FIBC, you Business, and the Environment

FIBC, your Business, and the Environment:

Flexible intermediate bulk containers – bulk bags, as we call them in the business – are industrial-grade containers used both in storing and transporting a wide range of contents, both safely and securely. Though some might think bulk bags to be expensive, we’d like to explain to you how you can manage and alleviate costs, all the while making a powerful eco-conscious business decision.

A principal way to reduce costs while maintaining a commitment to both environmentally conscious practices as well as quality of product is to purchase or recondition your used bulk bags. Some might find the consideration of a used bag over a new product concerning, but one thing sometimes overlooked is these bags tend to be extremely well made, giving you not only more life out of the product, but savings both at the bank and with environment!

The bags you use now, whether they are existing refurbished bulk bags or they will be in future use, are manufactured to be a cost-effective solution which can work for multiple uses and a variety of applications. A positive consideration to keep in mind is that you can assimilate these reconditioned bags into your already existing supply chain without any slowing of production. Each of our bulk bags can replace multiple pallets – sometimes containers – of crates, barrels, and drums.

DID YOU KNOW?

Reconditioned bulk bags are the perfect way for businesses either considering to use or already using FIBC bulk bags to save money. These businesses will be able to operate at their normal – if not faster – capacity, delivering goods and meeting production demands. Not only that, they will be securing their supply chain and protecting the environment in the process. Here are just a few of the wide range of benefits reconditioned bulk bags offer:

• Frequently, companies will have countless bulk bags in use at any given moment, so reconditioned bulk bags are an obvious decision. There are many companies that operate with a wide range of used bulk bags, reintroducing them into the same supply stream and using bulk bags for other materials or applications.
• Bulk bags, both reconditioned and new, are — almost always — more cost effective than most other shipping container options. This point is highlighted when you consider the shipping costs of rigid items like crates, barrels, pallets and drums. Unlike those, more restrictive options, FIBC’s can easily adapt to any shipping environment.
• As we all know, storage space is a huge component in shipping. If you’re using a FTL shipment — and much more often a LTL shipment — then you can typically stack in more bags compared to all other common containment alternatives. Furthermore, intermodal containers — or rail to a truck containers — find that the same space of 6,000 standard boxes can be filled by only 1,000 FIBCs This fact becomes more incredible when you realize that after being collapsed, you’re able to save that much more space. So, whether you’re looking at either new or used bulk bags, keep in mind that your shipments will likely be taking up exponentially less space compared to all other traditional container options.
• Once emptied of the product, used FIBC bulk bags are collapsible, which frees up shipping space during transportation of the bags back to your warehouse or to us for reconditioning. In turn, bulk bags don’t take up as much space as other containers, such as crates, drums and barrels, which can’t be broken down after a load is delivered.
• FBIC’s can be stored and stacked on each other in whichever way best suits both you and your customers’ needs. Which is to say, when your clients are done with a bag, it will take up a fraction of the space as it did when it was full.
• If your demand increases, you can order more reconditioned bags and then don’t need to wait for the usual manufacturing and production delays that come from having new bags created specifically for your operations.
• Reconditioned bulk bags allow you to essentially close the loop on your FIBC bulk bag supply and maintain your operations. After you fill your bag and deliver it to a customer, it doesn’t have to needlessly take up space at your local landfill —especially if you have custom designed bags.
• Using a reclamation process that allows you to reintroduce used FIBC bulk bags into your process will ensure you’re not running out of bags or paying a considerably high price to continuously supply new bags with your specific design. After each bag is discharged, we inspect, refurbish, and send it back for re-use, eliminating production delays as well as the risk of not having a quality bag.

With Quincy Bag Company’s recycling and reuse program, you are paying a nominal price and only ever need to cover the costs of the bags you actually need. If your demand shrinks, you simply order fewer reconditioned bags and aren’t having to figure out how to store bags in your warehouse and keep them properly cared for to maintain their compliance.

Working with your own refurbished bags simply extends their life span, lowering their cost-per-use, which in turn increases the lifetime value of your investment for greater returns. Remember, used and reconditioned bulk bags are a great way to be a financially and environmentally responsible company while still protecting your operations.

One thing that’s important for used FIBC bulk bags is to know the quantity of bags in circulation, so you can estimate your shipping costs and times — without having to wait for production to catch up when it’s time for your batch order. Introducing reconditioned bags into your production line eliminates worrying about ordering ahead of need, which simplifies your supply chain management requirements.

When you’re ready to learn more about used and recycled bulk bags to save money, improve operations, and make a green impact contact Quincy Bag Company, Inc. for a free quote on a bag to fit your needs.

FIBC as a Reusable Commodity in your Supply Chain

Are you worried about the growing clutter in municipal landfills across the United States? You can stop adding more waste to those landfills by considering the use of reconditioned bulk FIBC sacks for your operation. This will keep the communities you serve cleaner and healthier without forcing you to reduce quality or performance.

According to two recent , out of all consumers surveyed:

• 70% of global consumers aged 15 to 20 want to buy goods from companies that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and environmental protection.
• 67%  prefer to work for socially responsible companies
• 66% of consumers say they are willing to pay more for sustainable brands—up from 55% in 2014 and 50% in 2013.
• 52% made at least one purchase in the past six months from one or more socially responsible companies
• 52% check product packaging to ensure sustainable impact

Reusing BOPP / FIBC’s is a principal way for your business to encourage sustainable practices and put your operations within a contained economy. This will save you money, aid in regulatory compliance and strengthen overall marketing to customers. Also, this will position your business with optimal visibility for emerging markets and companies looking to partner themselves with eco-conscious organizations.

Recycling your FIBC

After your FIBC has run the course of life and served its purpose well, it is time to send it off to its new “green” life in the beyond.

There are many types of bulk bags suitable for recycling including (but not limited to): plastics, pigments, construction materials, grains, fertilizers, and chemicals. Bags for recycling are classified by different grades: Grade A (clean, bright white; colored stitching and handles allowed); Grade B (not as clean, predominantly white with minimal coloring); and Grade C (dirty or colored bags).

A variety of new products can be manufactured from the pellets as the bulk bag recycling process comes full circle. This loop can be repeated over and over, as polypropylene can be safely recycled many times.

A Few Final Words

It’s always important to remember when you’re providing goods to other businesses, being a sustainable partner is an easy way for you and your clients to generate higher sales by attracting the newer, younger customer base. This emerging generation of entrepreneurs and business owners are more likely to see environmentally conscious companies as reliable entities they will be eager to work with.

Remember, reusing your bags will reduce operational costs, delays, and all around workplace malaise. An article in the found companies that voluntarily adopted green practices and standards have employees who are 16 percent more productive than average.

Help us simultaneously keep bulk bags out of our nation’s landfills and build your business’s capitol with our reconditioned bag program today. If you can, why aren’t you?

http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/apac/docs/reports/2014/Nielsen-Global-Corporate-Social-Responsibility-Report-June-2014.pdf

http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/dk/docs/global-sustainability-report-oct-2015.pdf

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/job.1827/full