Advantages of Transportable Silos for Your Operation

For many farming operations, grain storage needs to be practical, reliable and flexible.

While large permanent grain storage facilities have their place, not every farm requires thousands of tonnes of capacity or a complex grain handling system. For many growers, a transportable grain silo can provide an effective way to increase on-farm storage while maintaining flexibility as the operation changes.

Transportable silos combine factory-built construction with elevated cone-bottom storage, gas-tight sealing and a range of capacity options. Kotzur transportable silos are fully factory assembled and delivered ready to use, with models able to be tailored to specific customer requirements.

So, what makes a transportable silo a good option for your operation?

Flexible Grain Storage Without a Large Storage Complex

One of the biggest advantages of transportable silos is scalability.

A grower may not need a large permanent storage complex but still want greater control over grain at harvest. Transportable silos allow storage capacity to be added in individual units, making it possible to develop your storage infrastructure progressively.

This can be particularly useful for farms that are:

·         introducing on-farm grain storage for the first time

·         expanding their existing storage

·         looking for additional segregation capacity

·         growing and storing several different commodities

·         expecting production to increase over time

Rather than designing your entire storage system around today's requirements, additional silos can form part of a longer-term storage plan.

Factory Assembled and Delivered Ready to Use

Unlike larger silos that are constructed on site, Kotzur transportable silos are fully factory assembled before being delivered to the farm via our custom fabricated trailers.

This provides a convenient solution for growers looking to add storage without requiring the same level of on-site construction associated with larger built-on-site silo installations.

The silo itself arrives assembled, ready to be positioned on suitable prepared foundations and incorporated into the farm's grain handling setup. Building and transporting these silos this way often greatly reducing the lead time from order to installation

For many operations, this can make expanding storage a relatively straightforward process.

A Range of Capacities to Suit Different Farms

Transportable doesn't necessarily mean small.

Kotzur's current transportable silo range includes a wide selection of models, with nominal wheat capacities ranging from approximately 25 tonnes through to 188 tonnes per silo, depending on the model and manufacturing location.

That range allows growers to select capacities suited to their individual requirements rather than investing in significantly more storage than they need.

Multiple silo sizes can also be combined across a site. For example, larger silos may be used for the farm's main crop variety while smaller silos provide additional capacity for another commodity, grade or variety.

Actual tonnage of storage in each silo will vary depending on factors including the commodity's bulk density, angle of repose and headspace required for aeration.

Greater Flexibility for Grain Segregation

For many growers, how storage capacity is divided can be just as important as total capacity.

For example, you may require 200 tonnes of additional storage. One 200-tonne silo may provide the capacity you need, but several smaller silos could provide more options for your operation.

Separate silos can allow you to separate different:

·         commodities

·         varieties

·         grades

·         protein levels

·         moisture levels

·         quality specifications

This can provide greater flexibility when managing and marketing grain.

Instead of asking only, "How many tonnes of storage do I need?", consider "How many different grain parcels do I need to keep separated?"

Cone Bottom Design for Efficient Emptying

Another important advantage of Kotzur transportable silos is their elevated cone-bottom design.

The cone directs grain towards the bottom outlet, allowing gravity to assist with emptying the silo. This can be particularly useful where silos are regularly filled and emptied or where different grain needs to be kept separate.

Kotzur's current transportable range includes different cone configurations, with models featuring angles including 31°, 35° and 45°.

Many models use 35° or 45° cones, with the steeper cone providing more efficient emptying for applications where additional product flow is beneficial.

When selecting a silo, the appropriate cone angle should be considered alongside the product being stored and the requirements of your operation.

Gas-Tight Storage for Grain Protection

If grain will remain on-farm for an extended period, managing stored grain pests becomes an important consideration.

Kotzur Transportable Sealed Gastight Silos are manufactured to AS 2628, including sealing to the five-minute half-pressure decay standard. They are suitable for general-purpose storage as well as medium and long-term grain storage using phosphine or controlled atmosphere.

The sealing system includes features such as a quick-action ground operated sealed roof hatch, sealed outlet slide gate, high-capacity oil bath relief valve and structural sealing incorporated during construction.

The outlet slide gate also incorporates a secondary seal plate, allowing the silo to be resealed even when grain remains inside.

Transportable silos can also be used as a "hospital" silo, allowing infested grain from other storage to be isolated and treated.

Aeration Can Be Added to Help Manage Grain

For growers planning to hold grain for longer periods, aeration can be another valuable addition to the storage system.

Aeration helps manage grain temperature by moving suitable ambient air through the stored grain, supporting the maintenance of grain quality during storage. This is particularly relevant when it comes to storing seed grain to be used again next season, as cooler storage of seed will ensure optimum germination is achieved

Aeration is available as an optional feature on Kotzur transportable silos, allowing the silo configuration to be tailored to the intended application. Other options include an external roof ladder and cage, roof-side inspection hole and Colorbond® walls and roof.

This means growers can consider not only how much grain they want to store, but how that grain will be managed once it is in the silo.

Is a Transportable Silo Right for Your Farm?

A transportable silo could be worth considering if you:

• ·  need additional on-farm grain storage without developing a large storage complex
• ·  want to increase storage progressively
• ·  require several silos for grain segregation
• ·  value gravity-assisted unloading
• ·  need gas-tight storage suitable for fumigation
• ·  want the option to incorporate aeration
• ·  looking to safely store seed grain for later use
• ·  are looking for an Australian Made storage solution
  

How Many Transportable Silos Do You Need?

Before deciding on a model, start by considering how much grain you expect to store and how that capacity needs to be divided.

Kotzur's Silo Volume Calculator can help you explore the volume required for your grain and provide a useful starting point when comparing different storage capacities.

If you're considering investing in additional on-farm grain storage, the Kotzur Return on Investment Calculator can also help you explore what additional storage could mean financially for your operation.

These tools can help inform the early planning process before speaking with the Kotzur team about the silo sizes and configurations suited to your farm.