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Specialist Bulk Bags: UN, Anti-static & Bespoke
Whatever you need, we have the packaging for the job.
Take a look through our range or ask our team for advice.
Food Grade
We supply fully certified Food Grade Bulk Bags and FIBCs to some of the UK’s leading food manufacturing companies. Talk to our team and tell us what you need.
Anti-static bulk bags
You’ll need Anti-Static bags when you’re filling or discharging bulk bags (FIBC) with any rapidly flowing fine materials (like powders.)
This is because materials like this can often create a build-up of electrostatic charge which can be extremely dangerous – giving electric shocks or leading to accidents. And if there’s static in environments that are flammable or combustible, it can cause explosions. So it’s vital that you can manage and remove static charges at source.
To help make sure you’re choosing the right bag, there are the four types of fabrics they can be made from, along with the protection they offer.
Type A bulk bags
Type B bulk bags
Type C bulk bags
Type D bulk bags
Most bulk bags and FIBCs are produced from type A fabric, a standard woven polypropylene fabric that won’t give you static protection. You shouldn’t use this bag where there’s an air dust mixture, explosive gas or flammable solvent atmosphere.
Type B bulk bags are also produced from non-conductive woven polypropylene fabric and have a breakdown voltage of maximum 6kV.Like type A bulk bags, you can’t use them as anti-static bulk bags as they can’t remove electro charge. As the fabrics used in type B bulk bags have a low breakdown voltage, they will prevent propagating brush discharges which can ignite an air dust mixture – but explosive gas atmospheres could still be ignited. You can use type B bags to safely store and transport dry flammable powders.
Also produced from a non-conductive woven polypropylene fabric, but with interwoven conductive threads that form a connected grid. The grid is a maximum of 50mm mesh size with a maximum distance between each other of 200mm (if the threads only go in one direction). These conductive threads are grounded whenever your bulk bag is filled and discharged. If they’re grounded correctly, there’s no risk of incendive discharges. You can use Type C bulk bags in environments where there’s an air dust mixture, as well as in explosive gas atmospheres.
Type D bulk bags and FIBCs are made from non-conductive woven polypropylene fabric with conductive fibres that aren’t connected to each other.
So this type of bulk bag isn’t conductive, but instead dissipates charge into the environment through corona discharge.
You have the option of treating these bags with an antistatic coating that reduces the surface resistance of the fabric. Because the electro-charge is dissipated through corona discharge, this type of bulk bag can charge conductive objects and people nearby, which could then cause electrostatic sparks on contact with grounded objects, possibly igniting air dust mixtures, explosive or flammable gas atmospheres nearby.
So it’s vital that whenever you’re filling or discharging a Type D bulk bag or FIBC in a hazardous area, all conductive objects or people nearby are grounded throughout. You’ll find full Instructions for grounding on the label of your Type D bulk bag.
ADR & UN Certified Bulk Bags and Soft Sided Packaging
For the carriage of dangerous goods in Bulk Bags (FIBC’s) and Soft Sided Packaging
Dangerous goods are those which have been classified to have hazardous materials in all or part of them according to international regulations. The various types of materials are then grouped into 9 classes for identification.
The carriage of dangerous and hazardous goods in bulk bags by road, sea and rail carry the risk of accidents, leading to possible spillage or leakage which could create a risk such as fire, explosions, chemical burn or an environmental issue. Regulations are in place to ensure that those who come into contact during the transportation process, or the emergency services in the case of an incident, can quickly identify the materials being transported to provide a suitable response. These regulations are known as ADR or Accord Dangereux Routier (European regulations concerning the international transport of dangerous goods by road).
It is, therefore, a legal requirement that dangerous goods are packaged in containers which are ‘type approved’ or certified to UN standards as suitable for transportation of these materials. UN Certified Packaging is marked clearly to indicate hazardous materials are being transported.
| 13H1 | Woven plastics without coating and without liner |
| 13H2 | Woven plastics, coated and without liner |
| 13H3 | Woven plastics, uncoated and with liner |
| 13H4. | Woven plastics, coated and with line |
| Z | The material being packaged has been tested to a packing group 111 level meaning low danger |
| 1015 | The month and year of manufacture (in this case Oct 2015) |
| IND | The country issuing the test certificate (in this case India) |
| 103346217 | The manufacturer reference |
| 1087 | The stacking test weight in KGs |
| 1004 | The maximum weight of contents in KGs |
Packing Groups
| Degree of Danger | Packing Group | UN-Symbol | Maximum Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | I | X | 1,5m3 |
| Medium | II | Y | 3,0m3 |
| Low | III | Z | 3,0m3 |
Q-Bag & Baffle Bulk Bags
The main benefit of using Q-Bags is that you get four square sides that sit flush on your pallet, meaning you can maximise your payload on your trucks and containers, and make healthy savings on your transport costs.
How it works
A Q-Bag (or Baffle Bulk Bag as they’re sometimes known) is a bulk bag/flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) that has internal baffles sewn into the four sides of the bag. The baffles interconnect the four sides of the bulk bag, distributing the pressure evenly from the product they carry. This all helps your bulk bag to stay square when it’s full and maximise your pallet footprint.
In fact, you’ll often get a massive 15% extra product per bag when you’re using Q-Bags or Baffle Bags, sitting on the exact same footprint as a standard bag. A sizeable difference!
