ISO-Veyors are designed to facilitate transportation by rail, road or ship or any combination. It is this flexibility of choice that has prompted a high level of interest from a growing list of end-users, producers and logistics companies that make up the global dry bulk materials industry.

InBulk Technologies is the most recent venture from the engineering group Clyde Blowers. The technology consists of an intermodal ISO Tank for the transportation and storage of dry bulk powders and granules that allows the tanks to discharge their contents in the horizontal position.

Bill Thomson, CEO of InBulk Technologies explains:

"The ISO-Veyor is a real breakthrough; we have combined a number of innovations to give the industry a container that balances certain vital criteria.

We get more in and we also get more out and in less time. We also maintain a relatively low tare weight. We offer an extremely robust design. All components that are subject to ware and tare can be quickly and cheaply replaced."

InBulk's patented design is different, by combining an innovative discharge system that does not compromise the payload of the container, making our ISO-Veyor a real step forward.

The ISO-Veyor consists of a cylindrical vessel constructed within the frame dimensions of a 20ft, 30ft or 40ft ISO-Unit. It can be handled exactly as a standard ISO tank or box container. Reachstackers, cranes and SLT's can all be used to lift and transfer the tanks. ISO-Veyors can also complement standard skeletal trailers or rolling stock. Of course, the real benefits of intermodal come in the form of savings in time, money and the environment.

ISO-Veyors significantly reduce the need for successive handling of materials between transport modes and storage. When the ISO-Veyor is not used for transport, it becomes an excellent means of weatherproof storage. Materials are not required to be transported from Silo to Tanker to Silo to Rail tanker. Once an ISO-Veyor is filled at source, the contents remains locked-in until the unit is to be emptied at its final destination.

This has major benefits to customers who are guaranteed an uncontaminated load each time, whilst also saving on infrastructure, which can only accommodate a single mode of transportation. The environment also benefits, as handling and transfer invariably run the risk of spillages during transfer. ISO-Veyors can be an integral part of a company's sustainable development plan.

The horizontal discharge is also inherently safer than tipping and can be done from the trailer or rail wagon or can be done when the unit is placed on the ground or stacked for storage. To discharge the ISO-Veyor, all that is required is a 2 barg. air supply.

Bill continues, "Rugby Cement purchased 40 of our 30ft Aluminium units. We were very fortunate in that the contract was for the showcase HT5 construction project. Rugby were spared the requirement of building large storage silos on site. Due to the high profile of this project, we have received some very far reaching exposure." By January 2005, there have been over 2600 discharges involving over 70,000 tons of PFA. This has saved 858,000 road miles which equates to 34 times around the World.

"I think that it also shows that good rail logistics can be a reality for a whole host of companies that might not have even considered it in the past. There is no need for a dedicated railhead, to take advantage of the benefits of ISO-Veyors or rail."

We believe that InBulk Technologies is doing its fair share for rail freight. By offering an intermodal unit that combines all the performance of road tankers or rail wagons, we are providing maximum efficiency and flexibility in choice of mode.

Due to the effects of increased consolidation in a number of industries, the net effect is that products and materials are travelling further to the marketplace; this puts a greater emphasis on the supply chain. Proactive and forward thinking companies are rethinking their transportation strategies.

Many more companies could also benefit by adopting a clear intermodal strategy with ISO-Veyors, with rail taking the trunk-haul portion and the flexibility of road haulage for the final short haul.