Jan | Feb 12 - Grain & Feed Milling Technology by Perendale Publishers

January - February

2012

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Bulk storage & handling

In this issue: •

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Efficiency Energy saving in flour milling

Preservatives Preservatives are a recurring topic in public discussions

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Increasing storage capacity

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Digital microwave moisture measurement

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Global grain & feed markets

A subscription magazine for the global flour & feed milling industries - first published in 1891

GRAIN &

FEED

News:

Places at feed and milling conferences disappearing as Bangkok returns to normal 2 Wynveen moves to new premises in Heteren 4 Schmidt-Seeger GmbH is now Bühler GmbH 5 American Meat Institute to co-locate with IPE/IFE in 2013 5 Perten grain moisture meter officially approved by NTEP 6 Leading animal nutrition conference heading to Singapore 6 XOL named as new Vortex representative in Middle East 6 Tailored non-GMO soybeans create new opportunities in animal and aquafeeds 7 New Third-Party Facility Certification Program for petfood manufacturers and petfood ingredient processors 7 Seedburo Equipment Company celebrates 100 years of service to agribusiness 8 Essential information on Food Safety & Quality Certification 8 Vibrafloor Automatic Reclaimer 9 Dinnissen brings Pegasus ® Mixer and Pegasus ® Vacuum Coater to Asia 10 Efficiency, productivity and safety increase through the use of automation systems 11

MILLING TECHNOLOGY

January - February

2012

Publisher Perendale Publishers Ltd 7 St George’s Terrace, St James’ Square Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 3PT United Kingdom Tel: +44 1242 267700 Fax: +44 1242 267701 info@perendale.co.uk

Features:

Bulk storage & handling The benefits of using Digital microwave moisture measurement Energy saving in flour milling Preservatives Increasing Storage Capacity

Editorial Manager Martin Little Tel: +44 1242 267707 martinl@gfmt.co.uk

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Commodities: Raw material outlook, by John Buckley

Design and Page Layout James Taylor Tel: +44 1242 267707 jamest@gfmt.co.uk

Book Review

The Pesticide Detox: Towards a More Sustainable Agriculture Tropical Root and Tuber Crops: Cassava, Sweet Potato, Yams and Aroids

Circulation & Subscriptions Manager Tuti Tan Tel: +44 1242 267707 tutit@gfmt.co.uk

40 41

International Marketing Team

What is this? This is a QR (Quick Reference) graphic that is unique and scannable using a free application on any smartphone or tablet. QRs - although around for some years - have come of age as portable hand-held devices have become increasingly popular. We are adding QRs to major features and will be supplying QRs to our advertisers to place in their advertisements if they wish. They can be pointed to any url or digital destination - and can be changed at any time in the future meaning related information can be kept up-to-date. Perendale generates and manages QRs for all it customers and authors free-of-charge!

Caroline Wearn Tel: +44 1242 267707 carolinew@gfmt.co.uk Sabby Major Direct: +44 1242 267707 sabbym@gfmt.co.uk Lee Bastin Tel: +44 1242 267707 leeb@gfmt.co.uk Annual Subscription Rates Inside UK: UK£70 Outside: US$140/ Euros110 More information www.gfmt.co.uk

Grain & Feed Milling Technology is published six times a year by Perendale Publishers Ltd of the United Kingdom. All data is published in good faith, based on information received, and while every care is taken to prevent inaccuracies, the publishers accept no liability for any errors or omissions or for the consequences of action taken on the basis of information published. Copyright 2011 Perendale Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form

or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owner.

volume: 123 number1

issn No: 1466-3872

Guest - EDITOR’S OBSERVATIONS

Guest editor - Martin Little, GFMT

would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Editorial Manager for Grain & Feed Milling Technology magazine. I have taken over the editorial responsibilities from Nicky Barnes, and hope to maintain the high standards that she has kept over the past few years at the helm of the magazine.

I come to the Editorial Managers role, from GFMT’s supporting news service, ‘The Global Miller’ where I have the role of Blog Editor. I will continue in this role, to bring news about the milling industry to the web, but am excited about the prospect of handling the in depth features that GFMT has become synonymous with, and hope that the two platforms will work even more closely to bring you the very best information from the world of grain, feed and flour milling. In this issue of the magazine, we take a look at the important area of bulk storage; Across two separate features we discuss challenges and ideas associated with an area that has a direct impact on the milling industry and the quality of the products it produces. We also have an excellent feature contributed by IMAS Intergrated Machinery Systems from Turkey, regarding a topic close to the heart of every miller - How can we save energy and improve efficiency within our mills? The issue also covers a very interesting feature about the use of preservatives, a topic that certainly is at the forefront of many consumers’ minds and an issue that will increasingly become important to our industry. We also have a feature from Hydronix of the United Kingdom, talking about the digital microwave measurement and the importance of being able to control moisture levels during various stages of the production process. Finally, we have our regular Commodities Report from John Buckley. As ever he brings you important insights from the commodities world that give you the background to prices and supplies! It is an honour for me to be involved with the magazine in these exciting times, as we look forward to a more

Martin Little, Editorial Manager of Grain & Feed Milling Technology

prosperous 2012. We hope to bring you some excellent content in the year ahead, to develop our print and online platforms even further and of course we are all looking forward to our involvement in the GRAPAS Conference later this month in Bangkok where GFMT is the patron of the event which is co-hosted by Victam Asia 2012. In our next issue we will be inviting a recognised figure from the milling industry to be our Guest Editor as usual, but for now I hope you enjoy the issue and should you want to contact me direct you will find my details in the sidebar on this page. Good reading! Martin Little Editorial Manager, Grain & feed Milling Technology

Places at feed and milling conferences disappearing as Bangkok returns to normal

he flooding in Bangkok is now receding and the city is returning to normal - and registrations at the feed conferences taking place during Victam Asia, FIAAP and GRAPAS Asia 2012 are picking up.

Organisers said there are limited places at both the aquaculture feed conference, Aquafeed Horizons Asia, the feed ingredients and additives conference, FIAAP Conference Asia 2012, and the milling conference, GRAPAS Conference Asia 2012. Delegates must reserve online at the conference website (at either http://www.feedconferences.com for Aquafeed Horizons and FIAAP Asia and http://tinyurl. com/6ohsjmo for GRAPAS) to be sure of a place.

“The severe flooding in Bangkok has been of great concern”, says conference organiser Suzi Dominy. “However the city is drying out and we are relieved that conference delegates and exhibition visitors can now make their plans with confidence. “We are excited about the programs for Aquafeed Horizons and the FIAAP Conference and are expecting a full house for both. We urge delegates not to delay in reserving their places” GRAPAS Conference 2012 and Aquafeed Horizons Asia will take place February 15, 2012 and FIAAP Conference Asia on February 16, 2012 at the BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand.

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Grain 2 | January - February 2012

January - February 2012

NEWS

Wynveen moves to new premises in Heteren “With the completion of this new building, Wynveen International BV now has a face of its own and an image that we can be proud of”

- Director Willem de Vaan

ynveen International BV m ove d i n t o i t s new premises in Heteren o n D e c e m b e r 1 , 2 0 11 . This building, a brand-new production space with offices at t he Poor t v an M idde n Gelderland business park , replaces the premises at the business centre that had been home to Wynveen for the past few years. The official opening took place on 16 December.

Wynveen International bv is a leading edge Dutch company specialising in the design, production and erection of complete plant and installations for the animal feed industry and the key equipment and systems used in them. Wynveen plant and installations can be found in many countries. Wynveen International bv is an innov ative comp any t h at h a s b e e n p ro d u c i n g machinery and equipment for livestock feed, aqua feed and

pet food production for many decades. Quality, reliability and innovation are the pillars on which the organisation is built . The numerous e x a m p l e s o f i n n ov a t i o n s introduced by Wynveen include the Cr yLoc rotar y sifter, the special extraction bottom, the hammer mills with two grinding chambers or adjustable brake plates, the unique vacuum coating system and the wide variety of mixers.

Wynveen was previously located in a business centre. Willem de Vaan: “Increasing turnover and a growing workforce meant that we had to expand our office and production space. We also had an urgent need to carve out our own niche and develop a face of our own.” The new pre mise s were designed entirely with the aim of making Wynveen’s production process as efficient as possible. It is spacious and offers plenty of room to receive guests. A solar installation generating just under 60,000 Wp has been installed on the roof of the new building. The solar power system takes up a roof area of more than 1000 m2. At a cautious estimate, the system should feed at least 52,000 kWh electricity back into the grid. With an advanced data monitoring system, information such as electricity yield, energy savings and CO2# savings can be viewed anywhere in the world. More

information:

Willem de Vaan Director Wynveen International BV Tel. +31 26 47 90 699 Fax +31 26 47 90 698; Email: info@wynveen.com.

ARCHIVE

4 | January - February 2012

www.gfmt.co.uk/archive.php For a full back catalouge of editions online

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Grain

News

January - February 2012

NEWS

Schmidt-Seeger GmbH is now Bühler GmbH

n September 2010, the Bühler Technology Group acquired Schmidt-Seeger GmbH. Now that the integration has been completed, the company will in the future appear solely under the name Bühler GmbH. The acquisition of this German grain management specialist has enabled Bühler to significantly increase its conveying, cleaning, drying, dedusting and storage competencies, especially in the area of grain collection. These capabilities are now united in the Grain Logistics business unit. The new Gr ain Logistics business unit has its center

of competence at the site of the former company SchmidtSeeger GmbH in Beilngries, north of Munich in Germany. Since the acquisition by Bühler, a joint integration team has been busy defining the future form of collaboration and the potential synergies. The operating business processes are not affected. Nothing will change for customers and other business partners as a result of this renaming into Bühler GmbH and the usual contacts will be retained. The new business unit meets the challenges of ensuring optimal grain supplies as a consequence of global population growth and climate changes.

“Our joint customers can in the future obtain further optimised and especi ally integr ated solutions along their valueadded chains from a single source. This is a significant contribution to quality assurance and re-traceability of foods. “In addition, the merging has expanded the global customer service network,” says the company. At w w w.buhlergroup.com / gr ain - log i s t ic s , t he G r ain Logistics business unit also presents its machine design adapted to the Bühler colors in addition to the new joint range of products and services.

About Bühler Bühler is a global leader in the field of process engineering, i n p a r t ic u l a r p ro d u c t i o n technologies and services for making foods and advanced materials. Bühler operates in over 140 countries and has a global payroll of about 7800. In fiscal 2010, Bühler Group generated sales of CHF1907 million (€1578.52 million). More

information:

Corina Atzli Head Corporate Communications Bühler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland Tel : +41 71 955 33 99 Fax : +41 71 955 38 51 Email : media@buhlergroup.com

American Meat Institute to co-locate with IPE/IFE in 2013

S Poultr y & Eg g Association (USPoultry) and the American Feed Industr y A s s o c i a t i o n ( A F I A ) h ave signed an agreement with the American Meat Institute (AMI) to co-locate the AMI tradeshow with the IPE / IFE in Atlanta, annually in January, starting in 2013. The three shows will operate under one umbrella creating one of the largest 50 shows in the United States. It is expec ted t hat t he entire show will include more than 10 0 0 exhibitors and close to 1,000,000 square feet of exhibit space. The meat and poultry exhibits will be combined on one large show floor, and the IFE will be held in the adjacent hall. One badge will allow all attendees into any exhibit. “We are very excited about this partnership with AMI, and the co-location is something our exhibitors have asked about for a long time,” says John Starkey, President of USPoultry.

