Your quest to find food-grade IBC totes for sale has taken you to multiple websites offering both new and used totes. You have seen totes made from plastic and stainless steel. You have seen them in multiple sizes. You have even run across sites that explained the difference between food grade and food safe. With all that information now rattling around in your brain, here is a question to ponder: do you know the main strength of food-grade IBC totes?
It is not their designation as food grade receptacles. There are lots of other food-grade storage solutions that do not qualify as IBC totes. Their strength is not necessarily the plastic or stainless steel from which they are made. It is not even the price or the fact that most food-grade IBC totes can be used numerous times before reaching end of life.
No, sir. It is none of those things. According to Houston-based CedarStoneIndustry, a company that deals in storage totes, the greatest strength food-grade IBC totes bring to the table is standardization. That standardization means all sorts of additional benefits including efficient transport, better storage, safe stacking, etc.
The IBC Standard
‘IBC’ is an acronym that stands for intermediate bulk container. There are two types of IBC containers: rigid and flexible. The containers are used to transport and store everything from fuel to agricultural products and food. Obviously, food-grade totes need to be manufactured to a higher standard. They cannot be made using any materials that would harm human health if consumed.
In terms of standardization, you can see it just by looking at a selection of totes. Most are made in a cube shape that is roughly the size of a standard palletized load. Some food-grade IBC totes are made from plastic and enclosed in a metal cage for safe transport. Still others are made from stainless steel.
IBC totes also have built-in runners for forklifts. They have guides on both top and bottom to allow for easy stacking. Food-grade totes also have built-in access points to help facilitate flushing and cleaning. Here is the thing: seeing one tote is like seeing them all.
Greater Transport and Storage Efficiency
IBC totes are designed and constructed in such a way as to increase efficiency in both transport and storage. Let us talk about storage first.
Storing bulk containers in a warehouse is not terribly difficult. But it can be inefficient if you are dealing with containers of assorted sizes and weights. Non-uniform storage containers require a great deal of planning in order to maximize space. But when you are using uniform containers, the storage equation is suddenly a lot simpler.
You reap the same types of benefits during transport. Using IBC totes that are roughly the size of a palletized load makes it easy to maximize valuable trailer space. Two totes can be stacked; four tote stacks can be lined up side-by-side. Standard dimensions maximize space while making for a load that is easier to secure against shifting.
No Surprises When You Purchase
The icing on the cake is that standardization means no surprises when you purchase. When you finally do find the right food-grade IBC totes for sale, you will know exactly what you are getting. If you are after 350-gallon plastic totes, that is exactly what you will get. You will not have to wonder if the totes conform to the expected dimensions. They will.
IBC totes are similar to shipping crates in that they are manufactured to certain standards. Those standards increase efficiency in shipping and storage. They make life easier for truckers, warehouse managers, and everyone else down the line.
