Greif’s IBC Tanks
Since its founding in 1870, Greif, Inc., has been a major player in the industrial packaging industry, so naturally, it has become one of the world’s most prominent producers of IBC tanks.
Greif currently manufactures a wide variety of both rigid and flexible IBCs. Its rigid IBCs are based on a core design called the GCUBE, which consists of a polyethylene tank, a protective cage, and a pallet base. This IBC offers a wide variety of industry-specific options for buyers to choose from, making the GCUBE one of the most popular IBCs on the market today.
Along with their GCUBE IBCs, Greif offers a large selection of flexible IBCs, including the GCUBE Flex, as well as a handful of services that allow clients to optimize how they use their IBCs. Many of these services are focused on inventory management and sustainability.
To explore Greif, Inc., and its lineup of IBC products, this article will discuss:
- An overview of Greif, Inc.;
- Greif’s rigid IBC product line;
- Greif’s flexible IBC product line; and
- Greif’s IBC-related services.
About Greif, Inc.
Greif, Inc., is one of the oldest and most established industrial packaging firms in the world. Today, the company boasts a presence in more than 40 countries, and it is also listed as one of Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies for 2020.
However, this company was not always a global powerhouse. When William Greif and Albert Vanderwyst established the company in 1877, it was a small cooperage firm in Cleveland, Ohio, that became known for its ability to construct barrels sturdy enough to transport heavy railroad materials on long journeys.
Over the course of the 1900s, Greif transformed into a major industrial packaging firm. As new inventions such as the steel drum emerged, Greif slowly abandoned its cooperage roots in favor of a more modern approach to industrial packaging, but even at the end of the century, the company remained a small but successful US firm.
In the early 2000s, however, the company bought out a Scandinavian industrial packaging company, which gave Greif a presence in major international markets. This boost propelled Greif to become one of the leading IBC manufacturers in the world.
Today, Greif manufactures a variety of industrial packaging products—including steel drums, fiberboard barrels, and IBCs—as well as related products such as adhesives and commercial packaging solutions. In all of its products, Greif continues to maintain its commitment to quality that made the company successful back in the late 1800s.
In addition to its focus on quality, Greif is also strongly committed to environmental sustainability. The company has numerous internal sustainability programs to reduce waste and maximize the utility of its products and raw materials, and it offers programs for its clients to minimize their own environmental footprints. Due to these efforts, Greif has received numerous accolades for its intense focus on sustainability initiatives.
Greif’s Selection of IBC Tanks
As a major industrial packaging firm, Greif, Inc., has a wide selection of IBC tanks for buyers to choose from.
The majority of Greif’s rigid IBC tanks are based on a simple design called the GCUBE. The GCUBE is a cubic IBC that consists of three major components—a large tank, a metal protective cage, and a pallet base. This simple-yet-effective design is meant to withstand the demands of modern manufacturing needs.
Although all of Greif’s IBCs are based on the GCUBE, this IBC is far from a one-size-fits-all solution. The versatile GCUBE comes in many forms, including industry- and environment-specific designs.
GCUBE Base Edition
Greif’s basic GCUBE is the company’s version of the traditional IBC. Each basic GCUBE consists of a polyethylene IBC tank, a reinforced metal cage, and a pallet base.
Although the GCUBE’s standard design is quite simple, buyers have plenty of options to customize their GCUBE. Customers can easily choose various versions of basic features like tank color, nameplates, lids, and valves, and they can also select from three different types of pallets—wooden, plastic, and hybrid. Greif also offers certain custom features for buyers with particular needs.
Wooden pallets are the most common type of pallet used with standard IBCs. Their sturdiness makes them ideal for shipping over long distances, and they are optimized for use with forklifts and pallet jacks. Greif also offers buyers two options with wooden pallets—standard size and low size.
Plastic pallets, on the other hand, are not as durable as wooden ones, but they are often used by food industry clients who must meet rigorous hygiene standards. Greif’s plastic pallets can be easily washed, and buyers who choose plastic pallets can opt to add additional slip resistance to their IBCs.
Finally, hybrid pallets offer the best of both worlds—sturdiness and cleanliness. These pallets are designed to withstand multiple shipments and long-term storage, and Greif offers two versions of the pallet—a sturdy frame design and an easy way design.
GCUBE Shield
In addition to its standard GCUBE, Greif also offers an IBC that provides extra protection to sensitive or volatile products called the GCUBE Shield. This version of the GCUBE is typically used in chemical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries.
The GCUBE Shield is precisely engineered to prevent leakage and gas permeation by using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) technology. All GCUBE Shield tanks are made of three HDPE layers, and buyers can opt for HDPE-protected valves. In addition to these features, Greif also offers buyers its standard custom features like pallet choice and nameplates.
GCUBE Food
Greif’s GCUBE Food is designed with its food industry clients in mind. All food manufacturers must adhere to strict storage standards, so Greif partnered with its food industry clients to create an IBC that met their needs.
