March 22, 2021
5 Benefits of Using Flexitanks for Bulk Wine Transport
Short for flexible tanks, flexitanks are the preferred option for bulk wine transportation. There are many reasons wine manufacturers use flexitanks for liquid transport. These include safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Besides the immense number of liquor laws in each state, there is a separate set of laws that pertain to the bulk transportation of liquor, begging the need for flexitanks.
Choosing flexitanks for your bulk wine shipments will make the entire process easier on your budget and production sales in the long run. More on this below.
What is a Flexitank?
Flexitanks are flexible bulk liquid containers that fit comfortably in shipping containers for transport. The flexitank itself is made up of several layers of a flexible material called polyethylene, which allows the container to stretch and adapt to the shape of its outer container.
The 20-foot flexitank is the standard size for bulk shipment use. It uses more than 15% of space than IBC transportation. It can be transported by motor, sea, or railway.
Flexitanks are ranked safer and more reliable than other bulk transport options for wine. Plus, because of a flexitank’s ability to easily adapt for transport, it is the preferred choice for transporting wine in bulk.
Why Use Flexitanks for Wine Transport
Below are some advantages of using flexitanks for transporting wine.
1. Easy to Use
Flexitanks are easy to install and manage. Before the flexitank is installed, a dressing is applied to the shipping container for support. This gives the flexitank maximum support to hold wine. A hose is then connected to the flexitank to load up the wine.
Types of flexitanks for wine transport include:
- Auto-trailer: Also called T-Flex, this is a single-use container that is great for transporting non-dangerous liquids like juices or fountain soda in bulk. Compared to bottle packaging, flexitanks increase the amount of product by 50%. The auto-trailer flexitank can be installed in less than 10 minutes and doesn’t require a team of workers to load and unload materials. Instead, only a few people are needed to do this.
- Flexible canisters: Transporting liquids with a flexitank allows the product to settle in its natural state. Flexible canisters are ideal for bulk wine transport because they can adapt to any canister size and fill the space of the container they are installed in. These canisters are medium-duty elastic, cost-effective, and of high quality.
2. Safe to Use
There are no risks of cross-contamination or harm from extreme temperatures. The flexitank is a secure and reliable option when it comes to keeping your investment safe.
3. Environmentally Friendly
Businesses today are striving to become eco-friendly and are thus constantly looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Besides, as much as 70% of consumers today prefer to do business with companies that care about the environment and have sustainable business practices.
With flexitanks, there is zero waste from excess materials in the transportation process. If the flexitank is single-use, it can be recycled. If it is a reusable flexitank, it can easily be sanitized and used for a new shipment.
Nonetheless, disposing of your flexitank after use is not a green option. Instead, they can be sent back to the manufacturer to be recycled.
4. Reduces Cost
Using a flexitank saves money through the efficient loading and unloading time, which does not require heavy scheduling of workers for either task. The handling costs are low as well because no special equipment like cranes is required. As previously mentioned, flexitanks are also more space-efficient than barrels and IBCs. To help put things into perspective, a single flexitank can hold over 80 barrels of liquid in one go.
There are also no sanitation costs because the flexitanks for transporting wines are recyclable. All of this means you can grow your business conveniently because the cost of operation is reduced. This is especially advantageous if you do business within international markets.
5. Overall Efficiency
Flexitanks are extremely efficient when it comes to storage. They can be held in warehouses temporarily. The overall labor that goes into transporting and managing flexitanks is reduced through simple loading, storage, and unloading steps.
The Logistics of Bulk Transportation of Wine
There are various considerations when transporting wine shipments in bulk.
There are U.S. government regulations to follow along with the fact that wine is sensitive to temperature changes and can deteriorate without proper storage and safety measures.
Producing the Wine
After production, wine must be transported quickly to ensure the quality lasts. Wine companies are able to immediately ship wine in greater quantities when they use a flexitank instead of in individual crates or barrels. For example, ISO tanks have their own set of costs for cleaning and handling that outweigh that of flexitanks, which require less hands-on management.
Managing Bulk Wine Shipment Regulations
Bulk shipments of wine can be a complicated process due to ever-changing laws and government regulations, both of which play a big role in the logistics factor.
Basic permit requirements under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act have guidelines for wine labeling and advertisement, warning statements, and import and export procedures. Besides these, federal regulations vary from state to state.
Unloading and Reloading Process
Flexitanks allow scheduling flexibility in the unloading and reloading process by reducing the stress and worries that come with crates or barrels. Only a filling hose and a mount are required to move the wine. You don’t need heavy machinery to move the product in or out of its container. The hose transfers about 150 gallons per minute to ensure the wine is moved safely and efficiently. Before the unloading and reloading process, make sure to have spillage prevention in place to prevent wastage.
Bulk Transportation of Wine with Kan-Haul
Kan-Haul offers efficient bulk transportation of wine. The overall efficiency of flexitanks is superior to other bulk transportation methods that create waste and add to the business’s expenses. Through flexitanks, Kan-Haul offers a top-rate wine transport option for your business.
Contact Kan-Haul today to expand your wine transportation productivity with flexitanks.