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“The consolidation of the tradeshows will allow our respective organisations to build on the synergies of the poultry, feed and meat sectors, as well as provide a benefit to our exhibitors and members who produce or exhibit across multiple protein sectors.” All three associations will continue to oper ate independently, serving their respective constituents and will offer targeted education and networking opportunities that meet the customer needs and compliment the expo. The operations of the show will be handled out of the USPoultry offices, and AMI and AFIA will be instrumental in driving attendance promotion and exhibit sales efforts. “We are very pleased about the co-location with AMI. The consolidation will provide a more diverse event for our members and allow for more educational opportunities for attendees,” adds Joel Newman, President of AFIA. “This partnership will enhance the value of our trade shows

to exhibitors and attendees alike,” said AMI President, J. Patrick Boyle. “Now we have one show that provides more education, net working and hands on demonstration of equipment and supplies from farm through distribution. Our entire industry will benefit from the reduction in travel expenses, exhibit cost s and see an undeniable increase in value.”

About USPoultry U.S. Poultry & Egg Association is an all-feather organisation representing the complete spectrum of today’s poultry industr y, with a focus on progressively serving member companies through research, education, communication, and technical assistance. Founded in 1947, US Poultry & Egg Association is based in Tucker, Georgia, USA.

About AFIA AFIA is the world’s largest organisation devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and

regulatory interests of the U S a ni m a l fe e d i nd u s t r y and its suppliers. AFIA also is t he re cog nise d le ade r on international industr y developments. Membercompanies are livestock feed and petfood manufacturers, integrators, pharmaceutical companies, ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers and companies which supply other products, services and supplies to feed manufacturers.

About AMI AMI represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America . Together, AMI ’s members produce 95 percent of the beef, pork, lamb and veal products and 70 percent of the turkey products in the United States. The Institute provides legislative, regulatory, public relations, technical, scientific and educational services to the meat and poultry packing and processing industry.

January - February 2012 | 5

January - February 2012

NEWS

Perten grain moisture meter officially approved by NTEP

erten Instruments announces that the AM520 0 moisture tester is officially approved by NTEP in the US for moisture and test weight of grains and oilseeds. The A M 520 0 is a second generation, 150MHz, grain moisture meter. In addition to many other improvements, the AM5200 provides significantly improved accur acy over previous moisture analyzers. The AM5200 can also be used to analyze wheat, corn and

soybeans from -20°C to 45°C (-4°F to 113°F) under NTEP approval thereby removing t he ne ed t o t h aw froze n samples before analysis ( NTEP cer tif icate number: 11-087). The AM520 0 is a secondgener ation high frequency mois t ure me t e r. D r aw ing on the experience from more t han 10 0 0 inst alled units, it’s a moisture meter w i t h i m p r ove d a c c u r a c y, repeatability, reliability and user inter face. It can be a stand-alone moisture meter for use at terminals or can

be integrated into automated testing systems. Higher frequencies provide greater penetration of samples; the updated U G M A p r ov i d e s a m o r e accurate result regardless of temperature or crop type; the improved mechanism provides better repeatability. Together this makes the AM5200 the most accurate and repeatable moisture meter available. It can analyze grains, oilseeds, pulses, beans, lentils, seeds and more for moisture, Test Weight / Hectoliter Weight and temperature.

Tel: +46 8 880 990 Fax: +46 8 881 210 Email: stordenmalm @perten.com Website: www.perten.com/ Products/Aquamatic-5200/

Perten offers NIR process monitoring software

Leading animal nutrition conference heading to Singapore

he Fifth World Nutrition Forum breaks tradition by leaving Europe and heading for Asia where it will take place from October 10-13, 2012 in Singapore. The World Nutrition Forum, an established event on the animal nutrition industry’s calendar hosted by Bioimin, is now at its fifth edition and heads for the first time out of Europe, taking place from October 10-13, 2012 in Singapore. The move to A sia signals the importance of this fast growing market, Singapore, the country where ‘East meets West’, being the ideal location

for such a truly international event. The congress will be attended by more than 700 industry representatives and opinion leaders from all over the world, opening the floor to challenging discussions on and around NutriEconomics ® : Balancing Global Nutrition & Productivity. Presentations and lectures from leading experts, animal specific workshops where science meets industry and discussions about the challenges of our industry with international professionals and colleagues will provide foodfor-thought when thinking about solutions for the future.

erten supplies online NIR sensors for a wide r ange of applications, and now offers the NIRView process monitoring software.

“ NutriEconomics ® bring s together the concepts of nutrition and life sciences with business and profit as well as with food safety, the environment and ecology – for a sustainable future in animal production” says Dr Eva Maria Binder, head of the WNF scientific committee. The event follows the ‘by invitation only’ approach, thereby providing a high-level platform for a multinational meeting with guests from all over the globe.

W i t h N I RV i e w t h e measurements from the NIR sensor are presented graphically to operators in real-time, giving instant knowledge of the process. NIRView shows trend charts as well as currently measured values. Each constituent measured is presented in a separate graph, with up to eight graphs displayed simultaneously. Chart timelines are fully user selectable, and it is easy to add upper/ lower control limits and specification limits. Additional features include reports, alarms, recipe handling and more. The reports feature provides a number of statistics such as min, max and process capability indexes, calculated per constituent and presented in a table. NIRView is fully compatible with the DA 7300 Online NIR analyzer.

More in formation: Website: www.worldnutritionforum.info

XOL named as new Vortex representative in Middle East

arlington, UK- Vortex Valves Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Salina Vortex Corporation, is pleased to announce the appoint ment of XOL Automation as the company’s exclusive m anuf ac turing representative in the Middle East and North Africa region. XOL Automation is a diversified engineering company serving the dry bulk processing sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. XOL Automation represents some of the dry bulk handling industry’s leading global brands. It offers a

6 | January - February 2012

wide range of process solutions, from system upgrades on existing plants, to large capital projects. The equipment, along with XOL’s engineering practices, is made to improve productivity and maximize plant profitability. “We pride ourselves on the quality of service that our team of engineers provides to our valued customers. With the world’s best products at hand, we’ve been able to help customers run faster, smarter and better,” says Marcel Hage, Chairman of XOL Automation. “We are pleased to partner with XOL Automation in the MENA region. It is a company

information:

Stefan Tordenmalm Product Manager Perten Instruments Stockholm Sweden

that represents the same level of quality, service, and response Vortex has always upheld,” comments Travis Young, Vice President of Global Business Development. “We look forward to working with XOL Automation in providing processors with the best possible solutions in this ever growing and important region.” XO L Autom ation is t he exclusive agent for Vortex products in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Libya, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia.

information:

Website: www.perten.com /da7300/

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News

January - February 2012

NEWS

Tailored non-GMO soybeans create new opportunities in animal and aquafeeds

r John Schillinger is acknowledged as one of the most accomplished soybean breeders of the past century and a father of GMO soybeans, but today his research centres on non-genetically modified (non-GMO) varieties. For t he past dec ade Dr Schillinger has specialised in creating high protein soybeans with low anti-nutritional factors, tailored for specific feed uses. Dr Schillinger has devoted over 40 years of his distinguished career to working with soybean genetics. His research programs have emphasised the function of various compositional factors of soybeans and their impact on nutritive value in feed and food. His developments of soybean varieties for the food industry in United States, Japan and Korea are well recognised. Currently, four of Schillinger

Genetics’ food grade varieties (240.RY, 389.FYC, 3520.FHPC and 448.FHPC) are among the most popular varieties for tofu, soymilk, soy snack and miscellaneous production. All of these varieties were selected for high protein content. For the past 10 years, John Schillinger and his team at Schillinger Genetics have turned their attention to animal and aquatic feed use. In 2007, John and his team began supporting feeding trials with swine, poultry and turkeys followed by aquaculture feeding trials with trout, salmon and shrimp – all with great success. Thanks to Dr Schillinger, novel soybean varieties are now commercially available with oligosaccharide levels (stachyose and raffinose, oligos) significantly reduced from a normal value of 5.5 to 0.5 percent. Similarly, unique soybean cultivars have been developed

which significantly reduce trypsin inhibitors from 55,000TIU/g present in regular commodity beans to a low of 7000TIU/g. From a practical perspective, the value added advantage in using these improved soybean varieties is highlighted by savings in processing costs since there is no need for heat-deactivation of protease inhibitors, improvement of nutritive value as there is no nutrient deterioration and the elimination of potentially detrimental effects of excessive oligosaccharide concentrations. For the growing aquafeed market , soybean cultivars have been selected with 15-20 percent higher protein content and with the difficult-to-digest carbohydrates raffinose and stachyose, as well as trypsin inhibitors significantly reduced. The defatted meal derived from these cultivars exceeds 56

percent in protein content and with further gentle processing will surpass 60 percent in crude protein (CP). Feeding trials comparing protein digestibility, metabolisable energy, mortality, FCR and grow th per formance have been conducted with Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, Pacific white shrimp, European sea bass, cobia, yellowtail and red drum. Additional trials with other aquaculture species will be conducted in 2012. Dr Schillinger’s team will describe how redesigned soybean varieties are opening up opportunities for animal and aquafeed manufacturers at the feed conferences FIAAP Asia Conference and Aquafeed Horizons, taking place February 15 and 16, 2012, during Victam Asia 2012 in Bangkok. More

information:

Website: www.feedconferences.com

New Third-Party Facility Certification Program for petfood manufacturers and petfood ingredient processors

t A F I A’s Pe t F o o d Conference in Atlanta, Ga, AFIA announced a new third-par t y facilit y certification program designed specifically for manufacturing petfood and petfood ingredients. AFIA’s petfood and quality committees developed the Pe t F o o d M a n u f a c t u r i n g Facility Certification Program (PFMFCP) and the Pet Food Ingredient Facility Certification Program (PFIFCP) with input

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from third-party food safety experts. These two programs build upon AFIA’s domestic Safe Feed/Safe Food program and are designed to monitor the process controls specifically related to the manufacturing of pet food. “AFIA sees this as a model program for the entire petfood industry,” according to Joel G Newman, AFIA’s president and CEO. “ I commend t he pet food committee for developing this

program to help ‘raise the bar’ for their own industry.” The PFMF and PFIF certification programs were designed to meet and in some parts exceed the requirements of the Food S afet y Modernisation Act regulations. AFIA is seeking FDA recognition of these programs and is encouraged that FDA may use these programs in their risk assessment of the industry for inspection priorities. “In 2004 AFIA launched the first third-party feed facility

certification program, Safe Feed / S afe Food progr am, addressing the needs of the feed industry. And then in 2010 the International Safe Feed/ Safe Food program was added to provide a tool for companies that wish to meet the EU requirements. “ N ow t od ay, ad d i ng t h e Pet Food Facility program to the family of third-party certification program makes sense not only for our members, but for the petfood industry,” says Mr Newman.

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NEWS

Seedburo Equipment Company celebrates 100 years of service to agribusiness

eedburo was founded in Chicago, USA, in 1912 as the Seed Trade Reporting Bureau - a publishing company started by Leroy M Smith. They produced several public ations for t he seed tr ade and provided the industry with information and crop reporting. Among these publications were the Seed Trade Buyers Guide and Seed World magazine, launched in 1915. In 1916 the Grain Standards Act was passed and Mr Smith sold his interests in the publications to continue his f lourishing business in equipment sales. B e c au se o f h i s fo c u s o n equipment sales, he became

Pavan Group integration on show at IPACK IMA 2012

avan Group will be welcoming visitors of the 2012 IPACK IMA in a comprehensive stand housing All major divisions of the Pavan Group will be exhibited at Ipack IMA 2012 in Milan, Italy from February 28-March 3, 2012 from its dry pasta, fresh pasta and snacks, to packaging equipment by Stiavelli and Dizma and milling technology by Golfetto Sangati. It will also include its divisions responsible to storing, mixing and handling solutions by Pizeta. An integrated approach to represent the new structure of the Pavan Group, the show offers the company an opportunity to diplay its various units of technological excellence and how they have integrated with each other to provide a complete range of equipment and solutions covering the entire supply chain. Each division will have a dedicated area within the exhibition space (Hall 15 – Stand B20) showing the latest evolutions of Pavan Group technology.

