Frequently asked questions
GO GREEN and save the planet while saving money!
EZ-Bulk is 100% RECYCLABLE!
- EZ-BULK sustainable packaging uses 50% less corrugated material than its competitors; EZ-BULK's octagonal shape allows for less corrugated material without compromising its strength.
- EZ-BULK'S light tare weight makes it easier and less expensive to dispose.
- The liners used in EZ-BULK are made with 90% less plastic than polyethylene drums, making further strides in reducing carbon footprint and being a leader in sustainable packaging for years to come.
Export
YES - we have an export unit perfect for shipping in 40ft sea containers and we can maximize 20ft sea containers as well. Contact us today to find out.
EZ-BULK & EZ-SET pallets are heat treated and ISPM-15 certified to be transported for export shipments.
YES. Paper Systems' products can be shipped knocked down flat to be freight effective to markets around the globe.
Liquid packaging solutions come in various styles. Paper Systems manufacturers liquid shipping containers that have a polyethylene blend plastic tote liner inside a cardboard box. These types of totes transport non-hazardous products. Paper Systems has manufactured liquid shipping container solutions for over 25 years as one of the leading pioneers in the industry to be eco-friendly, source-reductive, and save freight while being of the highest quality and cost-effective tote container producer in North America.
View more on how to use liquid shipping containers to transport products
Environment
Absolutely yes! We source our corrugated raw materials from Sustainable Forest Initiative Certified Facilities which in turn reduces your company's carbon footprint.
Yes. Paper Systems' intermediate bulk container systems compared to 55 gallon drums can save up to a 96% warehouse space savings!
Paper Systems continues our partnership in sourcing electrical needs from Mid American Energy by using readily available wind energy which is naturally abundant here in Iowa and making further efforts to get away from fossil fuels for electrical needs. Also, all corrugated waste is bailed, recycled, and reused with long standing partnerships with local recycling services so the corrugated waste generated by Paper Systems is 100% recycled as we continue our goal towards zero waste as a company. Our raw material poly bag liner film suppliers have sourced solar for their electrical needs thus the solar panels generate approximately 510,000 kilowatt hours annually. This 740,000 kWh translates to a savings of 583 metric tons of CO2 not released into the atmosphere. Paper Systems is very active implementing sustainability initiatives and will continue in the future.
Unlike stainless steel food tanks, disposable liquid bulk containers are only used once.
Liquid Bulk Containers Reduce Contamination
By using liquid bulk containers instead of stainless steel food tanks, you eliminate the chance of your product being cross-contaminated by other batches. With liquid bulk containers, no air is introduced during the filling cycle with EZ-SET. The food-grade bag liners have no air into the start so that means no air is needed to vent out like a stainless tank. This makes your product even less likely to be contaminated and provides a clean delivery of finished goods to the end-user.
View more on Why use liquid bulk containers rather than stainless steel food tanks?
Bulk liquid containers can be used in place of disposable food containers. Industrial markets and food services are both key areas. For example, if you need to ship 2,000 pounds of ketchup to be consumed, blended, or packaged into the making of other finished food-grade products, a bulk liquid container could be a money-saving solution. However, bulk liquid containers do not work if you are selling items at the retail level. For instance, selling 8-ounce jars of ketchup consumed by the general public would not be shipped in a bulk liquid container.
Bulk packaging containers are larger than 5-gallon buckets. By using bulk paper containers, you would use far less packaging. This would lead to shipping far fewer bulk paper containers than buckets via truck. This can help you avoid OSHA worker compensation claims by keeping your workers from repeating lifting buckets to empty. This repetitive motion can lead to back injuries from having to lift 5-gallon buckets all day long. The bulk liquid containers stay on a pallet. The paper containers are only moved by forklift or by pallet jack. The bulk packaging container system helps keep your plant cleaner and eliminates worker injuries.
Disposable food containers also reduce contamination issues since you can directly pour your product into the proper packaging instead of dumping it into an open vat when emptying 5-gallon buckets. When you pour your product into a vat, there is a possibility that an employee handling the 5-gallon bucket, unknown dust or debris in the air, or other outside elements could contaminate the product. By using disposable liquid containers for bulk applications you can take the necessary steps to a cleaner process within your operations and eliminate the retail disposable food containers. Even bulk plastic containers can be eliminated by using bulk liquid containers such as EZ-SET. Evacuation is achieved through either the bottom fitment or the product can be pumped out through the top. Talk to our experienced sales team which has over 100 years of combined experience to guide you to the best possible solutions for your disposable liquid container needs.
Quality
Paper Systems is BRCGS certified for bulk packaging materials. Paper Systems has been a leading manufacturer in the IBC liquid container market both for disposable intermediate bulk containers and returnable intermediate bulk containers for over 25 years.
No. Paper Systems' products have been approved for over 20 years by the International Safe Transit Authority and has a long standing National Motor Freight Classification for non-hazardous liquids only. Customers will have the verify compatibility between their product and the inner bag liner construction requested for the individual application.
