CSG Composites discusses how its fibreglass-reinforced plastic technology is creating silo solutions for the bulk handling industry.
CSG Composites, formerly Chemstore Group, is driving one of the latest innovations in the bulk handling industry with its fibreglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) silos.
The family-owned business, established 45 years ago, has been building chemical tanks for companies in Australia’s heavy industries and underground tanks for sewer and rainwater applications.
However, the business expanded their focus when they noticed a gap in the Australian silo industry. From its vast experience in the sector, it noticed businesses were crying out for a silo that could safely store both dry goods and liquids.
Conventional steel silos were unable to store liquid because they are unsealed, while smaller plastics silos on the market are only capable of carrying a reduced storage capacity due to lack of engineering design.
CSG Composite’s Silostore solution is a silo manufactured using its fibreglass-reinforced plastic technology. The composite material used is a combination of glass and resin. The technology used when manufacturing composite silos enables them to be stronger, corrosion resistant and has a longer design life than a conventional silo made from steel, concrete or other plastics.
“We came up with the Silostore concept in 2022, and we did a lot of testing in the market and prototypes were built to make sure it was going to do what we said it was going to do, and we had pleasing results,” Jerry Pridham, sales manager at CSG Composites, said.
“We were looking at several main markets in the industrial, agricultural, food & beverage, and pharmaceutical marketss. On the agricultural side, their biggest pain point is being able to store dry goods and liquids. This is something we have been able to help the agricultural market with.
“On the industrial side, there are many applications for an engineered silo-style tank for heavy industries. Steel has always been on the market, but it rusts and has a limited shelf-life. With our technology and the composite materials that we use, one of its greatest advantages is handling corrosive environments; steel can’t do that, whereas fibreglass doesn’t rust and is UV resistant.
“For food, beverage and pharmaceutical, our clients are looking for something that can retrofit into their existing manufacturing lines, while being able to meet food, beverage and pharmaceutical safety standards.
“We have ability to meet these regulatory requirements by selecting specified resins for these types of applications.
“Seeing these needs in the market and the factors at play made us think about what we can do to help our clients.”
According to the company, its Silostore products made from the FRP technology will last more than 50 years due to the materials used and its unique design. These silo solutions can be deployed across agriculture, the food,beverage and pharmaceutical industry, construction, renewable energy, as well as mining and other heavy industries.
Due to the nature of the FRP technology, the silos have a glass like interior, which allows for unhindered flow of materials. This also enables the Silostore product to be able to store a large variety of different liquids and dry goods. Many bulk-handling industries require corrosive chemicals, ranging from sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide to aluminium sulphate.
These are harsh chemicals which do have a damaging impact on traditional steel and concrete silos.
The FRP silos’ surface is corrosive and UV resistant due to the smooth resin-rich layer applied to it. This helps reduce friction and guarantees resistance to corrosive and erosive chemicals used in many bulk-handling applications. The resin can also be adjusted to meet the higher standards of the food and beverage industry and pharmaceutical companies.
The smooth, glass-like resin layer also helps against the build-up of unwanted materials and damaging factors like grit and abrasion. This means the silo, in most circumstances, is maintenance free, although routine inspections are recommended in highly corrosive or erosive environments, and minimal cleaning is required.
“There are certainly some amazing advantages over those conventional materials,” Pridham said.
CSG Composites can consult, design, engineer, manufacture and install its silo solutions and provide full after-sales support, including any auxiliary items that might be needed by their clients. The company can also conduct site visits or online meetings and use the gathered data and information to create a custom solution for clients.
Pridham said the CSG Composites silos had several key advantages compared to conventional models.
“It is a one-piece construction that allows for zero internal catch points, meaning you don’t get a build-up of whatever material you’re storing on those joins. It is fully sealed, meaning no pest intrusions, which is a big advantage, especially in the agricultural market,” he said.
“It has a high insulation value, which is due to the type of material we use, but avoids the issue of condensation, which helps to deter to issue of condensation in steel silo, which is something we see a lot with seed companies. In a steel silo, it can heat up because of the sun, and their seeds can start to germinate, whereas our silos keep a cooler temperature. This also advantageous for many industries.”
While CSG Composites is officially launching the Silostore product now into the Australian market, a few select clients have tested the silos for the past year.
One farmer has used the FRP silo for liquid and granular fertiliser, while a seed company has used it to store seeds ranging from canola to sunflower seeds.
Elsewhere in the agriculture sector, the customers have found the dry goods to liquid goods changeover within the silo “seamless” while pest intrusion has been eradicated. Other applications have included sludge in industrial settings and soil storage.
Pridham tipped the company’s silos to have a bright future in Australia across many different industries.
“We’ve had some great results. Seeing the interest in the Silostore product and how it helps our clients in the long-term with their project is rewarding,” he said.
“Silostore is a seriously exciting product with massive potential, and the benefits are there, and we see it continuing to grow, and we’re excited to see where it goes.”
