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Zhongzhi ChemicalSodium Metasilicate — Produced in Changyi, Shandong

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Sodium Metasilicate Packaging & Container Loading

How much goes in a container depends on the bag, the pallet and the grade — not on a single number. Confirm packing options, pallet build and 20GP loading at the RFQ stage, before the price is agreed.

Packing Options

Sodium metasilicate is hygroscopic. Every option below is built around keeping moisture out first, and handling cost second.

25 kg bag

PP woven outer bag + sealed moisture-barrier inner liner

The standard export pack. Filled, weighed and sealed on a manual line, so alternative fill weights can be produced to order rather than only the standard 25 kg.

Manual handling, distribution, repacking and end-user charging

FIBC jumbo bag

~1,000 kg standard fill; up to 1.2 t subject to material and safety review

Used by bulk industrial consumers who charge from a hoist or hopper. Fill weights above the standard 1 t are confirmed against bag construction and handling assessment before they are quoted.

Bulk consumers, repackers, automated charging

Palletized + stretch wrapped

Plywood or timber pallet, stretch wrap, corner protection and strapping available

Cuts forklift damage and speeds discharge at the receiving end. It also lowers the net weight a container can carry, so it is a trade-off between handling cost and freight cost rather than a free upgrade.

Buyers discharging by forklift or with limited manual labour

Pallet Build & 20GP Loading Reference

Anhydrous carries more product per pallet than pentahydrate, so the container figure moves with the grade even when the packing is identical.

GradeBags per palletGross per pallet20GP reference
Pentahydrate44 × 25 kg≈ 1.1 t20 pallets ≈ 22 t in a 20GP
Anhydrous48 × 25 kg≈ 1.2 t20 pallets ≈ 24 t in a 20GP
Loose loaded (no pallets)25 kg bags loaded loose, without pallets—20GP ≈ 27 t

Loose loading gives the highest net weight per container but takes longer to load and to discharge, and offers less protection against bag damage in transit.

These are planning references, not a booking commitment. The quantity that actually ships is confirmed against the container weight limit, the destination port and the carrier’s requirements before booking. Send the destination port with your enquiry and the loading plan can be checked at quotation rather than at the terminal.

Loading Procedure

Loading starts with an empty-container check and ends with a seal number in the shipment file.

  1. 01

    Inspect the empty container

    Dry, clean, odour-free and undamaged before anything is loaded.

  2. 02

    Verify the goods

    Product, batch number, packing, quantity and labelling checked against the order.

  3. 03

    Plan the stow

    Weight distributed evenly; pallet or loose positions and securing decided before loading starts.

  4. 04

    Protect during loading

    Rain protection, bag-damage control and forklift impact control throughout the operation.

  5. 05

    Check and record

    Photographs taken, quantity re-counted, batch distribution recorded for the shipment file.

  6. 06

    Seal and release

    Seal number recorded and matched to the shipping documents.

Forklift loading palletized bags of sodium metasilicate into a shipping container
Palletized loading — forklift stuffing a container at the plant
Shipping container positioned at the warehouse loading ramp during container stuffing
Container positioned at the loading ramp before stuffing begins
Sodium metasilicate being filled and weighed into bags on the packing line
Filling and weighing on the packing line

Storage & Handling

Storage
Cool, dry and ventilated. First in, first out. Kept away from acids and incompatible materials.
Handling
Check the bag is intact before moving. Do not drag; avoid tearing and rain exposure. PPE per the SDS.
Charging
Add slowly into moving water with agitation, control dust, and reseal an opened bag immediately.
On damage
Severe caking, water ingress, discolouration or abnormal insolubles: quarantine and re-test. Crushing a hardened bag and using it anyway is not an acceptable remedy.

What Gets Priced Separately

Packing choices carry their own cost lines. They are quoted individually rather than buried in the product price, so a like-for-like comparison against another supplier stays possible.

  • Pallets and stretch wrapping, quoted per pallet as a separate line rather than absorbed into the product price
  • Custom or OEM printed bags — plate-making and a minimum order quantity apply to the bag itself
  • Inland haulage to the port of loading
  • Port and terminal charges
  • Dangerous-goods packaging and marking where the destination requires it
Export markets & shipment records →MSDS, TDS & certificates →

Packaging & Loading FAQ

How much fits in a 20GP container?
As a planning reference: about 27 t of 25 kg bags loaded loose without pallets; about 22 t for pentahydrate or 24 t for anhydrous on 20 pallets. Palletizing costs you net weight and buys you faster, safer discharge. Final quantity is always confirmed against the container weight limit, destination port rules and the carrier's requirements before booking.
Pallets or no pallets?
If your receiving end discharges by forklift or has limited manual labour, palletize — the handling saving usually outweighs the freight. If your freight cost per tonne dominates and you have labour to unload by hand, loose loading puts roughly 3–5 more tonnes in the same box. Tell us how the container will be discharged and we will quote both.
What is the standard export packing?
A PP woven outer bag with a sealed moisture-barrier inner liner, filled at 25 kg. The double-layer construction is there because sodium metasilicate is hygroscopic — the inner seal is what keeps the product from picking up moisture in transit and in your warehouse. Other fill weights and FIBC jumbo bags are available to order.
Can you print our own bags?
Yes — custom labels, printed bags and OEM packaging can be produced. Plate-making and a bag minimum order quantity apply, so raise it at the RFQ stage rather than after the order is placed. Send the artwork, the required bag weight and the destination country so labelling and regulatory marks can be checked at the same time.
Which bag colour corresponds to which grade?
Green bags are commonly used for anhydrous and red for pentahydrate, but treat that as a convention rather than a rule — the version confirmed on your order acknowledgement is what governs. Always identify the grade from the printed product name, hydrate form and batch number, not from the bag colour.
How is it classified for shipping?
HS 2839110000. Customs records for our shipments carry the UN 3253 Class 8 dangerous-goods notation, and export shipments use compliant dangerous-goods packaging and marking where required. Confirm the classification and packing requirement for your specific destination and carrier before booking.
What is the normal lead time?
Around two weeks as a working reference. The actual date depends on current stock, production scheduling, packaging type, whether the bags are customised, and vessel booking — which is why the packing decision belongs in the RFQ rather than after the price is agreed.
The bags arrived caked. What now?
Send the batch number, the COA, photographs of the received goods and of the packaging, and your test method. The retained sample from that lot can be re-tested against the release data. Caking usually traces to moisture ingress, condensation from temperature swing, stacking pressure or a compromised seal — establishing which one it was is what determines the remedy.

Get a Loading Plan With Your Quotation

Send the grade, quantity, packing preference, pallet requirement and destination port, and the loading plan is confirmed together with the price instead of afterwards.

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