8 | January - February 2012

less involved with the publications. The Seed Trade Repor ting Bureau was then reorganised, they shortened their original trade name and Bureau became “buro” to form the Seedburo Equipment Company. The focus of Seedburo was to be the ‘go to’ source of equipment for the grain inspection of f ices, grain elevators, seed research and development companies and the various food and feed m a nu f ac t ur ing ind u s t r ie s . Seedburo quickly became the largest distributor of testing and handling equipment in the United States. After achieving success in the US, Seedburo began exporting equipment worldwide through

a n e x t e n si ve ne t wor k of international sales personnel. I n 19 8 3 , S e e d b u r o w a s presented with the prestigious “ Presidents E Award” for their excellence in exporting and continues to distribute to over 130 countries worldwide. The company continued to flourish and forge a successful path as the industry leader in equipment sales, making distributor arrangements with many companies who continue t o sup ply S e ed buro w it h quality products even today. Through several acquisitions, including their main competitor Burrows Equipment Company, Seedburo was strengthening their position as the premiere supplier to the grain, feed and seed industries. The legacy

of Seedburo has continued for several decades with an experienced sales force which now includes: Owner/President Tom Runyon, Vice President of Sales Kathy Reading, Marketing & Sales Manager Tim Snader, Sales Associate Iris Sanchez and Sales Associate Veronica Quintana. A new histor y has begun for Seedburo including the 2008 move from the friendly ‘Windy City’ of Chicago to the more humble surroundings of Des Plaines, Illinois, which places them nearer to freight forwarders and O’Hare airport. A long future is in store for Seedburo as they continue the success of the company and the reputation they have chiseled out for 100 years!

Essential information on Food Safety & Quality Certification

ood safety and quality remains top priority for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike, with pressure mounting on suppliers to demonstrate the quality of their operations through certification. To provide guidance on relevant guidelines and certification standards Mettler Toledo has published a new white paper, “Food Safety and Quality and the Trend Towards Certification.” This addition to the company’s extensive collection of thoughtleadership resources gives an overview of the regulatory and consumer pre ssure s behind increasing food safety certification. It also explores the different standards currently available to food retailers and manufacturers. The white paper initially looks at the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarks, following on to the four accepted standards most widely in use, the BRC Global Standard, FSSC 22000,

International Featured Standard (IFS) and SQF 2000. Through detailing the re q uire me nt s , re p or t ing , procedures and audits that each certification entails, the white paper helps manufactures find the standard that best suits their market needs and customer preferences. It also indicates parameters that can be used to evaluate the most appropriate certification standard to pursue. Mettler Toledo’s white paper points to the launch of the new Chinese food safety law, and the US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) as examples of recent legislation affecting certification processes. It suggests that more and more manufacturers and suppliers will seek certification to stay ahead of the regulatory curve.

About the company Mettler Toledo is the leading supplier of quality weighing and measuring solutions. The organisation is the world’s l a r g e s t m a n u f ac t u re r o f

weighing technologies for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing environments. Mettler Toledo also holds key market positions for various analytical instruments and is a principal provider of automated chemistry systems, used in the discovery and development of new drugs and chemical compounds. In addition, Mettler Toledo is also the world’s largest manufacturer of metal detection and X-ray product inspection technologies, for use in the production and packaging sectors. The business maintains a premier position in many in many in-line processmonitoring applications. From its headquar ters in Leicester, UK, Mettler Toledo offers product, technical and application expertise as well as comprehensive service, support and calibration capabilities. More

information:

Website: www.mt.com/ uk-foodsafety&quality

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January - February 2012

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VIBRAFLOOR AUTOMATIC RECLAIMER

he reclaiming of bulk products from silos, bulk carriers, railroad cars, hoppers, etc … is made easy by Vibrafloor, says the company.

TYPICAL VIBRATING MODULE

Vibrator under dustproof cover

Proofing membrane

Steel plate

Steel frame

Adjustable length

“This proven technology is ideally suited for either new-build or retrofitted storage structures,” it adds. 50mm Vibrafloor performs the recovery and thickness clean-up of residual piles on slightly inclined floors, typically 8 to 12°. Most 2210mm width commodities can be efficiently handled, such as cereals, meals, sugar, flour, fish • No degradation of the product feed, cotton seed, sulphur prills, wood • Extreme simplicity, no heavy machinery • Negligible operating cost chips, wood pellets, saw dust, ores and • Total clean-up when required • No personnel required inside the aggregate. The Vibrafloor Company can mastermind storage, not even for final clean-up Vibrafloor is made of independent vibrating the bulk reclaiming process of any modules, customised to suit the shape and • No maintenance storage structures from beginning to end. dimensions of the storage. Modules are • Very low power intake laid side-by-side and end-to-end to cover • No dust generated by the reclaiming process From the design, plant manufacturing, site installation and commissioning, its • Complete automation a given area. engineers and technicians will provide Modules are typically 2.2m wide, 3m to 4m • Very high reclaim rates achievable their unique expertise, within schedule long and 50mm thick. They can also be of • Totally safe for the structure and the and budget. personnel trapezoidal shapes into a conical design. A three-phase electric vibrator of 700W unit power powers each module. silos ships Lower modules are triggered first, THE UTMOST to destabilize and BULK RECLAIMER carry residual piles into a central conveying system or a central h o p p e r. T h e n simple, maintenance free, automatic, efficient on most bulk products*, unbeatable reclaim rates upwards rows or * cereals, oil seeds, sugar, flour, soya bean meal, wood pellets, wood chips, fly ash, cement, sulphur, charcoal, RDF etc… circles of modules VIBRAFLOOR F-71680 Givry +33(0)385 440 678 +33(0)680 964 144 vibrafloor@vibrafloor.com are triggered successively from wagons domes containers bottom to top, until complete clean up of the storage is completed. Advantages for operators include:

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January - February 2012 | 9

January - February 2012

NEWS

Dinnissen brings Pegasus Mixer and Pegasus Vacuum Coater to Asia ®

single mixer that can produce a wide range of animal feed, pet food and aquafeed quickly, homogenously and energ y efficiently and supply them entirely according to the wishes of the individual customer. That calls for a mixer which offers convenience, flexibility and versatility. The Pegasus ® Mixer has been specially developed and modernized by the Netherlands-based company Dinnissen Process Technology to meet this need. In recent years, Dinnissen has replaced traditional mixers with the new, much more efficient Pegasus ® Mixer all over Europe. This mixer for the animal feed, pet food and aquafeed industry is now also available for the Asian market.

A unique twin shaft Mixer at the heart of the production process The new Pegasus ® Mixer from Dinnissen consists of a unique twin-shaft mixing mechanism 10 | January - February 2012

which uses the flow of air to swirl around powders, pellets and granules in order to mix them quickly (in 25-30 seconds) and extremely homogenously with low energy use. Thanks to the special dosing unit, exactly the right amount of fluid is sprayed into the mixer during this mixing process so as to create the right ingredients for the feed required by the individual customer. Precisely at the moment that powders, pellets or granules are thrown up by the airflow, up to 18 func t ion al f luid s such a s proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats and oils – in large quantities if required – are sprayed onto the ingredient particles and mixed. Each product particle is completely coated. The quantities involved can range from very small – 0.01-2% per batch weight – right the way up to extra high percentages of 30-220% per batch weight. Thanks to the versatility and completely optional automatic operation of the Pegasus ® , this allows a wide range of recipes to be automatically processed.

The Pegasus ® Mixer is fast and easy to clean, making switching to a new feed recipe quickly and hygienically a simple matter.

Great precision throughout the pellet Dinnissen is now also launching its modernized Pegasus® Mixer with vacuum function onto the Asian market, especially in order to add important functional values to animal feed, pet food and aquafeed. In the Pegasus ® Vacuum Coater, each pellet can be sprayed with exactly the right quantity of powder or fluid, which is then absorbed deep into the pellet. This phase in the production process is specially designed to homogeneously add even higher percentages or, at the other end of the scale, extremely small quantities. The Pegasus® Vacuum Coater offers that possibility by quickly and flexibly applying multiple layers in pelleted and extruded products in a vacuum environment. Finally, the Pegasus ® Vacuum Coater enables a robust protective coating to be applied around each pellet to prevent breaking,

crumbling and loss of valuable ingredients. This also means users save on the costs of cleaning transport systems. Moreover, each pellet retains its original shape and can be finished with an attractive colour or shiny coating.

Switch to a new recipe ultra hygienically and effortlessly The compact dimensions of the Pegasus® Mixer and the Pegasus® Vacuum Coater deliver a series of impor t ant benef its for the Magi-Con ® concept. For example, the mixer is quick and easy to clean, making hygienically switching to a new recipe child’s play. This remains true even if the production capacity varies greatly per recipe. For cases in which any risk of contamination with salmonella or harmful microorganisms must be avoided, Dinnissen offers a range of hygienic custom options for the Pegasus ® Vacuum Coater, such as hot air treatment and CIP cleaning.

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January - February 2012

NEWS

Efficiency, productivity and safety increase through the use of automation systems - As many as 215 automation companies to exhibit at IPACK-IMA

he exhibition features technological meetings and seminars promoted by the industry’s representative trade associations Technologies for packaging, proce ssing and indust ri al logistics, the three pillars of IPACK-IMA 2012, all have a high degree of automation as their common characteristic. The upcoming edition of the exhibition on schedule from February 28th to March 3rd at Fiera Milano will host over 200 exhibitors active in the industry of automation systems and components. 215 companies representing a sector capable of creating strong synergies with the ten exhibition areas and nine business communities of IPACK-IMA, thus attracting

the interest of the vast majority of professionals visiting the event. The increase in eff iciency, productivity and safety s t a n d a rd s f o r m a c h i n e r y and equipment is largely the result of innovations brought about by manufacturers of au t om at ion sys te m s . The latest advances showcased at IPACK- IMA go hand in hand with technical meetings

organized by major tr ade associations. ANIE (the Federation representing the electro t e c h n i c a l a n d e l e c t ro n i c companies in Italy) will hold a seminar intended for all industry professionals, designers, manufacturers and assemblers titled “Electrical Cabinet for Human Interfaces Machines: design, application and energy efficiency”. The meetings (on schedule for Friday March 2nd) will discuss requirements and features of in-field control panels and will provide an outline of the main national and international regulations, the materials employed according to different uses as well as specific applications and the legislation connected to them. Another prestigious association

t h at h a s c h ose n I PAC KIMA 2012 as the venue to meet the specialist public is ANIPLA (Italian Automation Association) with a meeting focused on next-generation technolog y to improve efficiency and productivity ( sc h e d u l e d fo r T h ur sd ay March 1st): “Automation in the Packaging: from innovation to Efficiency”. L a s t l y, t h e o b j e c t i ve o f increasingly comprehensive, widely accepted global standards will be discussed during a specific meeting on Friday March 2nd organized by PLCopen, a global association of manufacturers and vendors of automation systems aiming at becoming global leader in the regulation of automation control systems.