The GCUBE Food is thus manufactured in a “clean” environment to prevent contamination, and it is approved by regulators prior to sale. The GCUBE Food also has plenty of custom add-ons for clients in various food-related industries.
GCUBE Elektron
The GCUBE Elektron is a static-resistant IBC optimized for use in high-EX environments where flammable substances are produced or heavily utilized. The Elektron’s tank is treated with an anti-static layer to resist inflammation, and the protective cage is modified to ensure low conductivity. Additionally, the GCUBE Elektron’s tank is also designed to be clear so that users can monitor the amount of product in the tank.
Greif’s Flexible IBCs
In addition to its rigid IBC tanks, Greif also manufactures a number of flexible IBCs (FIBCs). Greif’s line of FIBCs can be divided into two main categories—the GCUBE Flex and Big Bags. The GCUBE Flex is more of a hybrid IBC whereas Greif’s Big Bags are more traditional FIBCs.
GCUBE Flex
The GCUBE Flex is a hybrid IBC. It features the sturdy outer shell and pallet base of a rigid IBC, but instead of a tank, it uses a flexible lining that collapses when empty, making this product technically an FIBC.
The bag on the GCUBE Flex is made of a polyethylene blend and a transparent or metallic liner. All GCUBE Flex liners can be filled from either the top or bottom spout, and they are designed to be aseptic, meaning that they can keep the product inside free of contamination. This makes the GCUBE Flex ideal for use in sensitive industries like pharmaceutical manufacturing and food production.
Aggregate FIBCs
Greif’s aggregate FIBCs are designed to transport bulk materials such as gravel or sand. Also known as tote bags, these FIBCs are designed to withstand the filling and discharge of heavy materials, and they are optimized for use with forklifts and other heavy machinery. Greif offers a handful of standard-sized Aggregate FIBCs, but it also allows clients to request ones that are customized.
4-Loop FIBCs
The 4-Loop FIBC features a woven bag with a loop on each corner for optimized handling and transport. In general, these Big Bags are used to store powdered, granular, or flake products.
Greif’s 4-Loop FIBCs offer buyers numerous options when selecting their ideal FIBCs. For instance, these Big Bags have two weave options—flat and circular—for different types of materials. Customers can also choose from different valves, loop types, cinch tops, and formats depending on their needs.
This 4-Loop FIBC is most commonly used in construction and agriculture, but other industries may employ it for use with goods that are not subject to strict sanitation or environmental requirements.
1- and 2-Loop FIBCs
This type of FIBC is Greif’s simplest IBC offering. These inexpensive big bags are typically used to transport large quantities of materials such as mulch, fertilizer, or seed. Like most FIBCs, Greif’s basic Big Bag is made of a polyethylene weave and includes loops for easy transport.
Buyers can customize this FIBC with options that include:
- Loop type and quantity;
- Spouts;
- Valves;
- Cinch tops;
- Fabric weave and thickness;
- Base design; and
- Insulation.
This basic Big Bag is Greif’s cheapest IBC option, and it is most frequently used in construction and agriculture.
Greif’s IBC-Related Services
In addition to its IBC tanks and FIBCs, Greif also offers a handful of IBC-related services to enhance its customers’ experience with its products. These services intend to assist Greif and its clients by reducing both inventory costs and environmental impacts.
Vendor Inventory Management
Greif’s Vendor Inventory Management (VIM) is an add-on service that helps clients optimize their packaging logistics. Under this program, companies can effectively outsource aspects of their packaging process to Greif in order to make their manufacturing process more efficient and cost-effective.
To meet its clients’ needs, Greif offers multiple tiers of this service that range from automatic reordering to full VIM. Most clients who use this service will work with a Greif representative to tailor it to their needs.
Green Tool
Greif’s Green Tool encourages its clients to mitigate their environmental impact by providing direct insights into how their use of packaging products impacts the environment.
Companies that utilize the Green Tool will have access to three distinct services:
- Sustainability reports;
- Regulatory filing assistance; and
- An environmental impact guide.
The first tool, sustainability reports, allows companies to see how they perform on various sustainability measures, especially in regards to packaging. Second, the Green Tool assists these companies with filing regulatory reports will all relevant government and international agencies. Finally, this service provides clients with a guide to choosing industrial and commercial packaging that has the lowest possible environmental impact.
EarthMinded Life Cycle Services
Greif’s IBC customers can also utilize the company’s internal industrial container recycling program, EarthMinded Life Cycle Services.
EarthMinded promotes the responsible use of IBCs and other industrial containers by offering various recycling programs for manufacturers. At its most basic, EarthMinded allows businesses to schedule pickups of IBCs and other containers, and the items that EarthMinded receives are then cleaned, refurbished, and/or recycled into new products. EarthMinded also allows companies to purchase used Greif IBCs at a discount to encourage sustainability.
In addition to its collection services, EarthMinded also partners with companies to create a sustainable IBC use program. These programs allow companies to reuse and recycle their own IBCs in order to avoid cross-contamination with other products.
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