The stainless steel IBC is the workhorse that makes contained powder handling possible, and Hanningfield manufactures IBCs for exactly this purpose — supplied and supported across New Zealand by Advanced Packaging Systems (APS).
What Is an IBC?
An IBC, or intermediate bulk container, is a reusable container for transporting, storing and handling material in bulk. In the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food industries the material is usually powder or granules, and the container is made from stainless steel rather than the plastic used for liquid totes. A stainless steel IBC holds a batch of product in a sealed, hygienic vessel that can be moved between process steps, charged and discharged without exposing the powder to the environment. Hanningfield supplies these containers for the pharmaceutical, food and allied industries, designed for the safe and contained transport, storage and handling of material.
Hanningfields IBC’s
Construction and Hygiene
Because the container is in direct contact with product, hygienic construction is essential. Hanningfield IBCs are built with 316L stainless steel product-contact parts and FDA-compliant seals, with smooth, cleanable surfaces suited to GMP environments. They are typically supplied in capacities from 150 litres up to 2000 litres, but can be custom-made to suit any process requirement — including replicating an existing container design so a new unit drops straight into an established line. This combination of hygienic build and flexible sizing is what lets a manufacturer standardise powder handling across products and batch sizes.
Contained, Dust-Tight Charging and Discharging
The main reason to use an IBC is containment. A stainless steel IBC provides a safe, contained method for storing and transporting powder, and it is highly flexible in how it is charged and discharged — with various methods available for dust-tight transfer in and out of the container. Keeping the powder enclosed protects operators from dust exposure, protects the product from contamination, and helps prevent cross-contamination between products. For fine or potent powders, contained transfer also reduces the dust that can otherwise create housekeeping and combustible-dust concerns, a topic covered in the APS article on combustible dust in powder processing.
Hanningfield IBC Intermediate Bulk Container
Mobility, Stacking and Lifting
IBCs are designed to be moved and stored efficiently. They can be executed in various configurations to suit the site, including castors for mobility, a corner stacking profile so containers can be stacked safely to save floor space, and lifting loops for handling by forklift or post hoist. In a typical pharmaceutical suite the IBC is lifted and docked above a process machine, a tablet press, mill or blender, so that the contents can be discharged directly and without spillage.
The Tablet IBC
Not all products are powders. For the gentle handling of tablets, Hanningfield offers a specifically designed Tablet IBC. It uses a shallow body angle and a flexible-vane outlet valve to minimise the risk of tablet breakage and damage as the container is filled and discharged, and it can be supplied with an outlet chute for transferring tablets directly into a coater. This makes the IBC a clean way to move finished or in-process tablets between operations without degrading the product.
Hanningfield Tablet IBC
IBCs as Part of a Material-Handling System
An IBC rarely works alone. The same container can be tumbled in a bin blender to mix its contents — an approach known as “blend-in-the-bin”, which removes the need to clean a separate blender between batches and speeds up changeover — and it is moved, raised, rotated and docked using stainless steel hoist systems. Hanningfield designs IBCs, bin blenders, hoists and drums as a single family of material-handling equipment, so the container, the way it is blended and the way it is lifted all work together. For the wider context of contained powder handling, see the APS guide to reducing contamination risk in powder handling.
Stainless Steel IBCs in New Zealand
Advanced Packaging Systems supplies and supports Hanningfield stainless steel IBCs for New Zealand pharmaceutical and nutraceutical and food manufacturers. The APS technical team can specify the right capacity, valve and configuration for a given powder and process, whether a standard IBC, a Tablet IBC, or a custom design to match existing equipment, and support it locally from its Auckland base. Contact APS to discuss stainless steel IBCs for a new or existing line.
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