Industrial-grade plastic storage container

01

Fix the capacity, UN design type and marking

Under US rule 49 CFR 178.707, a composite IBC is a rigid outer packaging enclosing a plastic inner receptacle; the outer packaging bears the entire stacking load, and the two are filled, stored, transported and emptied as a unit. Composite IBCs may hold no more than 3,000 L (793 gallons) and no less than 450 L (119 gallons). Type 31HZ1 has a rigid plastic inner receptacle for liquids, and 11HZ1 and 21HZ1 are for solids discharged by gravity or under pressure; the Z is replaced by a letter for the outer packaging material. [1]

The rule requires the inner receptacle to be made of plastic of known specification, resistant to ageing and ultraviolet degradation, with no used material other than production residues or regrind from the same process unless approved. Liquid IBCs must be able to vent enough vapour to avoid rupture above their hydraulic test pressure, and any pallet base must handle the IBC at maximum permissible gross mass. [1] Structural equipment includes stacking members such as metal cages. [3]

49 CFR 178.703 requires the manufacturer to mark every IBC with the UN symbol, design code, a letter X, Y or Z for the packing groups passed, month and year of manufacture, the authorizing country, the manufacturer, the stacking test load in kg (0 if not designed for stacking) and the maximum permissible gross mass in kg, in characters at least 12 mm high. Rigid plastic and composite IBCs also carry rated capacity in litres of water at 20 °C, tare mass, gauge test pressure in kPa and dates of the last leakproofness test and inspection. [2]

Give the supplier the product, its density and hazard class, required UN design code and packing group, capacity, stacking needs, outlet valve and filling opening, pallet type, food, FDA or antistatic requirements, storage conditions and the number of units.

02

Choose the valve, filling opening, pallet and grade

SCHÜTZ lists its ECOBULK MX in 640, 820, 1,000 and 1,250 L, approved for products with a maximum density of 1.9, with a steel bottom plate to help minimise residual contents and optional FDA approval. Its 1,000 L version offers integrated butterfly valves DN 50 or DN 80, a screwable DN 150 butterfly valve or an integrated DN 50 ball valve; DN 150 or DN 225 screw caps or a DN 400 clamp-ring lid; and steel, plastic or full-plastic pallets. [4]

For hazardous areas, SCHÜTZ's ECOBULK MX-EX conductive has a conductive outer layer for Ex zones 1 and 2, earthed butterfly valves of DN 50 or DN 80, a steel pallet, and a maximum product density of 1.6. [5]

Editorial calculation: at the listed maximum density of 1.9, a full 1,000 L ECOBULK MX holds about 1,900 kg of product; at 1.6, a 1,000 L MX-EX conductive holds about 1,600 kg. [4] [5]

03

Find industrial plastic storage container manufacturers

Ask any supplier for capacity, UN design code and test certificate, maximum product density, stacking test load, maximum gross mass, tare mass, inner bottle material and layers, valve and opening options, pallet type, external dimensions, and reconditioning or take-back service.

04

Inner bottle, cage, pallet, valve and filling opening on an IBC

05

Gross mass, stacking load and the dimensions the maker has to supply

The CFR marking rules give the gross mass, stacking load and tare entries; external dimensions, wall thickness and impact data are not in the reviewed sources and have to come from the maker.

06

Send the product, capacity and fitting data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Product: [name; density; hazard class]
Capacity: [640; 820; 1,000; 1,250 L; other]
UN: [31HZ1 or other; packing group]
Outlet: [butterfly; ball; DN size]
Filling opening: [DN size; lid]
Pallet: [steel; plastic]
Grade: [food; FDA; antistatic; conductive]
Quantity: [units]

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