Packing & Logistics
Bitumen in Polybags
Meltable polymer bags of 25 kg or 300 kg that go into the boiler with the bitumen — no drums to cut, no steel to dispose of.
A polybag is a heat-resistant polymer sack filled with hot bitumen and allowed to solidify into a block. At the asphalt plant the whole bag goes into the melter: the film dissolves into the binder without affecting its properties, and there is nothing left to handle or dispose of.
It is the cleanest packing option available and the fastest to charge into a boiler, which is why it has taken a growing share of the market from drums.
How the bag works
The film is a multi-layer polymer with a melting point below bitumen handling temperature but high enough to stay intact through transport and storage in hot climates. When the block is charged into the melter the film liquefies and disperses; at the dosage present it has no measurable effect on penetration, softening point or the finished mix.
Blocks are supplied loose in containers, on pallets, or nested in returnable steel cages depending on the handling equipment at destination.
Available formats
- 25 kg blocks — manual handling, small plants and patch work
- 150 kg and 300 kg blocks — forklift or crane handled, production plants
- 1000 kg jumbo blocks — for large continuous-feed melters
- Palletised or caged presentation to suit site handling
Advantages over drums
- No drum cutting, no manual extraction, no residue left in the packing
- No steel waste stream and no disposal cost at destination
- Faster charging and shorter melting cycle
- Higher net product per container — packing weight is a fraction of steel
- Cleaner site with no spillage during decanting
- Lower total packing cost per tonne delivered
Storage requirements
Blocks should be kept out of direct sun and stacked no more than two or three high depending on the grade, since softer binders will deform under their own weight in hot conditions. A covered, ventilated laydown area is sufficient; no heating is required.
Typical specification
| Block sizes | 25 kg · 150 kg · 300 kg · 1000 kg |
|---|---|
| Film type | Multi-layer meltable polymer |
| Residue in binder | Fully dispersed, no property change |
| 20ft container load | Up to 24 MT net |
| Storage | Covered, shaded, stacked 2–3 high |
Values are indicative and given for guidance. Contract specification is agreed in writing and certified per batch on the certificate of analysis issued with each shipment.
