WOOL bales have been used to market the fibre for centuries, and have been a mainstay of the industry.
Meanwhile, grain handling techniques have changed dramatically within the past 50 years from bags to bulk and containers.
So why not containerise wool in bulk instead of in single or tri-packed bales?
This has been a life-long ambition of wool buying and broking firm Chad Wool Pty Ltd co-principal Don Chad, Dubbo.
"My vision is for the industry to put fleeces of similar type straight into containers," he said.
"It may not save many dollars on freight, but it would certainly save at the shed and at the other end where processors tip fleeces straight out of containers into scouring machines."
Mr Chad said he had talked to many people about his "dream", and received many agreeable faces, but no resulting action.
"Handling techniques have changed to a degree, but really only slightly" he said.
"We are still handling wool bales the same way as we did 200 years ago."
Wool bales are being put into containers either singly or in tri-packs, but Mr Chad says it is still in bales.
He said he was a realist and knew the problems using containers might incur.
"One big problem is getting growers to organise themselves and the other would be the logistics of finding at least 100,000 sheep in each category," he said.
"I have the plan and everything ready, but I just can't implement it because, like everybody else, I'm busy making a living."
Another problem needing to be solved was how to get pressed bulk wool out of a container.
"A ram or sleeve would have to be developed to remedy this, but that's not hard," Mr Chad.
Whole of industry would have to work together, then a willing processor would also have to be found.
Mr Chad said he'd like to find a funding source to invest in the research and development.
"There are many issues which engineers could overcome, but maybe Australian Wool Innovation might look at it in its research and development structure."
Instead of concentrating efforts towards the top-line Merino fleeces, Mr Chad suggested the industry could possibly start with crossbred wool aimed at China and India.
Agricultural Export Consultanting principal, John Roberts, Adelaide, believes Mr Chad's "dream" may have legs, particularly with crossbred wools.
"This form of export wool would be better suited to industrial production such as carpets or heavy hand-knitting yarns," he said.
"He would need at least 100,000 sheep as you can put 100 to 118 dumped (tri-pack) bales in a 20-foot (six metre) container.
"Some people are using 40-foot (12m) containers as well now."
He said to get a consistent line of wool in one container would be a challenge, but it could be done.
"However, to a processing mill which wants to process that volume and take ownership of that quantity of individual component of style of wool might be a challenge as well."