Custom Engineered Systems for Chemical Processing
Industrial Equipment & Design Company (IEDCO) specializes in the design and manufacture of custom powder handling and material transfer systems for the chemical industry. For more than 25 years, IEDCO has engineered equipment and integrated systems that help chemical manufacturers safely move, batch, fill, and package powders and bulk solids while maintaining containment, accuracy, and operational efficiency.
Chemical processing environments often require high containment, hazardous location compliance, precise batching, and efficient material handling. IEDCO provides engineered solutions that address these challenges while improving operator safety and plant productivity.
Chemical Industry Applications
IEDCO systems are used throughout chemical production facilities for:
- Powder conveying and transfer
- Bulk bag unloading and filling
- Drum and container filling
- Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) handling
- Powder reclaim and recovery systems
- Ingredient batching and process feeding
- Dust containment and operator safety improvements
These systems are designed to support hazardous environments, ATEX/Classified areas, and high-containment chemical processing operations, ensuring reliable performance and regulatory compliance.
Case Study:
Bulk Chemical Repackaging and Batching System
Industry
Industrial and Reagent Grade Chemical Manufacturing
Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Challenge
A chemical manufacturer needed to repackage materials received in bulk bags and paper sacks into smaller containers such as buckets and drums.
The company required a contained, safe, and ergonomic system capable of handling multiple powder products while maintaining accurate batching and minimizing operator strain.
Solution
IEDCO engineered a complete material transfer and batching line designed to keep operators safely at floor level while maintaining efficient product flow.
The system included:
- Two bag dump stations with bag compactors
- Two bulk bag unloading systems with surge hoppers
- Four vacuum-tolerant sifters
- Four pneumatic transfer batching systems
- A portable delumper for densified materials
Product is discharged from either the bulk bag unloaders or bag dump stations, passed through sifters, and transferred using pneumatic conveyors mounted on pneumatic lifts. The system then fills containers on a roller track scale system for accurate batching.
Results
The new system enabled the company to efficiently repackage chemical products into multiple container sizes while improving operator safety and maintaining accurate batching.
Major Equipment Provided
- Pneumatic conveyors on pneumatic lifts
- Batch systems and controls
- Bulk bag unloaders
- Bag dump stations with bag compactors
- Inline vacuum-tolerant sifters
Case Study:
Polysilicon Powder Reclamation System
Industry
Solar Materials Manufacturing
Location
Moses Lake, Washington
Challenge
A manufacturer of polysilicon materials for the solar industry needed a way to recover valuable polysilicon powder captured by their dust collection system.
Because the facility was very large, the reclaim process required 13 intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) located across three separate plant areas at different elevations. The material also required high containment and hazardous location compliance due to dust explosion risks.
Once collected, the reclaimed powder would also need to be repackaged into bulk bags for shipment.
Solution
IEDCO designed and installed a complete polysilicon powder reclamation and packaging system that included:
- 13 custom Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs)
- 10 pneumatic conveying and batching systems
- Split butterfly valves for high containment
- Nitrogen purging and fluidization systems
- Post lift IBC inverter
- Bulk bag filling system
- Cable hoist elevator for moving containers between levels
The system allowed the portable IBCs to be filled and discharged through the same contained valve system, maintaining product containment throughout the process.
Results
The new powder reclamation system allowed the company to recover and reuse previously discarded material, turning waste into a new revenue stream while improving environmental efficiency.
Major Equipment Provided
- Pneumatic conveyors on pneumatic lifts
- IBCs with fluidizer cones
- Post lift IBC lift / inverter
- Split butterfly valves
- Custom vibratory feeders
- Bulk bag filling and batching system
- Cable hoist elevator
Case Study:
Flexible Drum and Foil Bag Filling System
Industry
Specialty Chemical Manufacturing
Location
Assonet, Massachusetts
Challenge
A specialty chemical manufacturer already used an IEDCO drum filling system but wanted the flexibility to package product into foil bags as well as drums.
The company wanted to add this capability without investing in a completely new packaging line.
Solution
IEDCO retrofitted the existing drum filling system with a custom foil bag fill head system that integrated with the existing floor scale and batch controller.
The system included:
- A custom bag fill head with specialized gripping pads
- Safety-designed pinch-point protection
- Foot-pedal operation for single-operator use
- Integration with existing batch controls
This allowed operators to switch between drum and foil bag filling with minimal changes to the process.
Results
The retrofit enabled the manufacturer to expand packaging capabilities without purchasing a new filling system, significantly reducing capital costs.
Major Equipment Provided
- Custom foil bag fill head
- Batch system and controls integration