Flexitanks Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Single-trip, Multi-trip), By Application (Foodstuffs, Chemicals, Industrial Products, Wine & Spirits, Oils, Pharmaceutical Products), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2028

Report Overview

The global flexitanks market size was valued at USD 717.4 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.0% from 2020 to 2028. Increasing global trade, coupled with the competitive benefits of flexitanks over their traditional substitutes, such as ISO containers, drums, barrels, and IBCs, is expected to drive the industry. Flexitanks have capacities ranging from twelve thousand liters to twenty-six thousand liters. These are commonly used for shipping an extensive range of liquid products, including wines, fruit juices, concentrates, mineral water, edible oils, tallow, malt extracts, lubricants, fertilizers, non-hazardous chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

The U.S. has the presence of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Company, and Abbott Laboratories. These companies prefer single-trip flexitanks for the transportation of temperature-sensitive liquids, thus resulting in significant growth prospects for the industry in the country.

Flexitanks are considerably inexpensive than ISO containers and drums and carry approximately 15% more payload than IBCs and 44% more than the drums, which makes them economically favored bulk packaging solutions. Moreover, they are majorly used for single-use, which reduces the risk of contamination.

The growing need to reduce the weight of bulk packaging to increase the cost-effectiveness of freight is projected to support the market growth. In addition, low labor and logistic costs associated with flexitanks handling, zero cleaning cost owing to one-time use, and eco-friendliness are few other factors that are likely to fuel the product demand over the forecast years.

However, factors such as leakage or breakage of the contents in flexitanks result in total loss of the shipper, which may reduce the product usage for the transportation of hazardous liquids, thereby limiting the growth. Moreover, fluctuating prices of plastic resins, the raw material for manufacturing flexitanks, are expected to pose challenges to the manufacturers.

The outbreak of COVID-19 severely disrupted the supply chain and retail distribution for numerous products across the world. In the first quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was majorly concentrated in China, and to contain the disease spread, several countries including the U.S. limited their imports from China. Thus, this temporary halt on imports from major exporting countries such as China resulted in a contraction in demand for the flexitanks in 2020.

Product Insights

The single-trip product segment led the market and accounted for a revenue share of 93.8% in 2020. The segment is estimated to retain its leading position throughout the forecast period due to the low cost and wide availability of single-trip products. Furthermore, the low risk of product contamination associated with single-trip flexitanks will augment their demand in the coming years.

Usually, 1mm thick PE is incorporated as the inner material in these products to enhance the barrier properties of the package. Single-trip products are ideal for the transportation of polymers, lubricating and transformer oils, surfactants, liquid malt, cement and construction additives, edible oils, and specialty chemicals. However, the segment is expected to lose its share to the multi-trip product segment owing to rising demand for multi-trip flexitanks as a result of the high sustainability offered by these products.

In terms of volume, the multi-trip product segment is projected to expand at a considerable CAGR over the forecast period. These flexitanks rank high on the sustainability front as they eliminate the need to be disposed of post a single user and can be reused numerous times, thereby optimizing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Thus, these bulk packages are comparatively more efficient throughout the logistical circuit.

Application Insights

The foodstuffs application segment led the market and accounted for a 35.7% share of the global revenue in 2020 owing to the high demand from end-use applications, such as fruit juices, sauces, concentrates, edible oils, and bakery and confectionery products. The rapid expansion of retail chains and rising food requirements due to the growing population in emerging economies are anticipated to boost the product demand in this segment in the coming years.

Wine products are usually at risk of spoilage when packaged using ordinary shipping boxes. Polyethylene-based flexitanks help combat this issue and are being increasingly used by wine producers across the globe to replace insulated pouches or insulated shipping containers. Double- and multi-layered PE is among the most widely used materials for the packaging of wine.

An increasing number of chemical companies are adopting flexitanks over traditional corrugated packaging due to their low cost and high durability. In addition, flexitanks for applications in the chemical industry can be manufactured from recycled plastic resins, which eliminates the need for 100% virgin polymers. This further lowers the product price and supports sustainability.

In the oil segment, flexitanks are commonly utilized for the transportation of base oils, lubricants, and transformer oils. The overall drive in innovation and production has led to the demand for industrial lubricants, such as metalworking fluids, greases, and process oils, which are required for the smooth functioning of machinery. The growing demand for lubricants owing to the steady growth of the global manufacturing sector is expected to benefit the oil segment in the market.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific led the market and accounted for 64.4% share of the global volume in 2020 owing to the presence of the two largest agricultural producing and consuming countries, namely China and India. In addition, the high production and export of palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia contributed to the growth of the regional market.

Furthermore, several key companies in Europe and North America have been outsourcing production activities to India and China owing to the lower production costs in these countries. Therefore, the potential growth of the food and pharmaceutical industries is anticipated to increase the demand for flexitanks in the Asia Pacific region over the forecast period.

The market in Europe is expected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing production and export of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, particularly in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.

North America is anticipated to expand at a considerable CAGR over the forecast period owing to the steady growth of the U.S. manufacturing industry. In addition, the presence of favorable trade agreements, such as NAFTA, which permit free trade within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico is likely to favor the growth of the market.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The global market is highly fragmented with the presence of a significant number of companies. Competitive prices and advancements in technologies, coupled with innovative packaging solutions, are followed by the market players to gain a competitive advantage. The presence of small-scale manufacturers that serve regional as well as international markets is likely to boost the competition for the key industry participants.

Most of the major companies have implemented numerous organic and inorganic growth strategies to bolster their market position. In addition, new product launches and regional expansions are among the key business strategies adopted by these players to enhance their product portfolio and cater to the rising product demand. Some prominent players in the flexitanks market include:

• Qingdao BLT Packing Industrial Co., Ltd. (BLT)

• Braid Logistics UK Ltd.

• Bulk Liquid Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

• Büscherhoff Packaging Solutions GmbH

• Environmental Packaging Technologies, Inc.

• Full-Pak

• K Tank Supply Ltd.

• Mak & Williams Flexitank Supply Ltd.

• MY FlexiTank (MYF)

• KriCon Group BV

• Qingdao LAF Packaging Co., Ltd.

• SIA FLEXITANKS

• Yunjet Plastics Packaging

• Trans Ocean Bulk Logistics Ltd.

• TRUST Flexitanks

Flexitanks Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts volume and revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global flexitanks market report on the basis of product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • Single-trip

  • Multi-trip

• Application Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • Foodstuffs

  • Wine & Spirits

  • Chemicals

  • Oils

  • Industrial Products

  • Pharmaceutical Goods

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • North America

    • U.S.

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Belgium

    • Netherlands

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Singapore

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa