For more than 60 years, the Denmark-based company Cimbria has developed solutions for the handling, storing, conditioning and drying of grain and seed, focusing on turnkey solutions and systems for storage, conveying, loading and unloading. The product range also includes shiploaders and conveying equipment for a wide range of materials such as fertilizers, ash, clinker, gypsum and other difficult products. The company has thereby gained a vast experience which is constantly being put to use in developing new solutions which meet the demands of authorities and users for functionality, quality and environment friendly operation. This has led to the supply of several complete installations for bulk handling terminals all over the world.
Recently, Cimbria’s representative in Poland, Buttimer Polska Sp. Z.o.o., signed a major contract for the supply of materials
handling equipment and loading chutes to Bunge’s brand new storage facility at the Port of Swinoujscie, thus allowing Bunge to receive vessels of the Handymax and Panamax type and strengthening its presence on the Polish market.
The Port of Swinoujscie was found most convenient by Bunge’s management due to its good location on the Baltic Sea coast. With more than 12m draught it is suitable for loading and unloading of large vessels such as Handymax (typically 150–200m in length and with a deadweight tonnage of between 20,000–30,000), and Panamax (typically up to 275m in length and between 45,000–55,000dwt).
The facility was initially designed as a single flat warehouse with dimensions of 132m x 50m x 32m holding 45,000 tonnes of soyameal typically imported from Bunge crushing plants in Argentina and Brazil.
Shortly after commencing construction of the main store, however, Bunge increased the storage facility by a further 5,000 tonnes by adding a new building of 32m x 30m x 23m. This store will primarily be used for the export of rape meal from Bunge plants in Poland, but will also be used for other types of grain.
The facility, which was put into service earlier this year, is able to handle a total of 1mt (million tonnes) annually, 700,000 tonnes as import and 300,000 tonnes as export.
The new facility has been built in accordance with the latest standards, including ATEX classification. At the same time, it also complies with Bunge’s internal company standards pertaining to equipment, as well as local port authority requirements, a challenge which has required a good degree of co-operation between Cimbria, Buttimer Polska and Bunge. However, these technical clarifications have been solved in a constructive and open dialogue between the parties, and solutions have been found relatively quickly after any problems were discovered.
The order for Bunge consists of 11 belt conveyors with a belt width from 800mm to 1,400mm and a capacity ranging from 200tph (tonnes per hour) to 800tph, 14 chain conveyors with a capacity from 160tph to 500tph and six bucket elevators with a capacity ranging from 250 to 500tph. Furthermore, Cimbria has supplied Q-piping systems, including diverters and connecting boxes in sizes of Q40 and Q55, all manufactured in 5mm hot-dip galvanized execution. In addition, Cimbria Moduflex has supplied 3 x HDF400 loading chutes with integrated filter units and multi- purpose heavy duty outlets. The total contract for the materials handling and related equipment is approximately €3 million.
It is worth noting that all the materials handling equipment has been chosen to comply with Bunge’s own design specifications calling for very low conveying speeds, e.g. all the belt conveyors run at a maximum of 2.0 m/s, the chain conveyors run at approximately 0.3 m/s and the elevators at approximately 2.5 m/s.
Of course, these requirements necessitate the use of ‘oversized’ equipment in order to meet the requirements of Bunge, just as a number of technical modifications on the handling equipment were required before Cimbria was able to qualify as a supplier to Bunge.
For example, all bearings and drive arrangements are equipped with food grade oil or grease, just as the drive drums on belt conveyors and elevators are coated with a special anti-static rubber lining. The list of special requirements is longer, but Cimbria has managed to develop solutions acceptable to Bunge and it is therefore now quite excited about commissioning the equipment.
As one of the major agro-industrial players with more than 400 locations in more than 30 countries, 30,000 employees and handling more than 140mt in 2009, Bunge is a very interesting client, and at Cimbria it is naturally hoped that in future Bunge will continue to use Cimbria as a reliable and competent partner on selected projects.
Cimbria was established in 1947 and is today an international organization with 800 employees in 15 companies throughout the world. Cimbria offers equipment and processing plants for the grain and seed industry and transport and conveying equipment for bulk handling.