Container liners entice bulk into boxes

IN LINE with Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR) drive to claw back container market share on all major cargo routes, GP (general purpose) containers are gaining popularity for varied bulk goods moving on rail. “An integrated container infrastructure with rail as the major service provider will greatly assist in moving goods off the roads and back onto rail,” says Caryn Formby of Power Plastics, manufacturers and suppliers of container liners. These are waterproof plastic linings that protect dry bulk cargo without the need for individual packaging into units, essentially large bags inserted into containers to provide versatility for general purpose containers. They fit the ‘universal box’ concept where a container can be loaded with one commodity and reused for another totally different commodity on the return leg. “With the correct liner, either acting as a protective barrier to the goods, protecting the container, providing thermal insulation or perhaps just holding goods in place, more flexible logistics solutions are possible,” adds Formby.