TOFA ships as a bulk liquid. TOFA 185 loads at 20-22 MT net in an ISO tank container and TOFA 180 at 20-24 MT net; both travel in carbon steel or stainless steel tanks. Rich distillate is additionally offered in IBC. Storage is in closed tanks at 20-40 C.
Which packaging formats does TOFA ship in?
Tall oil fatty acids are pourable liquids at room temperature and, at industrial consumption scale, almost always ship in bulk. In the KORKİMYA portfolio each grade carries its own defined packaging line, and that line is the most frequently skipped difference between a quote and an order. For TOFA 185 the packaging is an ISO tank container at 20-22 MT net; for TOFA 180 it is an ISO tank container at 20-24 MT net. Tall Oil Fatty Acids Rich Distillate is packed in IBC and ISO tank containers, which gives a sub-tank step for smaller qualification and pilot work.
Other products in the same tall oil chain sit in different formats, and that directly affects logistics planning if one plant takes more than one stream. Softwood crude tall oil (CTO) is delivered in 200 kg net steel drums, 900-1000 kg net IBCs and in bulk by road tanker or rail wagon. Ecophalt (tall oil pitch) travels in heated, coiled ISO tank containers. The packaging decision therefore tracks the fluidity of the product; it is not arbitrary.
ISO tank, IBC or drum: which applies when?
The comparison below puts the packaging lines that actually exist in the tall oil family side by side. Every value in the table comes from the relevant product specification:
The practical conclusion: for TOFA the ISO tank is the default format, and a drum is not a defined option for any TOFA grade. If you need a drum-scale stream, that is normally met on the crude tall oil side. For a formulator who wants to work at intermediate volume, the right question is the IBC option on rich distillate.
BİO BAZLI ÜRÜNLERTall Oil Fatty Acids Rich DistillateTall Oil Fatty Acids Rich Distillate, packed in IBC and ISO tank containers: request packaging details and a sample for qualification batches and mid-volume formulation.Why is TOFA 180 net tonnage different from TOFA 185?
The two grades use the same ISO tank format but the defined net load differs: 20-24 MT net for TOFA 180 and 20-22 MT net for TOFA 185. On the ordering side this means tonnage planning for a single container load has to be done per grade. A procurement team budgeting annual demand by container count must account for the tonnage per container shifting when it switches between the two grades.
That difference is consistent with the specification difference. TOFA 185 is the tighter product: acid value min 185 (ASTM D1980), rosin acid content max 2% (ASTM D1240), unsaponifiables max 4% (ASTM D1065). TOFA 180 is a wider window at acid value min 180, rosin acid max 3% and unsaponifiables max 6%. The iodine value threshold is the same for both grades: min 150 (ASTM D5768).
Tank metallurgy: carbon steel or stainless steel?
For both TOFA 180 and TOFA 185 the preferred tank material is carbon steel or stainless steel; the storage condition of each grade states this explicitly. Both materials are therefore an acceptable starting point for bulk shipment and for the site tank, and the choice usually follows the existing tank park at your plant.
What really drives material selection is the acid value of the product. TOFA is a high acid value product (min 180 and min 185), and if it feeds a colour-sensitive application such as a light-coloured alkyd resin, a stainless steel tank reduces the risk of iron pick-up. If colour is not critical and the existing line is built on carbon steel, the specification already covers carbon steel. The decision point is colour tolerance downstream, not compatibility of the tank material with the product itself.
Temperature control in transit and storage
The defined storage condition for TOFA 180 and TOFA 185 is a closed tank at 20-40 C, and both products call for avoiding direct sunlight. TOFA 185 additionally specifies avoiding moisture, TOFA 180 avoiding a low-humidity environment. This range shows that TOFA stays pumpable at room temperature and that a heated tank is not a standard requirement for TOFA shipment.
The contrast with the other end of the chain makes it clearer. For softwood crude tall oil the recommended storage temperature is 40-70 C for pumpability. Ecophalt (tall oil pitch) travels directly in heated, coiled ISO tank containers. TOFA is more fluid than either, so its heating requirement is lower. If a long overland leg is planned in cold weather, confirm any heating requirement before the order; that depends on the shipping route rather than on the product specification.
