Chemical Packaging Solutions for Cost, Safety, & Customization

The Cost of Damaged Product

Damaged packaging yields greater expenses than just the price of the shipping material, especially when shipping chemicals. First and foremost, there’s replacing the compromised product with potentially having to reship another order. Other factors quickly accumulate like turnaround time and seeking out a new vendor that turns an inconvenience into a multi-step process of fees and payments.

Up to 11% of packages arrive at distribution centers damaged, according to Packaging Digest. Package tears and punctures can be enough for clients to make the call to abandon the freight entirely, even if only one or two units show compromise. Supplying valuable and dangerous products only heightens the need for caution in chemical companies.

Distributors throwing out entire shipments when individual packages show signs of impairment was not counted in the statistic, only individual damages. It’s a move that saves hours of unloading that could potentially be for nothing if continued damage was uncovered. Regardless if this is a good financial choice, as Packaging Digest debates, it is occurring.

Shipping overseas comes with unique conditions like humidity and moisture, increasing the opportunity for damage and costs to compensate. Moving products around the world demands high-quality packaging materials and technologies that protect contents from moisture as they travel from global manufacturing locations to end users. Innovative and protective packaging solutions are a necessity for such long-term transport, and Fres-co provides such solutions with unique packaging options.

Rigid Packaging vs Flexible Packaging

There’s a common misconception that rigid packaging provides the strongest protection to a product. Intuitively, this makes sense, but fails when tested. Rigid packaging can lack important moisture protection, oxidation prevention, and airtight seals. Even if the package does keep its integrity, it becomes cumbersome in freight shipping and storage.

Fres-co’s flexible packaging has been designed as a perfect alternative to the unnecessary drawbacks of rigid packages, while also seeking to reduce total cost of ownership (TOC). Less weight to ship and less bulk to palletize and store directly leads to more efficient loading, cheaper freight and storage expenses, and reduced carbon footprint. In addition, multi-layer flexible packaging is more sustainable than rigid packaging from a production standpoint because it uses fewer resources and generates less waste and emissions.

Chemical shipping requires transportation that protects products that are easily susceptible to moisture damage and humidity. As reported by Wagner Meters, “About 10% of all container shipments must be discarded due to moisture-related damage. That means roughly 5% of global goods become a financial loss due to moisture damage that occurred during shipping”.  Our flexible material ensures an unrivaled level of protection while taking advantage of the content’s pellet, granular or powder form to ship compactly and securely.

Fres-co Chemical Packaging Innovations

Originally, Fres-co entered into the chemical market when two different Fortune 500 chemical companies approached us about packaging. One needed superior moisture protection while the other desired a bag to contain its odor.

Our solution was a three-ply bag constructed in-house for guaranteed protection and a fresh new look. With our airtight bag technology, the shelf life of the second organization’s agricultural product was extended several years, while also suppressing the odor. Our materials allowed for the product that posed marketable problems to retain its physical and functional integrity.  We have continued to evolve our products and lead the market in effective and convenient product sealing, packaging, and storing.

Fres-co’s chemical packaging solutions are the result of meticulous research, development and refinement. Our three-ply and four-ply products (with an additional foil layer) ensure durability, flexibility, and protection. The innermost product contact and sealant layer provides a hermetic seal to keep the contents of the package in and contamination out. Interior layers deliver exceptional strength and durability, while providing excellent resistance against oxygen, moisture, and dehydration, preventing package and product degradation. The outer layer is reverse printed, enclosing the ink between material layers to prevent the printed design from fading or scratching off.

Our oxidation protection stems from our unparalleled one-way degassing valve. Fres-co’s proprietary degassing valve allows air to escape, eliminating ‘pillowing’ and ‘mushrooming’ to provide brick-like handling and stable palletization. With this button-sized technology, the contents of our packages arrive in the condition they first entered in.

Customizable Benefits

Fres-co’s chemical packaging solutions are available in small, medium and large packaging options, including: Stand-Up Pouches, Industrial Bags, Powder Bags, FIBCs, Foil Liners, and Container Liners. Beyond the base options, our packages come with desirable add-ons that allow clients to choose the best features for their business.

For instance, we have handles for easy carrying. If your product is going to be stored long term and moved by employees with any amount of regularity, this is the most helpful addition. An open pour spout and/or a tear notch for easy transfer from the package allows for ensured safety beyond the freight and storage stage. We thrive on solving complex problems and finding new ways to help our customers deliver a fresher, safer and higher quality product.

Fres-co’s Full Range of Agricultural & Chemical Packaging

Here is a list of Fres-co products that specialize in different aspects of chemical shipping. Each option strives to supply the greatest protection from moisture, oxidation, infestation, and dehydration for your particular product needs.

Stock Bags 

Mixing protection and presentation, stock bags can hold up to 55 lbs of solid contents and satisfy the most demanding strength and quality requirements while providing the moisture and oxygen barrier that is essential to protect dry products. Like many of our other bags, they’re equipped with our patented one-way degassing valve to preserve the integrity of your products.

Industrial Bags

For protection against outside contaminants, our industrial bags utilize multiple layers to generate a near zero moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) and oxygen transmission rate (OTR).

Powder Bags

High-quality powders need outstanding protection from oxygen and moisture, and this packaging option is specially suited to meet that need for specialty chemicals markets. Our built-in vent chamber creates an elaborate path that prevents contaminants from plugging the valve’s mechanisms and compromising its sealing efficacy.

FIBCs and Liners

Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) are bulk bags for dry products. Much like our other bags, these are customizable and can offer a longer shelf life with near-zero moisture ingress. You get more product in fewer bags for the same Fres-co level of protection.

See The Fres-co Difference

To see our full range of packaging options, visit us at one of the several upcoming trade shows we’ll be exhibiting. We’ll have our full line of products you can see and feel for yourself, as well as knowledgeable Fres-co packaging experts readily available to answer your questions!

Pack Expo (September 27 – 29, 2021)

Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV 
Booth #SL-6119

SupplySide West (October 27 – 28, 2021)

Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
Booth #4680

For more than 40 years, Fres-co System USA, Inc. has manufactured high-performance flexible packaging systems and invented dozens of innovative breakthroughs including degassing valves, modified atmosphere technologies, and reclosure systems.

Topics: Airtight Packaging, Flexible from Rigid

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