Types of Flexible Bulk Containers

Bag Construction Styles

Circular-These bags are formed into tubes on the loom and are the minimum standard for bulk bags.It won't hold its shape when loaded and will sit and bulge in the middle.It will act like a tomato when loaded because the fabric is stretched when the product is under the pressure of the loaded product.Usually it will have cross corner lifting loops.U-Panel-A U-panel bag is an upgraded version of a round bag as it stitches two pieces of fabric that resemble a U shape together to form the shape of the bag.It will hold its square shape better than a round style.Four-Piece–Four-panel bags are the best bags to keep square,not flapper bags.It consists of four pieces of fabric forming the sides and one forming the bottom.These are all stitched together to resist the bag's tendency to stretch and better hold it in place in the cube shape.Baffles–This style is best for maintaining the cube shape of the product while bagging.It has extra flaps sewn into each corner as a pocket to fill each corner.In addition,there are additional pockets sewn on each side so that all products can be gathered around the flap and pockets.These are perfect if you have small diameter products like soybeans that can flow through the baffle without hanging up.These bulk bags will be easier to stack as they make nice square cubes.

Special bag: 

• Pharmaceutical-similar to food grade certification

• UN certified-must be tested multiple times to ensure it can withstand pressure and still eliminate hazardous material spills

• Food Grade-must be manufactured in a BRC or FDA approved clean room environment

• Vented FIBC-for potatoes and other fruits/vegetables to allow the product to breathe

• Different lifting ring configurations

• A loop

• Two lifting rings

• 4 lifting rings

• Types of Lifting Rings

• Standard lifting ring

• Cross corner lifting rings

• Lined container bag

• Dusty or hazardous products must have a polypropylene liner inside the FIBC to eliminate sieving of the woven FIBC.

• Liners can be made of polypropylene,polyethylene, nylon or metal (foil) liners

• Electrostatic properties

• Type– A –no special ESD safety features

• Type B—Type B bags are not capable of generating propagating brush discharges.The walls of this FIBC have a breakdown voltage of 4 kV or less.

• Type – C – Conductive FIBC.Made of conductive fabric designed to control static charges through grounding.Standard fabrics used contain conductive thread or tape.

• Type–D–Antistatic bulk bag,essentially a bag that has antistatic or static dissipative properties without the need for grounding.

For transportation

• Chemicals

• Medicines

• Fertilizers

• Glass fiber

• Food products

• Grains

• Shotcrete

• Building materials (sand, gravel)

• Pigments

• Plastic

• Refractory materials

• Seeds

• Salt

• Peanut

• Starch

• Hazardous Waste - UN Rating

• Fly ash

• Minerals

• Cattle feed

•  Wool

• Scrap

Flood barrier use

Thailand used large bags to build temporary walls to protect areas during the 2011 Thai floods.Walls built using sacks instead of the smaller sandbags traditionally used are known as sack walls or sack barriers.In North America,FIBCs are also often used for flood protection.An 1,850-kilogram (4,070-pound) bag has a footprint of at least 3 feet by 3 feet and is almost 4 feet high with a solid wall of sand that can hold 400 regular-sized sandbags at a time.

Empty FIBC

Emptying of FIBCs to process their contents must be performed on workstations specially designed for the purpose to deal with the various difficulties associated with handling FIBCs,which may weigh more than 1000 kg.These sites must be equipped with cranes to lift the FIBC,safety cages to avoid the risk of falling,and systems to control dust emissions during discharge.