Yes. All of the liners are made from FDA approved raw materials and are Kosher and Interstate Milk Shippers certified. Halaal certification is available upon request.
YES. You tell us your needs and we have a wide variety of films to choose from to meet various applications and market segments. Irradiation services are also available upon request.
Yes. Paper Systems has a creative team with over 150 years of industrial packaging experience to create a solution to fit your needs. Contact us a today to start moving your project forward with Paper Systems.
Paper Systems is BRCGS certified achieving an "A" rating from a third party auditor which is the highest rating possible. The Global Food Safety Initiative quality program exceeds ISO 9001:2008 with the additional food safety standard requirement. Paper Systems became GFSI / BRC certified in the fall of 2015. The Global Food Safety Initiative is Paper Systems' commitment to food safety and quality for all food applications and this certification is unmatched in the IBC container markets of either returnable IBC's or disposable IBC's as Paper Systems was the first to achieve GFSI certification. This global food safety and quality standard ties in with the BRC Global Standard so no matter where your company ships your products domestically or abroad, you are insured Paper Systems' products have the highest food safety standards in place. Within the GFSI food safety approval, Paper Systems only uses Interstate Milk Shipper (IMS) dairy and Kosher certified bag liners which are manufactured from FDA-approved resins and films to meet the most stringent customer requirements.
Paper Systems BRC Certificate
Paper Systems IMS Dairy Certificate
The BRC Packaging Standard can be used by any manufacturer producing packaging materials for all types of products - from food to consumer products.
BRC designed this standard to help adopt good manufacturing practices and supporting quality management systems. This will help develop and manufacture safe, legal packaging materials that meet the quality levels expected by customers and end users.
The standard splits the packaging industry into five material areas:
- Glass
- Paper and Board
- Metals – cans and foil products
- Plastics – rigid and flexible materials
- Wood and other materials
And also recognizes two levels of hygiene risk associated with different types of packaging materials. These are the high hygiene risk category that applies to materials that come into direct contact with food. While non-food packaging is under the low hygiene risk category. The requirements of the standard are listed separately depending upon the level.
The Standard consists of six sections:
For any packaging quality management system to be effective it is essential that management personnel are fully aware of the requirements and are committed to the implementation.
The basis for the program is an effective Hazard and Risk Assessment that is based on the principles from the internationally recognized Codex Alimentarius system.
Sets out requirements for the technical management of product quality and hygiene practices, building upon the principles of ISO 9000. This includes requirements for product specifications, supplier monitoring, traceability, and the management of incidents and product recalls.
Sets out expectations for the production environment including the layout and maintenance of the buildings and equipment, cleaning, pest control and waste management.
Includes the requirements at the product design and development stage including process control and product inspection and testing. This includes a specific section on managing foreign body and chemical controls.
The standards needed for staff training, protective clothing and personal hygiene.
for more information reference www.brcglobalstandards.com
Yes. Paper Systems takes great pride in making sure all of our products are sourced from approved vendors and all materials meet our internal quality specifications and food safe standards. Paper Systems closely monitors quality with our product traceability system. This system identifies product batches that enable us to trace all component parts of all raw materials in your complete packaging system. Records are maintained and easily retrievable to ensure our customers continually get the best quality product possible.
Bulk packaging has many advantages over 55-gallon barrels. Both are liquid shipping containers. Both have different purposes. The 55-gallon barrel can be used multiple times. However, 55-gallon barrels must be cleaned before being used again in food uses. Cleaning drums is costly. Then you have to add the cost of tracking the drums to find out which ones are clean and which ones are still dirty. Added freight cost is also involved in returning the 55-gallon barrels back to their original location. All of this adds up to more paperwork for both customer and supplier.
Many companies use 55-gallon drums for their packing or storing of raw materials or finished goods. Liquid applications are as wide as the markets served by the manufacturers. All companies strive to maximize warehouse space, but a 55-gallon drum dimension is the same either empty or full. How does a company save valuable space?
The answer is EZ-SET 275 gallon corrugated bulk container system. The collapsible liquid bulk container solution arrives completely flat saving over a typical 55-gallon drum dimension. A truckload of empty drums would be full with 240 drums giving you a shipping capacity of 13,200 gallons. EZ-SET arrives flat in a truckload allowing 312 units which give you 85,800 gallons of shipping capacity. The savings is over 84% space savings which lead to freight savings but also critical warehouse space savings as well.
View more information on how to save space compared to 55-gallon drum dimensions
Liquid storage totes are a type of disposable bulk container which are used to transport non-hazardous products. They hold a specialty liquid liner made of a polyethylene blend of food grade plastic commonly referred to as a bulk container liner inside a cardboard box.
Depending on the box size, liquid bulk totes can fit on a variety of pallet sizes. The most popular size fit is on a 48x40 pallet—the most common GMA pallet size.