Trying to decide between bulk bags vs. IBC containers for your food grade packaging plant? Stainless steel IBC containers, or intermediate bulk containers, are easier-to-use, clean, and add into existing operations at food and beverage processing plants.
The simplest version of a stainless steel IBC system would include a set of IBCs and a discharge station. These would replace traditional bulk bag unloaders and bulk bags, or FIBCs.

The Stainless Steel IBC or Intermediate Bulk Container…
- stackable, stainless steel, food grade container designed for long term storage and transfer by forklift (Bulk bags are not as durable or reusable and don’t stack as well as an IBC.)
- Includes a patented cone valve that discharges blended product accurately, while avoiding segregation or bridging (It can be more difficult to accurately discharge product precisely using a bulk bag.)
- Provides dust-tight containment when IBC is connected to a discharge station (Bulk bags require extra equipment or manual intervention to achieve a dust tight connection.)
- Build recipes fast inside the IBC (You cannot easily tumble and blend seasoning recipes and drink flavorings inside a bulk bag.)
- Easy-to-clean, with less than 12 components

Diagram of cone valve inside an IBC

Add ingredients into a stainless steel IBC container and then use a tumble blender to achieve a uniform and consistent blend
IBC Discharge Station
- Automatic dust-tight connection – no manual intervention is required once the IBC is lowered onto the discharge station by forklift
- Meter the discharge of products at a controlled rate or continuous flow using low-pressure air
- Bin vibrators ensure complete discharge of IBC
- Easy-to-clean with minimal downtime – can be disassembled in minutes

Stainless Steel IBC container being lowered onto a demonstration discharge station

IBC discharge station with dust tight connection raises and lowers cone valve inside IBC to dispense seasonings, drink mixes, and more to equipment below

Benefits of a Stainless IBC System

IBC container being raised by forklift
- Easy-to-use – transfer, store, and discharge raw materials, seasonings, and finished snack food products
- Easy-to-clean – designed for use with food-grade products with minimal downtime for cleaning
- Easy-to-expand system – fit into many existing operations within your processing plant

Blended drink mix being loaded into stainless steel IBC
Example – Loading an IBC from a platform
- Load and fill IBC with seasonings, drink mixes, flavorings, nuts, seeds, or other food products using a bag or box dump station
- Cyclonic fill head ensures maximum dust containment
- Optional floor sensors automatically lower the fill head onto the IBC when it is in position
- Optional floor scale can be included to precisely fill IBC to set target weight

Diagram of 50 lb. bag dump station loading an IBC from above
Example – Feeding Seasoning Systems or Packaging Equipment
- Lower the IBC onto a discharge station using a forklift
- Supply raw nuts and seeds to electrostatic seasoning system
- Collect seasoned products in an IBC for temporary storage
- Transfer seasoned products to packaging equipment

Volumetric feeder doses raw cashews into enrobing drum for seasoning