, and sharing our findings with you. By doing so, we hope to keep you informed and to help you minimize the impact supply chain issues have on your business.

For decades, the agricultural space has made use of baler bags for a wide range of applications. Over the years, baler bags have undergone significant transformation in order to meet the changing needs of those agricultural users. Baler bags are no longer the simple cloth bags they started as. Instead, baler bags are available in many different materials, with many different types of construction.

Organizations looking to reduce storage and transportation costs will likely be excited about the recently growing market for used FIBCs. It has become increasingly popular for companies to sell their bags after their first use, and for other organizations to purchase those bags for their own purposes. The sale of used FIBCs helps the seller recoup some of the original purchase cost, while organizations that purchase used likely save a few dollars.

Each year in March, the United States celebrates National Ag Day. The holiday is organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), which is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community. ACA dedicates its efforts to increasing the public's awareness of agriculture's role in modern society.

The rising popularity of facilities automation has led to increased efficiency and safety in manufacturing facilities across the globe. To support facilities automation efforts, many businesses have begun to source packaging that offer useful features and technology that help eliminate slowdowns or bottlenecks during the manufacturing or storage process.

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.

As a natural part of their operations, many farmers and food processing facilities find themselves with produce or product at the end of their growing or production season that is unsellable due to its size or appearance. Many of these organizations are extremely generous with excess product and choose to donate their overruns or unsellable stock to charities or food shelters.

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.

Using FIBCs in manufacturing, shipping and raw materials facilities is a great way to receive product, move product around the floor and ultimately ship products out of your facility to your customers. However, traditional methods for filling, discharging and transporting FIBCs aren’t always the most efficient – or safe.

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.