Every bulk operation is different, which means HE Silos can design and manufacturer tailor-made solutions. ABHR speaks with Stevie-Leigh Morrison, Business Manager at HE Silos to learn how.
When designing a silo, the team at NSW-based HE Silos always starts with the parameters of the product to be stored.
The business was originally founded as a general engineering company that specialised in agricultural products. Over 50 years ago, it has shifted its focus primarily to silos, but remains connected to its engineering roots.
Stevie-Leigh Morrison, Business Manager at HE Silos says the business saw a trend in the marketplace towards custom designed silos around two decades ago.
“No two operations are the same – everyone has their own specific requirements – whether it’s the type of grain they produce, when they harvest it, to how they in load and out load their product, we’re able to provide it all” she says.
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“It was a no brainer to invest into our project management and engineering teams.”
“If a customer needs something specific, like an offset cone 90°x75°, live bottom silo for powders or sticky stock foods, or drive under silos for trucks, we can use our in-house engineering expertise to design it to their exact specifications and then have them structural certified interdependently”.
The company can design a silo for almost any kind of operation, from a small four-tonne storage silo to a massive 10,000 tonne flat bottom industrial silo. Its standard cone elevated silos can be built with cone angles 30°, 45° or 60°, having built equipment for use in the food and beverage, chemical, plastics, stock feed, agriculture and even the bean bag industries.
All the company’s silos are designed and manufactured to the Australian Standards and are installed by its highly factory trained installation team, Australia wide.
Customers can also decide if the wall stays are put on the inside of the silo for a cleaner finish, or outside to keep high-priced commodities such as nuts or poppy seeds in the cleanest possible conditions.
The HE Silos team are trained to discuss detailed specifications with customers and use their experience to help find the right solution.
Morrison says the company has more than 50 years of experience and are well-placed to provide continual support and deliver the latest industry trends. She adds that many silos are last more than 30 years in commercial operations.
“Like our customers,” she says. “We’ve been through fires, floods and multiple droughts. The good seasons and the bad. Through that experience alone, we can use our understanding of the Australian climate and what is expected of us to build the right product for the conditions.”
“Our sales and logistics team check up on our customers to ensure the silo is operating as per their expectations and can provide them with all the resources they need to succeed,” Morrison says.
The company operates two factories, one in Forbes and another in Gunnedah, with custom designed manufacturing equipment, developed in-house. Morrison says this gives HE Silos a fundamental understanding of the manufacturing process and quality control across its operations. In addition, the factories make use of best-practice technologies and engineering processes to ensure maximum efficiency and safety.
Over the past 12 months, the business has undergone an expansion, growing its manufacturing capabilities by another 1860 square metres, with further room to grow.
Morrison says the upgrade has increased HE Silo’s capacity and reduced lead times significantly.
“With the new equipment, we can now manufacture more silos in less time,” she says. “We’ve also seen an increase in the demand for large capacity bulk silos, so the new factory will help us manufacture these larger items more efficiently and more competitively priced.”