FIBC handling on slipsheets is Peanuts

FIBCs are still being loaded into containers on pallets even though the cost of wooden pallets continues to rise due to 30-40% increases in the price of raw materials. A simple calculation, assuming 20 FIBCs per 40 ft container, shows the total pallet costs are at least € 160. This compares with just € 30 in slipsheet costs. Pallet costs are frequently even higher, because most countries require wooden pallets to meet the ISPM 15 guidelines. To comply with these requirements, the pallets have to be subjected to additional treatment that drives costs up even further. Apart from the cost aspect, nails and splinters on wooden pallets can easily cause damage to FIBCs and the loads they contain, so that one fails to meet the HACCP if needed. Plastic pallets are an alternative to wooden ones, but are often twice as expensive. By transporting FIBCs on plastic slipsheets where possible, one can make huge cost savings. The slipsheet is nothing more than a necessary carrier that is thin, lightweight, strong, hygienic and relative cheap. Because slipsheets are much thinner than pallets, you can load more volume into a container. Of course, a special lift truck attachment is required to pick up the slipsheets. The best known device is the ‘push-pull’, but this is expensive to buy and maintain. RollerForks can provide an excellent alternative for considerably less outlay and lower maintenance costs.

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