STORAGE

A feature from

Supplying
flour and feed millers
The largest co-operative exports over 10 million tonnes of wheat annually

by Roger Gilbert, Milling and Grain magazine

estern Australia has four

strategically located ports
with some 15.8 million
tonnes of shipping
capacity to move its
grain production from
the region onto world
markets.
That was the starting
point for an update on The Australian Wheat Export Market
provided in a keynote address by Matthew Griffiths of the
Australian CBH Group to delegates gathered in Jakarta for the
6th Annual South East Asia District Conference and Expo hosted
by the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) in
early October.
Outlining the strength of the Australian grain growing industry,
and in particular the integrated supply chain in Western Australia
where his company Australias largest grain exporter - has
significant operations, he highlighted the 20 million tonne storage
capacity, supported by 195 grain receiving sites in Western
Australia and the continuous investment being made in worldclass infrastructure to protect grain destined for milling in export
countries.
CHBs customers are flour, feed millers and food processors
with wheat grown by 4500 members producing over 10 million
tonnes annually on average, making it the largest co-operative in
Australia and possibly the world.
The company markets more than half of all grains produced in

58 | November 2015 - Milling and Grain

Western Australia and is the countrys largest exporter loading over 10

million tonnes per year and chartering a further two million tonnes.
The total export for marketing year 2014-15 reached 14.08
million tonnes with 8.4 percent (or 60 percent of the total)
coming from Western Australia. South Australia exported four
million tonnes (or 28 percent of the total) while Victoria and
New South Wales contributed 750,000 tonnes and 830,000
tonnes respectively leaving Queensland exporting just 100,000

F
tonnes. The last three regions being seriously affected by drought
conditions and below average production.
Mr Griffiths reported that the year was characterised by higher
prevalence of hard wheat as opposed to lower protein grades out
of South Australia and Western Australia.
Typically hard wheat makes up 20 percent of Western
Australian production. In 2014-15 hard wheat production was
approximately 34 percent in Western Australia.
The primary destinations for Australian wheat include
Indonesia, China and Vietnam, he added.
Exports further afield showed a year-on-year reduction in the
Middle Eastern regions that included Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq.
He highlighted several factors impacting long-term agreements
such as major change to the environment in which marketers
operate; a minimum of 10 million tonnes allocated to marketers
in a take-or-pay arrangement; a residual six million tonnes
allocated to marketers not participating in LTA on a first in
first serve basis (take-or-pay component is refunded if another
marketer utilizes the dropped capacity in the same shipping zone
in the same year); take-or-pay premiums range between Aus$5 to
Aus$9 depending on the shipment month and premiums consists
of a long term capacity deposit of Aus$4.

El Nino

One factor impacting production, which should not be

overlooked, is that of the El Nino, he told delegates. El Nino
occurs when ocean temperatures in the Central and Eastern
Pacific Ocean become substantially warmer than average causing
a shift in prevailing trade winds.
Data from the late 1990s to present show three out of six El
Nino years have produced significantly reduced yields in wheat

(1994-95, 2002-03 and 2006-07)

Whilst rainfall in July and August have helped crops
substantially the bureau is maintaining its El Nino forecast
indicating that the El Nino will be the strongest since 1997-98.
There is a higher potential for a dry finish which could trim
current production forecasts if dry weather prevails, then we are
likely to see higher protein and higher screenings from crops.
He predicts that total Western Australia wheat production
will reach nine million tonnes compared to the outcome for the
2014-15 year of 8.5 million tonnes and based on a five-year
average of 7.5 million tonnes. Overall, Australia is likely to
produce some 24.2 million tonnes compared with 23 million
tonnes in 2014-15 and based on a five year rolling average of 25
million tonnes.

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Milling and Grain - November 201512/18/14

| 59

6:11 PM

STORAGE

Set high on a hill, deep in the

Burundi countryside is the
Minolacs flour mill. The customer
needed to guarantee that they
were supplying flour of the highest
quality to this remote part of the
country

Storage project
Bentall Rowlands complete new project in Burundi
Set high on a hill, deep in the Burundi countryside is the Minolacs
flour mill. The customer needed to guarantee that they were supplying
flour of the highest quality to this remote part of the country.
The company worked very closely with Buhler to ensure that
this project was delivered on time and to budget. All elements of
the project, which included the silos, catwalks, machinery tower,
sweeps, discharge augers and aeration systems, were supplied.
The grain storage project is split into two sections. The main
flat bottom silos and the day bin hopper bottom silos. The flat
bottom silos are 17 metre diameter by 10 rings with a unit storage

capacity of 2,300 tonnes of wheat. The hopper bottom silos are

4 metre diameter by 10 rings each holding 135 tonnes of wheat.
The hopper silos were designed specifically for this project
and have a gate clearance of 3 metres, which is to allow for a
metering system attached to the cone outlet.
As well as their standard catwalk system, Bentall Rowlands
manufactured the machinery tower. The tower is a three metre
square tower, 21 metres tall, with two main floors for access
to the top catwalk systems as well as support and access to the
cleaner and elevator head.

Storage News

Sukup Recognised by ABI Legends in Manufacturing

Sukup Manufacturing Co. of Sheffield, Iowa was honored with
a Legends in Iowa Manufacturing award by Elevate Iowa, a
program of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.
Eugene Sukup, founder of Sukup Manufacturing Co., was
presented the Legends in Iowa Manufacturing award, which
recognized outstanding leaders in manufacturing at an awards
dinner held recently. Sukup was co-winner with Drew Vogel of
Vogel Paints in the 300+ employees category.
More than 50 years ago, Eugene Sukup developed a stirring
machine to improve in-bin drying of shelled corn. Since that time,
the company has grown to be the largest family-owned, full-line
manufacturer of grain drying, storage and handling equipment.
The company holds more than 80 patents, many of which are
held by Eugene himself. Sukup Manufacturing Co. maintains its

primary manufacturing facilities in Sheffield, Iowa, where the

company was started in 1963.
As one of Iowas largest industries, manufacturing contributes
$31 billion annually to the states economy, ABI President Make
Ralston said. Its an honor to recognize the founders and leaders
of these amazing Iowa companies, and to thank them for the
outstanding contributions they make to our state.
We are very honored to receive this award, said Sukup
Manufacturing Co. President Charles Sukup, Manufacturing is
the engine that drives our state and national economy, so it has
always been our goal to minimize outsourcing and manufacture
as much of our products as is practical. It is wonderful to see
our diligence pay off and be recognized for our companys
contributions to the Iowa economy.

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aggregates, grains, or other materials with a high bulk density.
60 | November 2015 - Milling and Grain

Like all BinMaster capacitance probes, the heavy-duty (HD)

probe offers fail-safe operation and Quick-Set calibration.
BinMaster capacitance probes provide interference-free operation
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