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24/02/2011 14:24:49

January - February 2012 | 11

Bulk storage

FEATURE

handling

by Alf Croston, Managing Director Croston Engineering, UK

s with most things in life, the basics remain the same although they may become more sophisticated, or complicated, dependent on oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viewpoint. And so it is with this overview covering the bulk storage and handling of materials in the animal feed and human food industries, from the intake of raw materials through to the discharge of finished products. It is barely 60 years since a very high proportion of the milling industry was located at the major ports with raw materials in sacks being transported from the docks by horse and cart and then hoisted up to the various floor levels for storage there to be cut and tipped into process bins as and when required. Gradually, as more home grown grain became available, together with the advent of purpose-built bulk vehicles and an improved road network, there was a move to country mills more conveniently located to service the farming community by buying grain locally, processing it into feed and selling the resultant product back to the farmer. The use of computers and automation throughout the milling process has reduced what was a labour intensive industry to one controlled by a few technically proficient operators, but to whom the basics of material handling must still apply, as do health and safety requirements, adherence to DSEAR/ ATEX Explosion Regulations, plus health and hygiene control. Hence this rĂŠsumĂŠ.

system, and discharging into a screw or chain type conveyor which may, if wished, be fitted with a variable speed drive so that the intake rate may be varied to suit the characteristics of the particular material being dealt with in order to prevent overloading subsequent equipment. The conveyor should be fitted with rotation control and overfeed detection. The intake bucket elevator, as with all similar units in the mill, must incorporate explosion relief panels at prescribed intervals, electrically linked to shut down the plant in the event of an explosion occurring. Because of their inherent design, bucket elevators have a built-in explosion risk factor and, if located within a building, the explosion panels should be ducted to atmosphere. Elevators should also incorporate tensioning gear at the boot, antirunback device to cater for a choke or

Interruptions in production The interconnection of process plant is designed to be fail-safe and so prevent chokes and interruption to production. Intake capacity from bulk tankers has greatly increased over the years and is normally well in excess of 100 tonnes/hour via an intake hopper with safety grid located under cover plus an efficient dust extraction 12 | January - February 2012

power failure, rotation sensor to indicate if the belt is slipping and side alignment indication. Intake points are frequently out of sight of the control room so, to avoid being allowed to run empty for long periods, and a

procedure should be in place to shut down when not in use. A rotary drum pre-cleaner located at the top of the Mill to remove foreign matter prior to the material being conveyed to raw material bins will protect subsequent equipment from being damaged. The conveyors feeding silos and bins will have multiple outlets and the electrical control system must be designed so that only one slide is open at a time in order to prevent the propagation of an explosion from one bin to another. As with the intake conveyor, all conveyors should incorporate overfeed detection and rotation sensing. To cater for dust laden air displacement at transfer points, small dust units with builtin exhaust fans at convenient locations will ensure a clean atmosphere.

Storing different materials The number, location and holding capacity of new material bins is determined by site conditions and the particular requirements of individual clients, bearing in mind the large number of different materials to be handled and stored in the feed industry. Ranging from free flowing grains to a variety of meals and moisture content, the bins and discharge equipment should be designed to cater for those with the worst flow characteristics to ensure maximum flexibility so that individual bins can be used for the storage of any ingredients should the need arise. Level probes are required to prevent overfilling, as are policed explosion panels. Provision will be required for minerals and other ingredients that are delivered by bulk tanker and pneumatically conveyed to dedicated bins utilising either a blower mounted on the tanker chassis or, in some cases, by coupling up from a land-based blower. To prevent static electricity causing a spark, the tanker will be connected to an

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FEATURE earthing point prior to starting the discharge process. Care is needed to ensure that the tanker only couples up to the correct intake line feeding the designated bin and that intake lines are of correct diameter, earthed and routed with minimum horizontal length and number of bends in order to reduce the pressure needed to carry out the conveying operation. As referred to earlier, the configuration of hopper design and type of discharge is all-important in ensuring the free flow of materials from the bins to the blending operation. For accuracy this will include one or more main weigh hoppers, a small weigh hopper for minerals, and a smaller one for micro ingredients.

The blended batch is fed to the grinding plant preceded by a screen to allow meals and minerals to bypass the grinder before re-joining the ground materials and passing to a three tier mixing assembly consisting of pre-mix bin, mixer and dump bin. Molasses and fats are added at the mixer. Although heat treatment is outside this

Since 1855

remit covering bulk handling it is a matter that requires attention whether it is for conditioning of mashes for direct sales or for pelleting. The three essentials being moisture, temperature and time, whilst bearing in mind the heat sensitivity of some ingredients. For pelleting, correct conditioning is necessary to ensure starch gelatinisation and pellet quality. An efficient cooling system is essential prior to finished products being conveyed to packing or bulk out loading bins, the latter discharging either directly to bulk vehicle or via a travelling weigher. Most of the materials processed in the animal feed, pet and fish food, grain, flour, bakery, sugar, starch and fertiliser industries are subject to the DSEAR/ ATEX Explosion Regulations that came into operation on July 1, 2003. There are many misconceptions and confusion as to the requirements of the Directives. It is timely to reiterate the general principles relating to the regulations, particularly for those who have only recently become involved in one or other of the industries in which potentially explosive materials are handled.

The Directives The Directives apply from July 1, 2003, to all new equipment and any existing that is modified or relocated after this date. This has particular relevance in ensuring that, if purchasing any second-hand equipment, it

complies or can be economically altered to comply. Good housekeeping, regular inspection and maintenance, plus an awareness of potentially hazardous processes or areas, are a requisite for trouble free operation. The Directives combine these aspirations into requirements and apply not only to the suppliers of equipment but, in particular, to the users themselves.

Dust classification It is the obligation of the user to satisfy himself as to the class or classes of the materials to be handled and to provide this information to the designer or manufacturer of equipment. These are defined under four Kst classifications (K staube = Class of dust), and relate to rate of pressure rise. Kst. Kst. Kst. Kst.

0 1 2 3

= = = =

Non-explosive Weak to moderate Strong Very strong

Most materials used in feed mills are covered under Kst. 1 but there are a few to which Kst. 2 could apply.

Zoning In addition to dust classification, the user is required to carry out a survey and to designate plant and buildings into zones which will be appropriately signed at points of entry. Zones 20, 21 and 22 are the most likely to apply to feed milling and associated industries. Zone 20 covers an area in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of combustible dust in air is present frequently for long periods or continuously. Zone 21 is where an explosive atmosphere

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FEATURE is likely to occur occasionally in normal operation. Zone 22 is where an explosive atmosphere would not normally occur but, if it does, it would only be for a short period. Obviously it is the duty of management to ensure that standards of operation and cleanliness are maintained to meet the requirements of Zone 22 as far as is practical. In carrying out risk assessments it is natural to concentrate on major processing equipment such as silos, grinders, elevators, dust collectors, etc., and to overlook the myriad range of smaller ancillary items that also need to be checked. Typical items include lighting, electrical fittings, motors, level indicators, solenoid valves, control panels. In fact, anything that can generate a spark. It is well known that three elements are required to cause an explosion – dust in suspension at a critical level, oxygen, and a spark or hot surface. The first two are always there, so it is against the third item that every precaution must be taken, including satisfactory earthing throughout the plant. Bear in mind that dust in suspension appearing as a light fog provides the condition in which a spark can cause an explosion. The finer the dust particles the greater the danger because of the increased surface area exposed to atmosphere. The duties of the user having been described in general terms, what about the supplier of the equipment? Firstly, he has to satisfy himself that the user has provided him with all the necessary details concerning classifications of materials to be processed and the areas in which equipment is to be located, together with any other relevant information. The supplier then has to ensure that the equipment he supplies is designed, manufactured and installed to satisfy requirements by taking all precautions to prevent an explosion but also, and most importantly, to mitigate against an explosion should such an event occur. Equipment can be manufactured in such heavy construction that an explosion would be contained but this is so expensive as to be impractical. The alternative is to fit a certified explosion panel vented to atmosphere through a nearby wall or roof. Due to the location of plant within a building venting may not be practical and so the fitting of expensive flame quenching or explosion suppression equipment may be required. To prevent the propagation of an explosion, items of equipment should be isolated from each other. An example being to incorporate valves or slides so that only one bin can be filled and exhausted at a time. Bin dischargers and screw conveyors can be designed with chokes incorporated. The installation of a rubble separator on the intake system and magnets at appropriate points throughout the plant are obvious precautions.

16 | January - February 2012

Very often a primary explosion in itself is not dangerous but the vibration it sets up disturbs any dust lying on floors, beams, rafters, into the atmosphere. If a source of ignition is present it can result in a secondary and devastating explosion. So, cleanliness throughout the plant is of first priority with particular attention being paid to “out of sight” areas and cleaning up spillages immediately – using one of a variety of vacuum cleaning systems available. Brushing up is definitely out – it only disperses the dust elsewhere. Despite taking all precautions that one can think of, it is sod’s law that incidents still take place – thankfully not too often in view of increased awareness of the dangers that are always present.

Examples Three examples illustrate the variety of incidents that can happen. The first resulted from smouldering material entering a bin, setting off a primary explosion which ruptured the explosion panel as it was designed to do. Unfortunately the escaping gases caused a secondary explosion which devastated the top floor of the building. As it was impractical to vent every bin to atmosphere it was subsequently agreed with HSE that the top floor over the bins would in future be a “no go” area whilst the plant was in production and for ten minutes afterwards. A lockable gate was fitted to the access stairs and a warning notice affixed. The second resulted from a hot spot due to a malfunction in the motor of a dust unit fitted on top of a grinder expansion hopper. The explosion panel ruptured but had not been vented to atmosphere through a nearby wall. Unfortunately, two employees were standing nearby at the time and were badly burned. It was interesting to note that a choke had been fitted to the bin discharger beneath the expansion hopper and prevented the explosive gases passing into a subsequent elevator and storage bins, otherwise the result would have been even more serious. The third was caused by welding being carried out on the side of a silo, one of several such accidents over the years, in which the operator was injured. In this case it was not the result of negligence. The silo had been isolated from its feeding conveyor, cleaned down internally and the subject of a work permit. Unfortunately, a small amount of material had remained in an inaccessible spot and on being disturbed created the conditions for an explosion to take place. The foregoing describes in broad outline the rationale behind the ATEX Directives. Many of the requirements are common sense, but common sense has to be backed up with documentation in this day and age. However,

the following may be found helpful as an “aide memoire” towards good housekeeping; • Enforce a strict no-smoking rule, on pain of dismissal. • Ensure that all electrical equipment, cabling and control panels conform to relevant standards and regulations, and are kept free of dust. • Use only totally enclosed, fan-cooled motors, ensuring they are adequately earthed. • Ensure light fittings are dust-proof. • Test cables and wiring regularly. • Locate switchgear and process control panels in dust-free rooms under light negative pressure. • Inspect liquid lines regularly for leaks. Ensure that insulation, if used, has not become impregnated, as this could be ignited by electrical trace heating. • Bund walls around main storage tanks should be sized to suit. • Check that bearings, particularly those fitted to elevators and grinders, are not over-heating. • Detect belt slip and misalignment on elevators – a major source of fires – by rotation and side alignment sensing, and anti-run-back protection. • Check for possible temperature rise in stored bulk materials, which could result in spontaneous combustion. • Inspect bin interiors using only batteryoperated, non-glass, flameproof inspection lamps, which are suitably secured and never allowed to be in contact with the product. (In the past it was not unusual for naked electric bulbs to be lowered into bins – at best protected with a wire guard). • Ensure hot work is carried out only on isolated, cleaned-out plant, against Work Permit issued by management, and provision of fire blankets, extinguishers, etc. Many fires have occurred during periods of repair, renovation or plant modification (as in the case of Windsor Castle a few years ago). During these special periods, in addition to taking fire precautions, it is advisable to inspect the area closely for at least an hour at the end of each working day. Adherence to these principles will ensure not only a pleasant environment in which to work but also one that is as intrinsically safe as possible.

About the author: Mr Alf Croston is managing director of Croston Engineering, at Tarvin, near Chester, which was founded in 1976. His company specialises in the design and building of bulk storage, handling and process plants throughout the UK and Ireland for many household names in industry.

