An Intermediate bulk container (IBC) is a container

Packaging and labelling

Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport,...

 used for transport and storage of fluids and bulk materials. The construction of the IBC container and the materials used are chosen depending on the application, i.e. there are various types available in the market:

• Plastic
  Plastic
  A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
  
   composite IBC Container
• Steel
  Steel
  Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
  
   IBC Container
• Stainless steel
  Stainless steel
  In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
  
   IBC Container

Shape & Dimensions

There are many advantages of the IBC concept:

• They are generally cubic in form and therefore can transport more material in the same area than cylindrically shaped containers and far more than might be shipped in the same space if packaged in consumer quantities.
• They rely on plastic liners that can be filled and discharged with a variety of systems.
• The manufacturer/processor of a product can bulk package a product in one country and ship to many other countries at a reasonably low cost where it is subsequently packaged in final consumer form in accordance with the regulations of that country and in a form and language suitable for that country.

IBCs range in size but are generally between 700 and 2000 mm (27.6 and 78.7 in) or 46 to 52 in (1,168.4 to 1,320.8 mm) in height. The length and width of an IBC is usually dependent on the pallet

Pallet

A pallet , sometimes called a skid, is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies...

 dimension standard of a given country.

IBCs may have pallet-like bases so that forklifts can move them.

It is common for IBCs to be able to fold down into a compact profile, reducing their height for transportation and storage when empty. IBCs in almost all cases can be stacked vertically.

Depending on the size of the IBC, it can weigh between 90 and 1200 kg (198.4 and 2,645.5 lb).

Uses

IBCs may ship and store:

• Bulk chemicals including hazardous materials or dangerous goods
  Dangerous goods
  Dangerous goods are solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. They are often subject to chemical regulations. "HazMat teams" are personnel specially trained to handle dangerous goods...
  
   if the IBC is proven suitable
• Components
• Powder
• Some liquid food products, such as sugar
• soap, glue, ...
• Some foods

Acquisition

Intermediate bulk containers may be purchased or leased. Bar code and RFID tracking systems are available with associated software.

Fire Hazards

Plastic IBCs containing combustible or flammable liquids and release their entire contents when exposed to a fire, increasing the fire hazard by the addition of the combustible fuel.

See also

• Intermodal container
  Intermodal container
  An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
  
  
• Flexible intermediate bulk container
  Flexible intermediate bulk container
  A Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container, FIBC , big bag, bulk bag, or Super Sack® is a standardized container in large dimensions for storing and transporting dry, flowable products, for example sand, fertilizers , and granules of plastics.FIBCs are most often made of thick woven polyethylene or...
  
  , Big Bag, Bulk Bag, Super Sack
• Packaging
• Bulk box

Further reading

• Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, ISBN 9780470087046