Intermediate Bulk Container Liner Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Capacity, By Application (Food & Beverage, Industrial Liquids, Household Products), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global intermediate bulk container liner market size was estimated at USD 948.8 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% during the forecast period 2023-2030. This market growth is attributed to the growing international trade agreements in regions such as Asia Pacific, Central & South America, and others. For instance, tomato pastes and purees are majorly exported from Chile, Brazil, and others to major trade partners such as the U.S. and Canada. Intermediate bulk container (IBC) liner is a flexible bag comprising of several layers of plastic films and is fitted with a variety of discharge and fill fitments to transport bulk quantities of products.

The U.S. Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) liner market is driven by the increased international exports of food & beverage products such as vegetable oils and milk to major export partners such as China, Canada, and others. Based on the data provided by Office of the United States Trade Representative, the country is considered as the second largest trading economy after China with over USD 7.0 trillion in exports and imports of goods. U.S. has trade relations with over 200 countries and regional associations spread across the globe. This thriving trade relations is expected to drive the demand for bulk transportation packaging for exporting and importing of goods which can drive the demand for IBC liners.

In addition, the dairy sector in the country is witnessing significant growth owing to several government funding to increase international exports of dairy products. For instance, on June 8, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its plans to invest USD 23.0 million to support the expansion and development of the U.S. dairy industry. These investments and developments in U.S. dairy sector further drive the demand for IBC liners in exporting these products internationally.

Capacity Insights

Based on capacity, the global IBC liners market is categorized into above 1000 liters and up to 1000 liters. Among these, the above 1000 liters capacity range accounted for a higher market share of over 72.0%% in 2022. This is attributed to the wide application of IBC liner in bulk storage and export of food & beverage and industrial liquids. The utilization of IBC liners solutions offers cost-effectiveness over drums & barrels for shipping and warehousing of these bulk products which further propels the market demand of IBC liners with a capacity range of above 1000 liters.

The upto 1000 liters capacity range is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period 2023-2030. This growth is attributed to the extensive utilization of IBC liners in shipping and warehousing of medium quantity household products and food & beverages. In addition, the domestic transportation of these products primarily done in medium quantities gives rise to the demand for IBC liners with a capacity range of upto 1000 liters.

Application Insights

The food and beverages segment accounted for the highest market share of over 70.0% in 2022. This is attributed to the growing international trade of food & beverage products in countries such as U.S., Brazil, Mexico, and others. For instance, according to North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexico is one of the largest exporters of tomato puree to countries such as U.S., China, and other major economies. Based on application, the IBC liner market segmented into food and beverages, industrial liquids, and household products.

The IBC liners are essential for various stages of the food & beverages supply chain, including warehousing, shipping, and distribution of products such as sauces, salad dressings, syrups, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Some of the types of IBC liners primarily used in the food and beverage sector include form-fit liners and pillow shaped liners. These packaging solutions help preserve the quality and freshness of the food & beverage products while facilitating efficient logistics management.

The industrial liquids segment is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2023-2030. This growth is owing to the increased exports of industrial chemicals and oils & gases globally. IBC liners are foldable and cost-effective which helps in the logistics management of the industrial liquids. These liners provide a leak-proof and secure packaging solution for the industrial products ensuring these products stay of high quality and uncontaminated. These industries store and transport bulk quantities of industrial oils and chemicals which drives the demand for IBC liners with a capacity range of above 1000 liters.

The IBC liner market demand in the household products segment is propelling by their extensive utilization in packaging several household products, such as floor cleaners, liquid detergents, liquid handwash and soaps, surfactants, and others. These packaging solutions play a vital role in ensuring secure and leak-proof packaging, effectively preventing contamination from detergent residue. In addition, liquid detergents gaining popularity over powder detergents owing to their convenience is further propelling the market demand for IBC liners in the household products segment.

Regional Insights

Europe dominated the IBC liners market and accounted for market share of over 44.0% in 2022 owing to the increasing exports of dairy products such as milk to Egypt and Algeria. According to the European Commission the region recorded an agriculture export revenue of approximately USD 255.0 billion. These products requiring bulk transportation directly contribute to the growing demand of IBC liners market in the region.

Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a fast CAGR of 6.4% over the forecast period in the IBC liner market attributed to the growing international trade, transportation, and shipment activities in the developing countries such as India, China, and Japan. This is anticipated to create demand for bulk packaging in the industries such as automotive, food & beverage, and others resulting in the growth of IBC liner market over the forecast period.

China is one of the largest countries contributing to the IBC liner market in Asia Pacific. This is owing to the increasing import and export of food and beverage products such as vegetable oils in the country, further driving the market demand for IBC liners during the forecast period. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) China is one of the largest importers of food & beverage products from the U.S. and recorded a revenue of USD 36.4 billion. These bulk imports of food & beverage products in the country drive the demand for IBC liners in the region.

North America market for IBC liners is driven by several favorable government initiatives and policies taking place in countries such as U.S. and Canada. For instance, the government of Mexico under the Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) policy implemented policies and initiatives to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable packaging practices. This has led packaging solutions providers to shift from traditional packaging to sustainable alternatives such as intermediate bulk container liners, which are reusable, recyclable, and have a lower environmental impact.

Central & South America market for IBC liners is driven by several stringent policies and regulations in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and others. For instance, the government of Brazil launched the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Under this policy regulations are set for the packaging of various perishable food products, such as fruit puree and milk to prevent these products from contamination during import and export. To align with such regulations, food and beverage companies opt for IBC liner packaging solutions, which further fuels the market growth for IBC liners in the country.

The Middle East & Africa is witnessing significant growth in the IBC liners market owing to the increased exports of industrial liquids such as industrial oils and chemicals. Countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are major export partners with Japan and the U.S for bulk exports of industrial liquids. This bulk transportation across regions further gives rise to the demand for IBC liners in the Middle East & Africa.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key Companies resort to multiple mergers and acquisitions in a bid to gain market share in a particular region. In some cases, the companies build technological collaborations to produce an advanced product with superior performance characteristics to increase revenue. For instance, on February 1, 2023, Sealed Air, a packaging solutions manufacturer completed the acquisition of Liquibox, a provider of bulk liquid packaging solutions. With this acquisition, Sealed Air is anticipated to expand its liquid packaging portfolio under the brand named CRYOVAC. Some of the prominent players in the global intermediate bulk container liner market include:

• Amcor plc

• Sealed Air

• CHEP

• Arena Products, Inc.

• Scholle IPN

• Liquibox

• ILC Dover LP

• Greif

• Smurfit Kappa

• Steripac Asia

• CDF Corporation

• Mulitpac Systems

• SBH Solutions

• Qbig Packaging B.V.

• Peak Liquid Packaging

Intermediate Bulk Container Liner Market Report Scope

Global Intermediate Bulk Container Liner Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global intermediate bulk container liner market report on the basis of capacity, application, and region:

• Capacity Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Upto 1000 liters

  • Above 1000 liters

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Food & Beverage

    • Alcoholic Beverages

    • Non-Alcoholic Beverages

    • Others

  • Industrial Liquids

  • Household Products

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

  • U.S.

  • Canada

  • Europe

  • Germany

  • France

  • UK

  • Italy

  • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

  • China

  • India

  • Japan

  • Australia

  • Malaysia

  • Thailand

  • Central & South America

  • Brazil

  • Mexico

  • Argentina

  • Chile

  • Colombia

  • Middle East & Africa

  • GCC Countries