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January - February 2012 | 17

FEATURE

The benefits of using

Digital microwave moisture measurement by Jason Laffan, Managing Director, Hydronix Limited, UK

eed and grain producers will be familiar with the benefits of being able to control moisture during the various stages of the production process. Monitoring the moisture in the raw materials, controlling the water addition during the mixing/blending process and finally checking the moisture in the final product will enable substantial savings to be made. Product yields may be maximised, ingredients efficiently utilised, energy consumption reduced and a quality finished product ensured. For these reasons it is becoming more common for producers to start considering installing moisture control systems and they therefore need to look for solutions that offer the best accuracy and flexibility at the most competitive price. There is an increasingly wide choice of moisture measurement systems available that all claim to have the best and latest technology, but how does the producer, whose area of expertise lies in other technologies, know which system to choose? There are five main technologies available on the market, although their degree of accuracy and their ability to solve the problem varies considerably. There is the option of resistive, capacitive, infrared, nuclear or microwave techniques. The first four all have their limitations: resistive and capacitive are susceptible to impurities that may lead to erroneous results; infrared tends to be relatively expensive and can be affected by dust and vapour and therefore typically lends itself to dry, clean, controlled environments; nuclear systems are very expensive, and although very accurate in certain applications can be difficult to maintain. 18 | January - February 2012

However, microwave sensors are not affected by dust, vapour or colour and have proved overall to be the best option in terms of ease of use, reliability, accuracy and cost effectiveness, usually covering the capital expenditure in a matter of months. Having settled on the microwave measurement method, choosing the right sensor technology now starts to become more involved. There are microwave sensors that are purely analogue, those that are analogue but output their results in a digital format, and those that actually use a digital measuring technique.

Measurement technique There are various methods of using microwaves to measure moisture. One of the most common methods used is the resonant cavity technique. In the past, an analogue microwave sensor would measure moisture through a combination of frequency shift (the left to right movement of the response) and amplitude attenuation (the change in the height of the response) of the resonator, see Figure 1. This combination was measured as a single analogue response and therefore frequency shift and attenuation could not be separated. In the 1980s, Hydronix, a leading manufacturer of microwave moisture measurement systems introduced the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first digital microwave sensor. This broke new ground, for the first time enabling the frequency shift component to be accurately measured using digital techniques. This development resulted in two significant improvements in the sensors, an improvement in accuracy and also a very significant extension of the moisture range for which the sensor would give a true linear response as moisture levels increased. Every material will have a different effect on the microwave field generated by the sensor. As moisture increases the response will shift and reduce in amplitude.

Figure 1: Moisture causes a change in the dielectric property of a material resulting in frequency shift and amplitude attenuation

Figure 2: The Measurement Less advanced sensors simply measure a change in amplitude at a fixed frequency. Measuring across a custom frequency range gives more accurate results than those sensors that work within the confines of a single frequency using an open band such as those used by Burglar Alarm Systems or Wi-Fi (433MHz or 2.4GHz). The components required to manufacture a sensor that measures a frequency shift as opposed to a change in amplitude at a fixed frequency are more complex but provide a superior

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FEATURE nique requires the sensor reading to undergo significant mathematical manipulation in order to output what appears to be a linear response to changes in moisture. A digital multifrequency measurement has the ability to measure from 0 percent moisture through to material saturation while maintaining senFigure 3: The effects of a non-linear measurement technique sitivity and precision across the full result. The reason for this is demonstrated in working range. This also highlights a key Figures 2 and 3. difference between an analogue sensor As the moisture increases the frequency that claims to be digital because it can shifts from f1 to f2, f3 and then f4. The shift process the signal and output a seemingly between each is similar in magnitude. A sen- linear measurement and a sensor that uses sor with a digital measurement technique will a digital microwave moisture measurement continually scan the frequency response and technique that is inherently linear. will track the equal changes in frequency as The latter will overlay the linear response the material becomes wetter. with subsequent processing to fine tune the For the same moisture changes, a sin- curve and incorporate features such as ongle frequency sensor simply measuring the board signal smoothing, alarms and averaging change in the amplitude at frequency f1 will functions. measure the changes from A1 to A2, A3 and then A4. It can be seen that the sensor Accuracy requires calibration progressively loses the ability to register a Calibration is the process of defining the change in reading as the material becomes relationship between the changes in the senwetter. sor response with the change in the moisture Typically, a good analogue sensor will lose content of the material. This is required the ability to register additional changes in because each material will have its own moisture from about 12 percent onwards. electrical properties (dielectric properties), This not only effects the sensors ability to which affect the microwave field differently. register changes in moisture above this level A good sensor should only require calibut it also means that the entire moisture brating once for a given material. A poor curve lacks linearity as shown in Figure 3. quality sensor will require continual recaliUtilising a non-linear measurement tech- brating due to errors. When well calibrated,

Figure 5: A multi-point calibration technique is recommended

20 | January - February 2012

an accurate and temperature stable moisture sensor should glide up and down the linear moisture line all year round. However, a good sensor that is poorly

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a variety of moisture measurement sensors available on the market, all of which claim to provide the best and most accurate results. It is well known that the microwave measurement technique provides the best results in the feed and grain industryâ&#x20AC;?

calibrated or an unreliable sensor that is well calibrated may, for a short period perform well when operating at or around the moisture range to which it was calibrated. As the sensor moves away from this moisture range the reading will exhibit an ever-increasing error. The same error will also exist for a sensor with an underlying non-linear measurement technique that is well calibrated. For the demanding end-user, even a small calibration error can lead to large errors as the moisture varies even with an accurate sensor as shown in Figure 4. As appealing as it may be, leading manufacturers would agree that any claim made by a sensor manufacturer that their equipment does not require calibrating will lead to sub-optimal results in the field regardless of technical claims concerning the measurement technique of the sensor. A well-calibrated sensor that operates with a different calibration slope with for example wheat and barley is likely to be more accurate than a sensor that claims one calibration fits all. Figure 4 shows the increasing inaccuracy arising from either a very small calibration error or the assumption of the gradient of the calibration slope. At the point of calibration, between 12.5 percent and 13.5 percent moisture the sensor is reasonably accurate but as the working moisture range moves away from this range, perhaps with a change of material from a different supplier, the error will progressively increase shown by the grey area which is the difference between the theoretically correct calibration and the one in use. It is usual for moisture sensors measuring in the silos to be calibrated to an absolute moisture percentage. Hydronix always recommends that the best and most failsafe method for calibrating a sensor is to use a multi-point technique such as that used in its free software, Hydro-Com, see Figure 5.

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FEATURE added. For a relatively small capital outlay, both labour and energy costs as well as the amount of material spoilt are reduced, potentially saving the producer many 10’s of thousands of pounds over the year.

To conclude

nique that is capable of maintaining linearity from the absorption point (also known as S.S.D) to complete saturation by definition will give excellent accuracy limited only by the accuracy of the calibration. The Hydronix range of sensors is supported in over 65 countries worldwide and our team of engineers is backed-up by our free global exchange program. If you would like to know more about measuring moisture at your feed plant, or about using the latest microwave moisture measurement technology, contact Hydronix:

There are a variety of moisture measurement sensors available on the market, all of which claim to provide the best and most accurate results. It is well known that the microwave measurement technique provides the best results in the feed More information: Figure 4: The effects of assuming and grain industry. When choosing Jason Laffan a calibration slope a sensor, you should ensure that Managing Director it is fully temperature stable and Hydronix Limited completely linear over the working range at Advances in technology Tel: +44 1483 468900 More advanced microwave moisture which you wish to operate. A digital sensor Email: enquiries@hydronix.com Website: www.hydronix.com sensors, such as those manufactured by utilising an underlying measurement techHydronix now provide the Filip_Anzeige_130x180mm_GB_c_Filip_Anzeige_117x191mm_US_c 16.11.11 17:33 Seite 1 user with the ability to choose between different measurement modes, which is of particular interest to feed and grain producers. Different organic materials • sieve cleaning brushes have their own distinct dielec• sieve cleaners with studs tric property behaviour and • bottom cleaners will therefore respond differ• roller mill brushes ently to each of the underlying measurement modes. The best mode may now be selected for the material and the application to best account for the temperature range, precision required and bulk density changes over time. The new measurement modes were introduced into the Hydronix Hydro-Mix VII sensor for mixers and conveyors during 2010, and proved to be extremely successful Dynamic movement in the feed and grain indusand effective cleaning try providing producers with is achieved by combining more accurate results than the ideal shape, size ever before. and weight Slider knob, This new technology was tongue and then introduced in 2011 corner scrapers work into the new generation of together to provide Hydro-Probe sensor. Typically effective pan cleaning installed underneath silos or on conveyors, the new HydroStuds or bristles Probe III has proved to be arranged around even more successful than its the entire perimeter predecessor. Eliminating the produce exceptional need for continual and timesieve cleaning consuming manual moisture tests, the Hydro-Probe provides an instant and continual FILIP GmbH moisture level directly to the Tel: + 49 (0)52 41 - 2 93 30 Mill brush manufacturer control system. Fax: + 49 (0)52 41 - 2 03 21 Johann - Sewerin-Str. 8 This allows driers to be E-Mail: info@filip-gmbh.com D - 33330 Guetersloh adjusted immediately, or the Outside Germany: We will be glad to name our local representative! correct amount of additives, such as mould inhibitors to be

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January - February 2012 | 21

FEATURE

Energy saving in flour milling by Mr Tuncay Lamci, General Manager of IMAS Integrated Machinery Systems, Turkey

e all know that milling is an energy-intensive sector. Energy is the largest operating expense item after raw material costs. When lifetime costs are examined, we face amounts exceeding investment expenses.

percent for mechanical conveying. For this reason, we will study energy savings under three main titles: • Methods of saving in motors • Conveying systems • Automatic control and energy management

For example, if we assume the investment cost of a flour mill of 200t/day capacity reaches five million TL (two million EUR) and its life time would be 20 years on average, then the annual depreciation cost will be 250,000TL (100,000 EUR). The annual energy cost of such a company will be around 500.000TL (200,000 EUR), twice the depreciation cost. Departing from this fact, the fastest way to reduce production costs is to have

Reducing the external load on motors, such as reducing air volume absorbed by the pneumatic system or preventing leaks from compressed air system would thereby reduce motor load, which must be considered as the first step for the saving. The fact that efficient machines are chosen according to the targeted production tonnage and they are used at full capacity

focus on energy costs right after raw material cost. It would be possible to get energy saving, through having maximum capacity usage in overall process by 5-10 percent, using high efficiency motors and total efficient maintenance by 2-5 percent, optimising air flow and avoiding leaks in conveying systems by 10-20 percent. While the process uses 50 percent electric energy for milling and grinding, 30 percent is used for pneumatic conveying, 11

would reduce additional loads in motors and gears resulting from the system through bearing condition and oil check in line with manufacturer’s advice. The choice with motor drive arrangement is of paramount importance. For example, as the friction losses will be lesser with direct drive methods, they will work efficiently compared to chain or belt coupled systems. For bucket elevators, about 80 percent of the input power is directly attributable to the weight of material being

Methods of saving in motors

conveyed with the remainder due friction, loading and discharge losses. Chain transfer systems require regular oiling, whereas belt transfer requires regular check, setting and replacement. The right choice of often used V-belts according to the pulley groove, synchronised replacement of multiple belts of the same brand, parallelism of the pulleys, tension of the belts are important parameters for the energy cost. Reduction of motor losses, definition of size of motor being used in relation to the duty, choice of lowest motor for full load, high efficient motor choice rather than a standard one at replacement would therefore reduce losses and enhance saving opportunity. A high efficiency motor of 90kW EFF1 type running 18 hours per day and 300 days per year at a plant, would yield 2500TL (1000 EUR) of energy saving in a year with actual energy costs. Reducing the speed of motors means reduction in energy expenses. For example, in pneumatic systems required air quantity for the transport of stock product varies with the ambient and seasonal conditions; setting motor speed by using variable speed drive would provide energy savings and would therefore return the investment cost.

