At a Glance
Bulk material repackaging converts trade packaging (big-bag to 25 kg bags or octabins) without changing the material itself. SMIALA handles up to 50 tonnes per day. ISO 9001:2015.
What is bulk material repackaging?
Bulk material repackaging is the conversion of trade packaging format without altering the material’s composition or quality. Common operations at SMIALA:
- Big-bag (1000 kg) → 25 kg bags — for customers needing small portions or manual dosing
- 25 kg bags → big-bag — consolidation of multiple small batches into one bulk transport unit
- Big-bag → octabin (200–400 kg) — intermediate format for automated filling machines in factories
Why factories need repackaging
Most PE and PP granulates arrive in Europe in big-bags inside sea containers — the most cost-effective transport format. However, end-user factories often cannot use big-bags directly:
Automated filling machines — many injection moulding, extrusion and blow moulding machines have hoppers designed for 25 kg bags; big-bags require adapters or are incompatible.
Recipe weighing — composite production requires precise component weighing; 25 kg bags make manual portioning practical.
Rack weight limits — standard pallet racking holds 500–800 kg per location; 25 kg bags on a pallet is the safe and standardised solution.
Customer requirements — many buyers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland require delivery in 25 kg bags with specific label formats.
Screening before repackaging
On request SMIALA screens material by fraction before repackaging. Appropriate mesh size is selected per material specification. Separated fines are collected separately; many clients resell these as secondary material. Screening results are documented in the batch protocol.
Labelling and traceability
Every package produced during repackaging is labelled with: material name, batch number, net/gross weight, repackaging date, customer barcodes (EAN, GS1-128, QR) on request. Traceability is built into the ISO 9001:2015 documentation system.
Octabins as an intermediate format
For customers who need a format between big-bag and 25 kg bags, octabins (200–400 kg) offer a practical solution. Octabins fit standard euro pallet footprints and are handled by standard forklift — no special lifting equipment needed. They are increasingly common as an intermediate storage and transport format for plastic granulates destined for injection moulding plants in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
SMIALA handles repackaging into cardboard octabins with PE liner as well as plastic octabins. Customer-supplied octabins are accepted. Each octabin receives the standard label set with batch traceability.
ESD packaging for electronic industry granulates
Conductive granulates and materials destined for the electronics industry require ESD-safe packaging (type B or C big-bags, or antistatic 25 kg bags with earthing strip). SMIALA handles ESD packaging on request. Material is not mixed with standard packaging equipment — a separate preparation step ensures no contamination of ESD properties.
Quality control during repackaging
Each repackaging batch goes through the following controls under ISO 9001:2015:
- Weight control — tare and gross weight of random samples from the batch; deviation from nominal weight triggers a halt
- Visual inspection — trained operators watch for discolouration, contamination, or abnormal particle size
- Batch documentation — repackaging date, operator ID, output package count and weights recorded in the batch protocol
- Moisture check on request — for hygroscopic materials (polyamide, PET) available as an optional step
The complete batch protocol is available to the customer in digital form. For framework contracts, monthly quality reports are standard.
Capacity and scheduling
SMIALA handles up to 50 tonnes of repackaging per day alongside up to 200 tonnes per day of transloading from big-bags to silo trailers. Both operations share the warehouse infrastructure (capacity: 2,000 big-bags) and loading dock. For regular customers, weekly repackaging slots are reserved in advance.
Location: Chorula near Opole, 4 km from the A4 motorway junction — convenient for shipments to and from Germany and the Czech Republic.
Related: Transloading service · Bulk packaging · Bulk warehousing
