History of Bulk Bags in North America

Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) have been used for packaging purposes since the1940's. FIBC forerunners to contemporary bulk bags (tote bags, and jumbo bags) were constructed of PVC rubber, and were mainly used in the rubber industry to move carbon black in two-ton loads. In the 1960s, with the advent of polypropylene and specialized weaving technology, oil and chemical companies began to use bulk bags for handling granular or coarse grained powdered base chemicals and fertilizers. The use of use of bulk bags burgeoned across industries in the late 1970s. Since then bulk bags usage has grown dramatically worldwide. In North America, FIBC shipments have increased 10% - 15% per year over the past decade.

Today, bulk bags are used extensively throughout North America. With the increased availability of specifically designed filling and discharging machines the use of bulk bags has increased from a mere 3 million bags in 1988, to over 30 million in 2002. The popularity and use of bulk bags will continue to grow as handling becomes increasingly easier and cost savings are even more readily identifiable over other types of packaging. Intermediate bulk containers will also continue to thrive due to:

· Ease of handling;
· Space saving when compared to rigid boxes or totes;
· Hygienic considerations at discharge;
· Lower cost of disposal of used packaging;
· Labor cost savings, particularly at discharge;
· Reduction of waste ingredient;
· Conducive for road, rail or container shipment;
· Environmentally friendly - ability to reuse and/or recycle bags.