Conveying systems

22 | January - February 2012

We will study conveying systems as four types: Mechanical conveying, negative pressure pneumatic conveying, positive pressure pneumatic conveying and dust collectors and aspiration. Examples of mechanical conveying can be given as bucket elevators, screw and chain conveyors, in which some of the saving opportunities are use of products with proper bearings where the friction in these machines are at minimum, regular protective maintenance, product choice at right capacity.

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FEATURE Pneumatic conveying (negative pressure) in a system where ground stock product is carried, while volume of air moved changes, static pressure varies with the square of the speed, required power with the cube of speed. In summary, when volume of moved air is reduced by 20 percent, fan speed is also reduced at the same ratio, whereas power consumption is down by 50 percent. In pneumatic systems, removing vibration by mechanic balance, setting product and stock speed by a right system design and using minimum and wide angle elbow, optimising air volume to be absorbed by clacks, setting fan speed can be taken as first steps of a 10-20 percent saving in pneumatic system power. Conveying with blowers (positive pressure) is an expensive conveying method that consumes same or more power than pneumatic conveying. Amount of power to be used changes according to, correct design of conveying line, periodic maintenance and cleaning of blowers, reduction of number of blowers by connecting lines required in the same area, dimensions and speed of air locks to be used, and distances between blades. The most convenient method should be chosen among conveying systems. For example, with a 10 tonne per hour capacity; while a mechanic system consumes 0.8kW of power for 20m vertical conveying, this consumption, which is 4.7kW in pneumatic conveying, reaches 5.0kW in blower conveying. In aspiration system, by correct dimensioning, getting required airflow speed, preventing loss and leaks and by using manometer filters tracking filter cleanness and avoiding unnecessary energy expenses is possible.

controllable through extraction scales, can be taken under control by extraction tracing and reporting through recording correct data. In new generation mills where the number or the size of windows is reduced in order to prevent contamination, the choice with the lighting control and the energy efficient armature has gained importance. To calculate milling capacity in the way not to run the plant at time zones with highest energy cost and if demand is available, to increase capacity, they must be carefully analysed since the latter will enable faster return of investment and if needed, be decided immediately without delay. It should not be forgotten that the way to compete in global markets and succeed is through establishing energy efficient, effective and lifetime systems, by considering operating costs rather than investment costs.

About the author: Mr Tuncay Lamci is General Manager of Integrated Machinery Systems (IMAS) More information: IMAS Integrated Machinery Systems 2 Organize Sanayi Bologesi Lalehan, Cad No:61, 42300, Turkey Tel: +90 332 2390141 Website: www.milleral.com

Automatic control and energy management In the aim of avoiding a general misunderstanding in the milling industry, it is needed to re-emphasise on the purpose of using automatic control in the system and its benefits. Automation systems while they enhance system reliability through level measuring, flow measuring, scale equipments and failure warning switches and also thanks to the correct start and stop timing, they avoid unnecessary operations and make power saving independent of operator mistakes. The capacity, which can be

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HALL 13 STAND B71-C62

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31/01/2012 08:46

January - February 2012 | 23

FEATURE

PRESERVATIVES

by The European Food Information Council (EUFIC)

reservatives are a recurring topic in public discussions, and whenever it crops up many consumers associate them with harmful, modern chemicals in foodstuffs.

and wind, but commercially today, spraying the liquid into a rising column of dry, heated air makes products such as dried milk and instant coffee, solid foods such as fruit are spread in layers on a heated surface.

But, as a brief look back into the past will show, preservation of food was practised several hundred years ago when man first used salt (salting) and smoke (curing), to stop meat and fish from going bad. Despite a number of misgivings, preservatives have nowadays become an indispensable part of the food we eat. One reason for this is the increasing demand from consumers for greater choice, ease and convenience of foods, and our high standards of food safety. Drying is effective because both microorganisms and enzymes need water to be active. This is one of the oldest, simplest and most effective ways of preserving foods. In addition, drying concentrates the soluble ingredients in foods and this high concentration prevents the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Dried food will deteriorate rapidly if allowed to become moist, but provided they are suitably packaged, products will have a long shelf life. Traditionally, foods were dried in the sun

Maintain existing condition Preservation is usually defined as a method used to maintain an existing condition or to prevent damage likely to be brought about by chemical (oxidation), physical (temperature, light) or biological (microorganisms) factors. Preserving food, made it possible to have food available from harvest to the next year. The main function of preservation is thus to delay the spoiling of foodstuffs and to prevent any alterations in their taste or, in some cases, their appearance. This can be done in different ways, through processing methods including canning, dehydration (drying), smoking and freezing, the use of packaging and the use of food additives such as antioxidants or other preservatives. In this article we will focus on preservatives The primary reason for using preservatives is to make foods safer by eliminating the influence of biological factors. The greatest threat to consumers is that of food being spoiled, or from becoming toxic by the effect of

Safety bodies

Table 1: Examples of widely used preservatives in the EU

E-number

Substance/class

Example of usage

E 200-203

Sorbic acid and sorbate compounds

Cheese, wines, dried fruit, fruit sauces, toppings

E 210-213

Benzoic acid and benzoate

Pickled vegetables, low sugar james and jellie, candied fruits, semi preserved fish products, sauces

E 220-228

Sulphur dioxide and sulphite compounds

Dried fruits, fruit preserves, potato products, wine

Natamycin

Surface treatment of cheese and sausage

Nitrite and nitrate compounds

Sausage, bacon, ham, fois gras, cheese, pickled herring

E 235 E 249-252

24 | January - February 2012

micro-organisms (eg bacteria, yeast, moulds) occurring in them. Some of these organisms can secrete poisonous substances (toxins), which are dangerous to human health and can even be fatal. To delay the spoiling of foodstuffs by microorganisms, anti-microbial substances are used which inhibit, delay or prevent the growth and proliferation of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Sulphur compounds such as the sulphites (E221-228) are used to inhibit the growth of bacteria for example in wine, dried fruits, vegetables in vinegar or brine. Sorbic acid (E200) can be used for many different purposes, including the preservation of potato products, cheese and jam. Another important group of substances consists of the nitrate and nitrite compounds (E249-252). These are used as additives in meat products such as sausages and hams to protect against the bacterium that causes botulism (Clostridium botulinum) and in this way they make a significant contribution to food safety. Benzoic acid and its calcium, sodium or potassium salts (E210-213) are used as antibacterials and antifungals in foods such as pickled cucumbers, low sugar jams and jellies, dressings, condiments (see Table 1).

To ensure that preservatives really do help make foodstuffs safer, their use is subject to pre-market safety assessment and authorisation procedure. At the European level, the bodies responsible for the safety assessment, authorisation, control and labelling of preservatives and other additives are the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission, Parliament and Council. At the international level there is a Joint Expert Committee, from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the

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FEATURE World Health Organisation (WHO), on Food Additives (JECFA). Safety assessment of preservatives, as for the rest of food additives, is based on reviews of all available toxicological data, including observations in humans and in animal models. From the available data, a maximum level of an additive that has no demonstrable toxic effect is determined. This is called the ‘no-observed-adverseeffect-level’ (NOAEL) and is used to determine the ‘Acceptable Daily Intake’ (ADI) figure for each food additive. The ADI provides a large margin of safety and refers to the amount of a food additive that can be taken daily in the diet, over a lifetime span, without any negative effect on health. The authorisation and the conditions of use of preservatives are governed by Directive 95/2/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of February 20, 1995 on Food Additives other than Colours and Sweeteners. There has been much public concern that some food additives cause adverse reactions, although careful investigations show that it is mostly based on misconception rather than on identifiable adverse reactions. Preservatives have rarely been shown to cause true allergic (immunological) reactions. Among the food additives reported to

“There has been much public concern that some food additives cause adverse reactions, although careful investigations show that it is mostly based on misconception rather than on identifiable adverse reactions”

cause adverse reactions are some preservatives from the group of sulphiting agents, which include several inorganic sulphite additives (E220-228) and benzoic acid and its derivatives (E210-213), may trigger asthma characterised by breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing in sensitive (for example asthmatic) individuals. The European Parliament together with the European Council has laid down a detailed labelling system for food additives to enable consumers to make informed choices with regard to foods containing preservatives. Legislation also stipulates that additives are labelled on the packaging of food products by their category (preservative, colour, antioxidant, etc) with either their name or E-number. Preservatives are still necessary to ensure the safety and variety of the different foodstuffs available. They function through delaying the spoiling of foodstuffs and preventing any alterations in their taste or appearance. Their assessment and use in foodstuffs is tightly controlled at both the European and the international level.

Related companies Perstorp Performance Additives Industrieweg 8, 5165 NH Waspik The Netherlands Email: info@perstorpfeed.com Website: www.perstorpfeed.com

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January - February 2012 | 25

FEATURE

INCREASING

STORAGE CAPACITY by Kevin Groom Technical Director at Bentall Rowlands, Scunthorpe, UK

entall Rowlands Storage Systems are renowned worldwide for their designing, manufacturer and installation of grain storage silos and ancillary equipment. For example, PMR Contracts Limited silos, supplied by Bentall Rowlands survived the Christchurch earthquake, which flattened most other silos in the city. Bentalls specialise in the production of turnkey storage, storage handling, storing seeds, cereals, malts, oilseeds, grains, pellets, rice and in general for the agriculture/agro-industry, biofuels and biomass. It has worked with many of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooperative central stores as well as worldwide, such as Woldgrain Storage Ltd, PMR Contracts Ltd and GBH Mombasa. The company markets its product range through an extensive dealer network for the agricultural market and through specialist companies for industrial projects. Close relationships with key raw material suppliers allow a program of continual product improvement. Improving product quality and supply by utilising the latest raw material technology ensures it stays ahead of the rest by supplying quality steel at competitive product prices. Bentall Rowlands has an extensive product 26 | January - February 2012

range to meet the requirements of an everchanging market. Within its portfolio it manufactures a variety of silos such as flat bottomed silos, to complement this Bentalls also produces an extensive range of silo accessory equipment and on floor storage equipment. All design and manufacture is done in-house making sure that bespoke solutions can be offered and that they design to Eurocode, DIN and various Seismic requirements.

Utilising the latest steels available The need for larger and larger stores worldwide to house grain, plastics and biofuels etc, has led Bentalls to invest in a new plant and equipment to be able to cope and lead the way in utilising the latest steels available. Bentalls keeps in close contact with the major steel producers who are constantly developing high strength low alloy steels together with the standard G600 coated galvanised steel, which has started to pay dividends as end users are becoming aware of the need for trouble free storage, which can last decades as well as natural disasters. The life expectancy is based on category C3 which is urban inland/mild coastal which has a corrosion rate of 1.35 microns per year; this is before any maintenance is required. Because of this advance in the strength of steels, Bentalls has been able to supply large diameter silos

and hoppers keeping to safety standards and margins, one of which is Tanzania, this 32.0m diameter silo is planned for 100,000 tonnes of storage. Also 13.0m diameter hoppers have been built in Uganda, which is the largest so far. Demand for bulk storage and handling equipment is being increased worldwide. Growing volumes and competitive pricing in grain handling charges require efficient solutions. After the unloading of ships, road or rail vehicles, the bulk materials are typically held in intermediate storage in bulk storage bins before onward conveying or processing. Bins balance the flow of materials between the stages of raw material intake, production of intermediates and end products and holding the finished products prior to shipping. One of the biggest challenges of the century is to supply food worldwide. Every year, millions of tonnes of grain are collected stored and handled. More storage systems are being built worldwide to help prevent raw material losses, as this is the most important commodity, as harvests have thrown challenges up year upon year. This has made storage systems increase their quality to help preserve the products.