Discharge and site intake: what should be ready?
Three product-driven conditions govern bulk discharge, and all three can be read off the specification. First, a closed system: the storage condition for TOFA 180 is explicitly a closed tank, and for DTO the bulk liquid shipment is defined as being in clean, dry, closed tanks. Second, moisture: both TOFA grades must be protected from moisture, so the discharge line and the receiving tank must be dry. Third, contamination: for DTO Premium the shipment is defined as protected from contamination, and the same discipline applies on the TOFA intake line.
- Prepare the receiving tank closed, dry and cleared of the previous product; carbon steel or stainless steel are both suitable.
- Keep the discharge line and hose dry; water ingress into a high acid value product compromises your quality record.
- Shield the tank area from direct sunlight and hold it within 20-40 C.
- Match the lot CoA against the shipping paperwork before discharge, and take your retained sample at the moment of discharge.
- Record the production date on intake so shelf life can be tracked.
What exactly should a bulk order specify?
To receive a comparable bulk quote, the inquiry has to go beyond the product name. The items below are the fields that genuinely exist in the tall oil family:
- Grade: TOFA 185 (acid value min 185, rosin acid max 2%), TOFA 180 (min 180, max 3%) or rich distillate.
- Packaging format: ISO tank container, or IBC for rich distillate.
- Expected net tonnage per container: 20-22 MT net for TOFA 185, 20-24 MT net for TOFA 180.
- Tank material preference: carbon steel or stainless steel.
- Delivery point and the intake conditions of the receiving tank (closed, dry, 20-40 C).
- Document set: per-lot certificate of analysis (CoA), Turkish Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and KKDIK registration confirmation.
- Shelf life expectation: 12 months, extendable to 24 months with quality control testing.
Which documents arrive with each lot?
The regulatory line is identical for TOFA 180, TOFA 185 and rich distillate: the product is KKDIK-registered (Türkiye), a Turkish Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided, and a certificate of analysis (CoA) is issued for every lot. In bulk shipment this trio represents an entire tank load; one ISO tank container maps to one lot record, and traceability at your plant is built on that lot number.
On shelf life, the defined period for TOFA 180 and TOFA 185 is 12 months, extendable to 24 months with quality control testing. That is a direct input to storage planning in bulk purchasing: if a container load will be consumed over more than 12 months, the retest flow needed for the extension should be discussed at the point of order.
BİO BAZLI ÜRÜNLERTall Oil Fatty Acids 185 (TOFA)TOFA 185, shipped in ISO tank containers at 20-22 MT net: request a sample or quote from the product page for packaging, tank material and lot documentation.Is TOFA supplied in drums?
The defined packaging for TOFA 180 and TOFA 185 is the ISO tank container; drums do not appear in the specification of either grade. If you need a smaller volume, Tall Oil Fatty Acids Rich Distillate is also packed in IBC. If you are looking for a drum-scale stream, softwood crude tall oil is defined in 200 kg net steel drums and 900-1000 kg net IBCs.
How many tonnes of TOFA arrive in one ISO tank container?
For TOFA 185 an ISO tank container is 20-22 MT net, and for TOFA 180 it is 20-24 MT net. Account for this difference if you plan by container count.
Which tank material does TOFA need?
For both grades the preferred tank material is carbon steel or stainless steel. If the product feeds a colour-sensitive formulation, stainless steel is preferred; otherwise carbon steel is within specification.
Does TOFA shipment require a heated tank?
The defined storage condition for TOFA is a closed tank at 20-40 C, so it stays pumpable at room temperature. By contrast, softwood crude tall oil is recommended at 40-70 C for pumpability, and tall oil pitch travels in heated, coiled ISO tank containers. On long cold-weather routes, confirm any heating requirement before the order.
Which documents come with a bulk shipment?
The product is KKDIK-registered, a Turkish Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided, and a certificate of analysis (CoA) is issued per lot. One tank load maps to one lot record.
How long is TOFA shelf life in bulk storage?
For TOFA 180 and TOFA 185 the shelf life is 12 months, extendable to 24 months with quality control testing. If you plan long storage, clarify the retest flow when ordering.