Flexitanks vs. ISO Tank Containers for Bulk Liquid Transportation

There are numerous logistical challenges that producers and distributors face today. These challenges make it essential to reduce costs while increasing efficiency. By understanding some of the most important challenges, you can gain more context surrounding the need for better bulk liquid transportation solutions.

• Most producers, suppliers, and logistics companies agree that cost reduction is the most serious challenge in the shipping industry today. What makes this area challenging is that costs need to be reduced in a way that doesn’t compromise the quality or the safety of shipping.
  
• Business process improvement and improved customer service are also significant challenges. Companies can increase their level of customer service by investing in better shipping solutions that reduce handling time and cost.
  
• Reducing labor costs is another concern. Labor exists at all points of the shipping process. From loading and handling bulk liquid transportation to transferring liquids to storage and container vehicles; any solution that reduces labor will benefit the industry at all levels.
  
• Regulations, security, and compliance remain key challenges. In terms of bulk liquid transportation, it’s critical that solutions meet current regulatory conditions. The best solutions meet agreed industry standards in the United States and internationally.

In your own business, you most likely recognize some or even all these challenges. You can work to reduce costs, improve your customer service, reduce labor, and remain compliant when you use flexitank bulk liquid transportation solutions.

An Overview of ISO Tank Containers – Pros and Cons

ISO tank containers remain an industry-standard in bulk liquid transportation today. However, despite their reliability and long history, they aren’t the ideal solution for all shipping jobs. Evaluating both the benefits and the downsides will help you to understand why a more flexible (in this case quite literally) shipping solution is required.

The benefits of ISO tanks are significant, and you may have already enjoyed many of these in the history of your business.

• ISO tanks eliminate the problems and risks of transferring liquids from one vessel to another. These specially designed liquid transports can be loaded from the rail, to ships, to trucks. The same container is used throughout the shipping process, which can help to eliminate costs.
  
• ISO tanks can be easily stored, even for layovers and intra-day storage. If there are delays in the shipping process for any reason (weather, customer request, etc.), ISO tanks can be safely stored at most facilities.
  
• These tanks are robust and will resist the most anticipated forms of damage during shipping. This is a key consideration when shipping any product, whether it is inherently hazardous or not.

Despite these benefits, there are some areas where ISO tanks don’t deliver the greatest advantages. Cleaning is a major concern. ISO tanks can be reused but they need to be cleaned at an approved facility, which can increase the cost of hire or ownership. This also ties up shipping containers in the supply chain i.e., in times of high demand, there could be a waiting period before an ISO tank can be hired.

Although relatively environmentally friendly once in distribution, ISO tanks require a significant amount of energy to be produced. This negates some of their benefits. They are also costly to produce and replace.

ISO tanks solve many of the concerns that come from using totes and drums, but they’re still not the ideal shipping solution. There’s always room for innovation in the shipping and storage industries, which is where flexitanks shine.

An Overview of Flexitanks for Bulk Liquid Transport – Pros and Cons

There’s now a growing trend in the shipping industry where flexible bladder bulk liquid transportation tanks are used for nonhazardous products. Flexitanks can be used to ship more than 60 nonhazardous commodities, and you can see a full list of examples here.

There are a growing number of flexitank manufacturers on the market, reflecting the demand for more versatile shipping solutions that reduce costs.

The most significant advantages of choosing flexitanks are:

• Suitability for a range of products, ranging from water and wine to juice, additives, and concentrates.
  
• Made from materials that can be fully recycled, reducing environmental impact.
  
• Flexitanks are used to convert standard shipping and rail containers into bulk liquid transportation tanks. This means that shipping services are readily available no matter the season or current demand in the market.
  
• Like ISO tanks, flexitanks can be stored for layovers or intra-day delays.
  
• Flexitanks are suitable for all methods of bulk transportation, including road, rail, and sea.
  
• With capacities up to 24,000 liters (6,340 gallons), it’s possible to send a significant amount of product in a standard 20 ft. shipping container. This makes flexitanks the ideal form of container liquid storage for bulk shipments of any scale.
  
• Flexitanks don’t need to be cleaned or returned to the point of origin, significantly reducing shipping costs.
  
• Labor is significantly reduced when compared to individual totes or drums. A single flexitank can be delivered directly to its end-destination, or the contents can be transferred to vats, tankers, etc. with negligible product loss.

The only real negative of standard flexitanks is that they can’t carry hazardous cargo. For all other liquid shipments, they are the ideal solution, and their popularity in the market reflects their versatility and efficiency. If you look back to the challenges faced in the shipping industry today, flexitanks can offer significant gains in each key area.

Bulk Liquid Solutions that Increase Efficiency and Reduce Costs

The popularity of flexitanks has led to an increase in the number of companies producing them. However, if you want the best bulk liquid transportation solutions, you’ll need to talk to Techno Group USA.

We offer a proprietary design for the safest solution the protects the integrity of your product. When your bottom line and reputation matters, you need the best flexitank partner in America.

Contact us today or explore our products online to see how flexitanks could help you meet the challenges of modern nonhazardous bulk liquid transportation.