Quick turnaround at Woldgrain Woldgrain Storage Ltd is one of Bentallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UK-based customers after supplying them with 14 silos and 11 hoppers for the con-

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FEATURE

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January - February 2012 | 27

FEATURE

“Demand for bulk storage and handling equipment is being increased worldwide. Growing volumes and competitive pricing in grain handling charges require efficient solutions”

Silo Construction & Engineering Modular square bins

SCE SCE is a partner with the international feed & food industries • consultancy & engineering firms • machine & plant designers •

www.sce.be 28 | January - February 2012

struction of Project Valiant, with a 20.0m diameter silo going up in May 2011. They are one of the largest grain trading companies within the UK. Woldgrain Storage Ltd was established in 1980 and is currently a 57,000-ton grain storage facility, situated at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds. The facility has been added to and been brought up to date over the past few years, as intake and discharge rates are increasing rapidly and combines, lorries and the speed of movement have all got bigger and faster.

With the expansion of the facility it means that it will only take 20 minutes to turnaround each truck from weighbridge to weighbridge whereas it used to take 50-55 minutes to do the same thing, creating a more cost effective turnaround and avoiding the situation of trucks waiting to go out and come in, as time is money. The primary function of the business is to operate as a ‘Farmers Co-operative’, with the storage space being owned by the share holding membership. The Co-operative nature of the business means Woldgrain operates on a non-profit making basis. Woldgrain has just completed phase II of a major expansion programme, named Project Valiant that has seen the capacity rise to 57,000 tonnes, for which Bentall Rowlands supplied 14 silos and 11 hoppers of varying diameters. A grant from EMDA for 1.5 million of the capital cost, allowed for the building of an advanced processing facility with 2 new intake pits, 2 high capacity driers and a new colour sorter. This gives new and existing members a competitive advantage in the market place when it comes to marketing their grain. The facility will be further enhanced in Phase III of the Valiant Project. This is currently at the planning stage and will feature high capacity cleaners and additional storage space. The facility is already helping growers gain added value through cooperation, ensuring economies of scale and delivering vendor-assured grain to food producers and processors. A lot of central stores restrict the intake

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FEATURE to one or two product lines but Woldgrain don’t. They will take anything a member is growing, provided it is in a sufficient quantity. This is popular within members as there can be up to 15-16 different commodities to segregate, but this entices the local farmers to buy into the central store and commit tonnage to be looked after. Farmers can also be advised in marketing and sales through Openfield (Woldgrain are part of Openfield), Openfield provides peace of mind for the farmers as Woldgrain collects the grain after harvest and all the member has to do is speak to Openfield about when the market might be right for selling, this helps the farmer concentrate on other things.

Revolutionised the handling of bulk cereal imports

Zealand; Bentalls have supplied three contracts already consisting of nine silos and seven hoppers, with eight new silos being supplied in February, which will be for a leading flour milling company in Christchurch. The PMR contract was originally built for the New Zealand Government to store oilseed rape; the stored grain would then go for crushing to be turned into biofuel. The hopper silos were designed to hold the wet oil seed rape prior to going through a continuous flow drier. The larger silos are fitted with aeration and are used for the long-term storage of the oil seed rape. The pressroom runs for 46 weeks of the year pressing the oil seed rape to produce Bio Diesel. The waste cake that is produced from the

One of Bentalls largest contracts has been Grain Bulk Handlers. Since opening for business in 2000, Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd has revolutionised the handling of bulk cereal imports in Mombasa and in doing so has brought operations up to international standards in accordance with the port’s Master Plan. Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd (GBHL) receives deliveries of bulk cereal imports from around the world at the port of Mombasa in order to meet the ever-increasing demand from millers, traders, NGOs and relief agencies in East and Central Africa, including Great Lakes, Southern Sudan and Somalia.

pressing is in turn fed to dairy cows making sure there is no waste. The site consists of silos which are 16M diameter by 12.8m high with a capacity approximately 1000 tonnes for each silo in oilseed rape and also two eight metre diameter hopper silos by 12.0m overall height capacity 240 tonnes of oilseed rape. The oilseed rape site was only situated 14 miles away from the first quake, which measured in at 7.2. PMR were very concerned that the silos would split, as there were news reports of collapsing silos, but after doing an engineering inspection on the plant there was no damage. But only 500m away a feedmill had all of its silos collapse. The reason why the site did not fail is all silos are designed using Seismic codes and to withstand earthquakes of a certain magnitude as laid out in the New Zealand and Australian codes of practice which Bentalls stringently adhered to.

GBHL immediately improved quayside productivity by being able to discharge at a rate of 600 tonnes per hour. The average daily discharge rate at the terminal from specialised bulk carriers is 11,000 tonnes. On some occasions daily performance rates are as high as 13,800 tonnes. There were a number of other benefits for ship operators and importers in terms of faster discharge times, lower freight and insurance costs, greater economies of scale, improved cargo quality, better accounting and reduced inventories and crucially, better accounting of discharged and delivered quantities. The KPA has also seen better berth utilisation as stipulated in their master plan and increased revenues from harbour dues. Equally, the Kenyan economy has gained from additional hard currency earnings. As an interim measure GBHL leased warehouses at the port, near the terminal and within the Island to offer warehousing service on

“One important aspect of design of structures using Seismic codes was recently demonstrated with the very unfortunate and devastating earthquake in Christchurch New Zealand”

Due to this up-to-date facility and fast turnaround there is an increase in farmers taking up these options of central stores. As the onsite drying and temperate control keeps their grains at the best possible price. As more and more farmers take up these options Woldgrain keeps expanding and Bentalls are keen to supply them.

Seismic codes One important aspect of design of structures using Seismic codes was recently demonstrated with the very unfortunate and devastating earthquake in Christchurch New Zealand, where many silo’s and hoppers suffered structural damage. However, the facilities Bentalls provided in these areas stood the test. Contracts recently supplied by Bentalls together with PMR Contracts LTD in New Zealand for Biofuels were unaffected. PMR Contracts LTD does contracts on the North and South islands of New 30 | January - February 2012

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FEATURE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The aim of introducing long term bulk storage silos was to reduce the cost of warehouse storage and subsequent distributionâ&#x20AC;?

long-term basis for grain handled through its terminal (especially those for transit and transshipment) totaling to approximately 75,000 tonnes capacity. Use of the warehouses helped in easing cargo dwell times at the transit silos. There was, however, a need for a longterm solution to the problem. GBHL management was convinced that the answer to this problem was the provision of a long-term warehousing service for bulk grain. Thus, plans to develop long-term bulk storage silos at an area in the vicinity of the transit terminal was conceived which could be connected to the current transit silo complex by conveyors. The aim of introducing long-term bulk storage silos was to reduce the cost of warehouse storage and subsequent distribution for GBHL clients. Moreover it became crucial in providing a distribution hub for commodity traders and relief agencies to expand their use of Mombasa to service regional demand.

Phase 1 This phase involved the acquisition and development of many of the key elements of the overall project. Bentalls supplied five silos each silo with a volume of 6505 square metres, which store 5106 tonnes each. The site comprises: freehold land previously rented by GBHL as lorry parking area, perimeter wall surrounding the entire site; 300 metre single belt conveyor with a transfer speed of 200 tonnes per hour to link the long-term storage silos to the transit terminal 32 | January - February 2012

complex; road delivery complex comprising two bagging points and one bulk hopper; two road weighbridges with date link to the transit terminal complex and computer network; internal paved roads, retaining walls, storm water drainage, ring-man fire prevention system and five silos of 5000 tonnes each giving total capacity of 25,000 tonnes, with related elevators, conveyors and dust extraction systems. Phase I was designed by Bentalls with planning for further expansion. With global land prices increasing utilisation of land space is becoming a key issue when designing bulk storage Ssystems. Phase II extension provides good evidence of our silos and equipment nesting capabilities, utilising costly land to its maximum benefit. GBH Phase II investment isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t set to be the last therefore once again consideration is taken for further future expansion.

Phase 2 This phase adds to the existing storage capacity developed in Phase 1. Additional features were also added to enhance service delivery. Bentalls supplied the main assets which were: five silos of 5000 tonnes each plus four silos of 1250 tonnes providing a total capacity of 30,000 tonnes; control room with data link to the main control room situated in the transit terminal; expansion of the delivery complex to include two extra road delivery points plus one bulk and one bagged rail delivery points; railway siding, including a rail weighbridge and delivery pit for receipt of export cargo.

Phase 3 This phase shall add to the previous phases by providing a further 22 silos of 5000 tonnes each plus eight silos of 1250 tonnes providing a total bulk storage capacity of 120,000 tonnes for long term basis. The GBHL extension, being for long-term storage facility has design features, which ensure the condition of bulk grain stored, does not deteriorate in the silos. For the purpose of preserving as well as enhancing the condition of bulk grain in store, the long-term storage silos are fitted with temperature monitors and devices for aeration of cargo. The silos also have facilities to enable fumigation of bulk grain in store whenever necessary. This way, bulk grain stored on long-term basis remains in excellent condition. Bentalls pride itself on the fact that many existing customers come back to Bentalls year-after-year for the quality and service we provide; the best recommendation is our worldwide customer base.

About the company: Bentall Rowlands of Scunthorpe in the UK was founded in the early 1980s. The company specialises in the production of turnkey storage, bulk storage handling and processing equipment for agriculture and industry on a worldwide scale.

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GLOBAL GRAIN & FEED MARKETS

Every issue GFMT’s market analyst John Buckley reviews world trading conditions which are impacting the full range of commodities used in food and feed production. His observations will influence your decision-making.

Although not directly affected by the South American drought threat, wheat joined the end-year rally in soyabeans and maize, even rising faster than the latter as funds who got into the habit of selling this surplus market were forced to buy back some of these positions. There was also much talk of wheat’s value as a feedgrain rising if Latin American weather did cut supplies and drive up prices of maize.

