CUBITAINER® vs. Bag-in-Box The ® ® CUBITAINER CUBITAINER Flexible by Design, Ready to Meet Any Demand. Hedwin Division: CUBITAINER Hedwin CUBITAINER® vs. Bag-in-Box 1947 Because CUBITAINER® and bag-in-box (BIB) products serve essentially the same function — liquid packaging — people Hedwin invented sometimes confuse or conflate these two solutions. However, they actually have very different properties and unique CUBITAINER® benefits. ® Products. Bag-in-Box vs. Both were invented in roughly the same time period. The former Hedwin Corp. began working with CUBITAINER® products in 1947. You can learn more about the invention of the CUBITAINER® here. Separately in 1955, William R. Scholle added a corrugated carton to a composite foil material, and the bag-in-box concept was born. 1955 In their 2016 report, “Bag-in-Box Container Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, William R. 2016-2024,” Transparency Market Research actually cites CUBITAINER® as a disruptive trend to bag-in-box market Scholle’s growth, stating that “increasing use of cubitainers [sic] as an alternative to bag-in-box containers is a challenge for bag- Bag-in-Box concept was in-box manufacturers.” born. CUBITAINER® process Bag-in-Box requires a box to uses traditional molding support inner bag. The bag is techniques in order to VS. formed by laminating various 2016 form a LDPE CUBE®. layers of film. Transparency Market Research cites CUBITAINER® The biggest difference between CUBITAINER® and bag-in-box solutions is container construction. CUBITAINER® as a disruptive is manufactured using a patented process that combines multiple traditional plastic molding techniques in order trend to Bag-in- to form a LDPE CUBE®. The CUBITAINER® may be either used alone or inside a corrugated overpack box. Box marketing growth. However, as the name implies, bag-in-box products require a box to support an inner bag. The bag is formed by laminating various layers of film together and then heat sealing the edges. 2 Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. 220 Lake Dr. Newark, Delaware 19702 Email: [email protected] www.hedwin.com Hedwin Division: CUBITAINER Hedwin Bag-in-box solutions are certainly more plentiful than BIB CUBITAINER® products, although less varied. Bag-in-box limits applications to those that require an overpack. There are two Bag-in-Box primary shapes of bag-in-box solutions available today: gusseted suitable for and pillow styles, which come within rectangular or other flat- ® limited Bag-in-Box vs. applications. sided cartons. CUBITAINER® is manufactured exclusively by Zacros in the United States and Japan. Patented CUBITAINER® processes and strict quality standards ensure that ® CUBITAINER® is a consistent, optimized product. CUBITAINER is sutible ® Other brands mimicking CUBITAINER will not have for diverse the same durability and flexibility. Customization applications. options are almost limitless, especially in terms of size, shape, and opening location. CUBITAINER® can be used as a stand-alone container and does not require an overpack. 3 Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. 220 Lake Dr. Newark, Delaware 19702 Email: [email protected] www.hedwin.com Hedwin Division: CUBITAINER Hedwin SPECIFICATIONSS CUBE® products are available in sizes from 1 to 20 liters, while bag-in-box packages with specially engineered films can tolerate up to 1000 liters, according to some manufacturers. As mentioned above, there are two primary BIB bag shapes on the market today: gusseted and pillow style. On the other hand, CUBITAINER® can be customized to meet specific needs and requirements. Pillow-type BIB and multiple CUBITAINER® shapes are pictured below, respectively: ® vs. Bag-in-Box vs. FILLING Bag-in-box packages require special filling equipment, largely due to the pliability of the bag. Generally, this equipment is REQUIREMENTS a capital expenditure and can result in significant additional costs. CUBITAINER®, on the other hand, requires no special filling equipment, as the flexible CUBE® is rigid enough to stand on its own and can be efficiently filled with minor — if any — modifications to existing filling equipment. APPLICATIONS Because BIB products can be used only with liquid products, most of these solutions are used for food and drink applications. CUBITAINER® products are also ideal for liquids but can be used for more viscous and even granular products, as well. When working with hazardous goods, assembled CUBITAINER® products are available with a UN rating, and at least one supplier has recently obtained UN rating for a bag-in-box product. 4 Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. 220 Lake Dr. Newark, Delaware 19702 Email: [email protected] www.hedwin.com Hedwin Division: CUBITAINER Hedwin SHIPMENT CUBITAINER® can ship knocked-down and nested, with optional flat corrugated cartons. The CUBITAINER® can either be filled and then placed in the carton, or placed into the carton and then filled. The Hedwin Division of Zacros America offers fully inflated and assembled CUBITAINER® assemblies. Though many customers value convenience of a pre- assembled CUBE® they present higher shipping costs than unfilled bags or CUBES® and flattened corrugated boxes. Bag-in-box products can be made under sterile conditions for demanding food and medical applications, and some bag- STERILITY ® vs. Bag-in-Box vs. in-box producers are investing in rated cleanroom facilities to ensure packages and processes are aseptic. CUBITAINER® products can be sterilized via a secondary process using gamma irradiation but are generally not considered to be aseptic. COST CUBITAINER® products and bag-in-box products are fairly comparable in price. Specialty options are available for both types of products, however, which can significantly affect costs. USE WITH CUBITAINER® on its own is not ideal for use with wine and spirits, as the plastic is permeable. Many wine producers WINE & SPIRITS prefer to use bag-in-box solutions. However, they may not know that CUBITAINER® can be coated with a PVDC barrier to extend shelf life and preserve the essential flavors of products. In fact, CUBITAINER® is used for almost all Japanese sake produced in the United States. Both CUBITAINER® and bag-in-box products are adaptable to a wide variety of liquid packaging applications. Packaging buyers will want to consider the pros and cons of each to determine which is ideal for their unique liquid packaging needs. To learn more about the differences between the two, or to discuss how CUBITAINER® can help with your next project, contact the team at Hedwin today. 5 Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. 220 Lake Dr. Newark, Delaware 19702 Email: [email protected] www.hedwin.com ABOUT US The Hedwin Division of Zacros America As a trusted producer of innovative packaging solutions for the storage and handling of liquids, gels and granular materials, Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. leverages a proud legacy of expertise in plastics processing. Our products are extremely durable, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and relevant to a wide range of applications. With over 70 years of experience, we manufacture our own roll stock, sheeting, molds and tooling for total quality control. Hedwin Division of Zacros America, Inc. belongs to many quality-focused organizations; we follow standards set forth by ISO and others to ensure our products consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements. To learn more about our products and commitment to quality, contact us today. Hedwin Division of Zacros America Inc. 220 Lake Dr. Newark, Delaware 19702 Email: [email protected] www.hedwin.com .