Schütz Packaging Systems, headquartered in Selters, Germany, says its Ecobulk SX-D intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) recently received the FM Global Group’s “FM approved” certification.
The Ecobulk SX-D is specially fitted with a steel hull that provides extensive protection against fire, helping it withstand extreme conditions. In the event of a fire, the steel containment basin prevents flammable contents from leaking and significantly reduces the spread of fire. The Schütz IBC thus makes a significant contribution to risk minimization by providing double leakage protection, the company maintained.
The SX-D provides safe packaging for sensitive, hazardous products. Now, its performance has been corroborated by an external authority in FM Global. Its approval, based on the internationally recognized industrial property insurer’s FM 6020 test standard, applies to flammable and combustible liquids with a flash point of ≥ 37.8°C. The conditions required for approval included a demanding fire test, which the SX-D passed in full, and a comprehensive audit of the Schütz production facility by FM Global.
The specialized U.S. insurance company believes most damage can be avoided, and this is why FM engineers subject the policyholder’s business operations to a rigorous scrutiny and evaluation process. Based on the results, potential risks are specifically reduced by applying concepts, methods and equipment that have already been tested. In this respect, the SX-D won over the experts, Schütz said.
It meets the highest safety standards thanks to its special design: As an extension of the conventional steel grid, the IBC has a closed, fireproof outer hull made of steel. Welded to the integrated containment basin, this shell forms its own sealed container around the inner bottle of the IBC. This double-wall construction provides effective additional protection against leakage, even in extreme situations such as a fire with extremely high temperatures. Furthermore, all three filling and/or discharge openings are located on top of the container, which features an opening with a nominal diameter of DN 150, a G2 and an S56 bung for enhanced protection. The openings are protected by steel caps. The front bung is equipped with a dip tube system and a pump system also can be connected to discharge the contents.
By using this IBC, customers actively contribute to risk minimization and save costs within the supply chain thanks to more efficient processes in handling, storage and transport compared to alternative forms of packaging.
“The highly mobile, full solution consisting of the container and an integrated containment basin reduces storage risks in any installation site, from the filling line to the assembly line,” the company claimed. “By preventing spillage over large areas, for example in the event of an accident, long downtimes to handle cleaning work become a thing of the past. This is another aspect with a positive impact on the user’s cost-effectiveness and bottom line.”
The SX-D previously proved its fire resistance in the UL Test 2368 conducted by Underwriters Laboratories. This independent organization, headquartered in Illinois, tests and certifies product safety. It tested the SX-D and awarded it the “UL listed” mark of conformity, meaning that the IBC also complies with the fire protection guideline “NFPA 30: Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code” of the National Fire Protection Association in the USA. No other IBC currently boasts the combination of both test marks: “UL listed” and “FM approved”. This means that two independent institutions have both confirmed that the Ecobulk SX-D is ideally suited for flammable and highly combustible liquids and for general use in Ex-zones 1 and 2. The approval of the 264-gallon IBC is valid for products with a maximum density of 1.9.
Because the SX-D provides maximum protection for humans and the environment with its double-hull design and closed discharge system, it is also the ideal solution for a further area of application, Schütz added. This IBC model can be used for sensitive or hazardous goods such as Class 6.1, including toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Until now, these filling products have been packed in smaller containers with a lower volume, such as steel drums, to ensure that less liquid can leak out in the event of an accident. The double hull of the SX-D greatly reduces the risk of leakage.
“In the event that the inner container should leak, the containment basin prevents sensitive products like these from seeping out and contaminating the environment,” the company concluded.