Bulk liquids logistics in Flexitanks

Bulk liquids logistics in Flexitanks


by Sebastian Malcharek & James Leddra of Braid Flexitanks

Would you believe a polythene bag inside a 20-foot container can safely hold 24 thousand litres of liquid cargo, for over a month of travelling via ocean-going vessel, rail and truck? Yes, it is possible. However, to meet the stringent safety requirements demanded by stakeholders then only the highest quality bag will do. These bags are called Flexitanks or Flexibags and are increasingly becoming recognised as an alternative to Isotank shipping in the food and chemical industry.

Flexitanks are suitable with a large variety of non-hazardous liquids, ranging from foodstuffs, feed, pharmaceutical, chemical & industrials. With added temperature control solutions, the range of products possible to carry in Flexitanks is surprisingly broad. The total market of Flexitanks is estimated globally at 1 million shipments a year.

One of the key benefits of the Flexitank is to eliminate empty positioning costs. While an Isotank will have costly management in positioning at loading facilities potentially thousands of miles from its last cargo journey, stocks of Flexitanks are available on the ground at almost all major ports worldwide.

Additionally, a further advantage of Flexitanks is that they are always single use, and will be disposed of once the liquid cargo is discharged. The responsible logistics provider care extends beyond the Flexitank being emptied of its taint-free cargo and also covers its safe and complete recycling. This eliminates the risks and associated costs of cleaning and contamination.

The Braid story begins before our Flexitanks are even manufactured. Full traceability extends to the polymer resins which make up the very fabric of the Flexitank. Our polythene blends are specially developed in-house by our scientists, and manufactured in our own fully integrated, FSSC 22000 qualified, food-safe facilities. 

We currently transport wine, juices, edible oils (food), fish oils (feed), glycerine (pharma), base oils, lubricants, motor oils, latex (chemical) and many other products. Taint-free, safely and with our global network, wherever our customer’s cargo travels our support is already there. On the ground in every continent.

Braid was founded in Scotland more than 60 years ago, and today it’s a global logistics company specialising in liquid logistics. With end-to-end, multi-modal logistics solutions and liquid bulk packaging on the cutting edge of science, anyone who needs to rely on safety and purity can rely on Braid. Currently, Braid manufactures and transports over 130,000 Flexitanks a year.

Braid Flexitanks are robust, safe and taint-free because of Hexopure technology. The proprietary state-of-the-art polymer blends are formulated to address the specific needs of liquid cargoes:

  • FORTIFLEX – Engineered to transport a wide range of non-hazardous industrial liquid products.
  • STERGUARD – Protects liquid food cargo with our proprietary polythene blend.
  • VINPRO – Specifically formulated to safeguard the quality of wine while in transit.
  • DEWLOCK – Designed to transport mineral water in its pristine state.

With high-performance polythene films made in our manufacturing facilities and tested rigorously to withstand rough transit, Braid keeps liquid cargo in Flexitanks SAFE WITH SCIENCE.

For more information visit www.braidco.com

1st July 2019