34 | January - February 2012

Latam jitters stall price drop - but wheat supplies keep rising

rain and feed commodities started 2012 on a stronger note as a prolonged hot, dry spell over the Latin American grain belt sparked fears of major crop losses from this key exporting region. Some analysts drew comparisons with 2008/09 when similar weather chopped more than 17% - 14m tonnes of maize and 20m tonnes of soyabeans off South American production, squeezing world supplies and prolonging the descent from that season’s record world grain and oilseed prices. That season, drought also coincided with a short US maize crop (down 24m tonnes) but was offset by a record wheat harvest which gave consumers choice and helped stop prices running completely out of control – also similar to the current season. In the event, things don’t look anything like as bad 2008/09 as this issue goes to press in late January. Although Argentine weather might yet turn dry again, a series of rain events in January has favoured most of the drought-stressed areas and temperatures have cooled. Relief may have come a bit too late to put back all the lost yield potential for maize trying to pollinate during the December heat-waves but it has almost certainly stemmed losses at far lower levels than the pessimists feared. That was underlined in mid-January when the USDA’s monthly world forecasts trimmed just 3m tonnes from Argentina’s maize crop estimate and left Brazil’s unchanged. USDA also lopped just 1m tonnes from Brazilian and 1.5m from Argentine soya crop estimates. In fairness, most market analysts see these estimates (which still suggest record or nearrecord crops) as a bit too generous. However, they are probably nearer the likely outcome than some of the earlier dire forecasts. In fact, in its second bearish global forecast in as many months, the USDA calculated far looser supplies overall, including rises rather than expected cuts for US 2011 maize and soyabean crops, lower US wheat and soyabean use, higher US wheat and maize stocks as well as those far higher than expected Latin American crop estimates. Higher Ukrainian, EU and Russian production also left world maize output and stocks

slightly higher than in the previous month and 40m more than last year’s. That said, coarse grain supplies will be lighter than the trade hoped last autumn, in a season in which the US maize crop has again fallen short of target (314m rather than the initially forecast 330/335mnnes). On the plus side for supply, record maize production and exports are coming out of eastern Europe, chiefly Ukraine, which has been happy to slash its prices to establish itself as a serious challenger to the US and Argentina. Along with the huge global supply of competitively priced feed-wheat, this has considerably dulled the impact of smaller than expected American maize crops. So has a slower trend in world demand for maize. In the largest consuming country, the USA, maize offtake has actually fallen by about 1.8% as corn ethanol growth has flat-lined while feed use has dropped. This is quite a contrast to recent seasons when ethanol use was growing in leaps and bounds. Global demand for corn is still up overall by 25m tonnes (the lion’s share of growth in China, Brazil and India). However, that’s nowhere near the 40m tonne expansion seen in 2009/10. Even so, US/global maize stocks remain at their tightest level in relation to consumption for decades - less than eight weeks’ supply cover. A bigger world crop will be vital this summer/autumn, even to meet a continued slower rate of demand growth. That means markets will remain highly sensitive to any US, European or former Soviet country weather problems in the months ahead and the level of spring plantings in these countries too. So far, the auspices are encouraging. Pundits are looking for a rise of 3% or more in US planted area for maize which, with a return from last year’s (low) to normal yields - about 160 bu/acre - could result in a crop increase to 350/360m tonnes. That would more than take care of demand growth, the shortfall currently foreseen for South American maize crops – and still leave some over to start rebuilding low stocks. Ukraine, which lost a lot of its winter-sown wheat and barley, maybe 20-30%, to drought, intends to plant much of this land up to maize instead. It makes

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COMMODITIES

sense. This season’s Ukrainian maize exports are expected to rocket from a normal 5m to a record 12m tonnes. With maize selling at $6 instead of the usual $4 to $5/bushel (sometimes considerably less) this grain should bring in a lot more foreign exchange than Ukraine’s often lowgrade wheat exports. Europe also saw a huge rebound in its maize crop this season to a record 64.3m tonnes from less than 56m in 2010. This has not only boosted domestic use and exports but will add some to seasonal ending stocks too. These are the main reasons why the ‘tight’ US maize futures market is currently forecasting prices will be 7.5% cheaper at end-2012 – returning to a 17% discount to wheat after

months of highly unusual maize/wheat premiums. As we expected in earlier issues, the world wheat crop has been consistently under-rated in recent months, largely due to better than expected harvests in the former Soviet Union. The main CIS or ‘Black Sea’ producers’ output is now estimated to have rebounded from last season’s drought/heat-wave-reduced 81m tonnes to 114m. This is expected to allow regional exports of 35m tonnes compared with less than 14m last season. Only a few months ago, some trade pundits were rubbishing ideas that sales would come anywhere near the 25/30m tonnes vaunted by other analysts. Heavy exports from

these countries have been the biggest factor bringing down world and European wheat prices in 2011. Although this ‘front-loaded’ export campaign appears to be slowing now – and CIS grain prices slowly rising – this season also has bigger exports from good crops in Canada, Argentina and (despite a lot of weather damaged grain this year) Australia. So, while world wheat import trade is seen about 5.5m tonnes higher this season than last, the buzzword for many months has been competition. This, rather than any strictures on supply, is the main reason why US and EU exports are currently expected to drop by about

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January - February 2012 | 35

one third this season and why prices in both markets were 20% cheaper in January 2012 than this time last year . That trend may continue. World consumption of wheat may be up by 27.5m tonnes or 4% this season but production is growing faster, so stocks will rise. In fact, the current USDA forecast (for June 30 2012) is for a world carryover of 210m tonnes – 31% of consumption needs (about 16 weeks supply). Some analysts even put them higher than the all-time record 211m of 1999/2000. At the same time, the International Grains Council is forecasting world wheat sowings 1.7% higher for 2011/12 crops. If yields hold steady, that could deliver the first world crop in excess of 700m tonnes. Steady yields might be a tall order for some countries. Last year’s world average wheat yield was a record 3.1 tonnes/hectare (+7%) eclipsing a slight decline in sowings. This winter, East European and US crops have dryness issues that could work against maximum potential. The EU has also been short-changed on rains in some south/eastern member states. Nonetheless, there is an overall impression of ‘generally favourable’ conditions around the main northern hemisphere wheat belt. Indeed, some countries, especially Australia, Germany, Canada and the Ukraine, might also expect a bit more luck with grain quality – i.e. better summer growing/harvest weather after two years of unusually challenging conditions. This combination – big crop, huge stocks, bigger sowings, questions why the Chicago futures complex should be forecasting wheat prices 11.5% higher at the end of 2012 than they are now. Consumers will rightly question the reliability of this futures ‘price revelation’, given that this time last year, Chicago wheat was forecasting $8.55/bushel for end-2011 compared with the actual price with which the year end of of $6.45¼. Chicago futures ‘price discovery’ was just as wrong on maize. A year ago it saw a 10% drop in prices over 2011. Despite a 40m tonne (5%) recovery in world output, values actually rose 15% amid the US crop shortfall and China’s return as a major importer. While still on the futures markets, we might also question why, if maize is the main factor holding wheat up as most trade analysts accept, wheat should be forecasting a 17% premium over the coarse grain by the end of 2012? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? As well as the ‘fundamentals’ (supply/demand issues) above, grain and feed markets continue to keep an eye on ‘macro-economic factors that might influence physical demand, speculative activity etc. Over the least few months these factors have been broadly bearish for prices. The

36 | January - February 2012

nagging Euro-Zone debt crisis lurches on without real resolution but maybe with a little less impact from the markets. Financial pundits continue to warn of potentially severe repercussions for global economic growth and thus on demand for food, feed and fuel commodities. It has been a big restraint on grain and oilseed bulls but markets seem to have grown tired of listening to this story. A steep drop in demand for ocean freight and lower shipping costs for grain also suggests something is slowing down. Yet the total export trade estimates for the major grains and oilseeds in 2011/12 (ends June 30 for wheat, Sep 30 for coarse grains) remain relatively robust. Meanwhile, the speculators who played such a large part in record grain and oilseed prices over the last two or three years are still there but a less strident force, having not got the profits they expected last year for investments in wheat and soyabean futures at least. We can expect some banks and hedge funds to continue trying to talk prices back up at the first hint of a weather problem, especially for maize with its record low stock/use ratios. But aside of the Argentine drought factor, 2012 does not at this stage look like a promising year for the funds to gamble again on price rises.

Main commodity highlights since our last review Will wheat prices drop back? Although not directly affected by the South American drought threat, wheat joined the endyear rally in soyabeans and maize, even rising faster than the latter as funds who got into the habit of selling this surplus market were forced to buy back some of these positions. There was also much talk of wheat’s value as a feedgrain rising if Latin American weather did cut supplies and drive up prices of maize. European wheat prices had to follow the US/world trend in first half January with added support from the weak Euro which dropped to 15-month lows against the US$ at one point. This could boost EU export sales prospects although there has been little sign of any incoming trade bonanza yet amid still plentiful supplies from North and South America, Australia and CIS countries. The USDA’s US wheat planting estimates were also bearish (up 3% on last year’s) larger than expected and focused on hard red winter wheat (+6%), the mainstay of US exports and a top indicator of world bread wheat value. If US spring wheat plantings went up by the same amount and national average wheat yields returned to the 2010 level (46.3bu/acre), the crop would be closer to 60m than last year’s 54.4m.

Against that, Ukraine might lose 25-30% of its winter wheat crop. Assuming more of this land went to maize than spring wheat that could mean 5m or 6m less wheat next summer from this source, However, even from this year’s bumper crop, Ukraine is only expected to raise exports from 4m to 7m tonnes – not the biggest factor in the current highly competitive export market. More important may be whether Russia, Kazakhstan and European countries manage to repeat last year’s good yields and whether the US, Canada (which plans to raise are by 12% !) and Australia get the right weather for plenty of good milling quality wheat. The current supply/demand situation for these grades looks better than a few months ago, when US Dark Northern Spring wheat for export from the Gulf was trading fob terms at $420/430 per tonne (hitting a high of $579 in the summer). The January 2012 cost has fallen to a 13-month low of $366/tonne. Whether or not the world gets a 700m or 650m tonne wheat crop for the coming season, it will also start with massive carryover stocks from this year, equal to 16 weeks’ consumption. If the crop does reach the upper end of forecasts, a burdensome wheat supply may have to be priced lower to raise its share of the feed ration – unless of course, maize crops in the Americas or elsewhere do run into serious problems. EU wheat prices as reflected on the Paris futures market dropped from a high of €209/ tonne in early January to €194 a week later, then back to the €208 again recently. It seems remarkable that the European markets are trading so high against the wheat supply backdrop. Back in December, for example, EU March milling wheat could have been bought for just €179.75/tonne. London feed wheat futures at the same time were around £140.50/tonne but have recently breached £168.50. Moreover, feed demand in the UK has been unusually slow for the time of year with compounders reportedly intent on making sales than wheat and other commodities. However, markets here are largely following the US response to Argentine weather/crop reports with the other eye on Euro-zone issues and their effect on the single currency’s value versus the dollar. More volatility is likely ahead as these issues are resolved (or not) although some analysts are looking for a possible further slide in EU soft milling markets into 2012 due to the ongoing weight of export competition and the possibility this will lead to end-season wheat stocks turning out larger than expected. Russia’s aggressive early season export campaign – a key factor in setting low world and EU wheat prices - appears to be easing now as most of the freely available quality grain gets used up and its domestic and export prices rise.

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COMMODITIES

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January - February 2012 | 37

Recently there has been talk of it using export taxes after March to conserve domestic stocks although many analysts have played this down as a bullish factor. By then it will have cleared at least 20m tonnes, as markets expected. Also Ukraine and Kazakhstan still have more wheat to sell although Ukraine is not expected to have so much good quality breadwheat while Kazakhstan may need better prices to draw grain from its interior, where most of it now lies, to export ports. However, the US, Canada, Argentina and Australia are likely to remain in the export frame for a while yet. If these countries get normal weather for their 2012 crops, it would not be surprising to see world and EU wheat prices lower at the end of 2012 than they are now.

KEY FACTORS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD • The weather once North American, European and CIS winter-sown crops break dormancy – yields nearly always influence swings in crop sizes as much or more than shifts in sown acreage. • Will the USA yet pull a reasonable 2012 winter wheat crop out of a challenging dry autumn/ early winter period & will farmedrs there plant more spring wheat too? • A bit of an upturn in import demand for wheat has some analysts looking for another year of string world trade • Don’t forget India’s plans for another record crop. Some of this could move onto world markets • Above all, wheat is likely to take much of its price-direction from maize, especially if the latter crop falls short.

Coarse grains – a need to rebuild maize stocks Maize prices nudged $8/bushel last June as traders worried about a US crop shortfall amid rising Chinese demand. The crop did disappoint and China did import a lot (though nowhere near as much as the bulls predicted) but prices still dropped by 25% in second-half 2011 – thanks to large crops elsewhere. However, US and global maize balances look tighter on paper than that price decline might suggest. Those wafer thin stock/use ratios offer a potential flashpoint if the Latin American crops go lower than we expect or the US runs into any planting weather problems. Cheaper maize has also helped to prop up US ethanol demand at higher than expected levels –

38 | January - February 2012

still running over 3% up on the year despite the removal on January 1 of government blending subsidies and import tariff protection. Although earlier excpected to show no growth this season, US ethanol use of maize is being supported by strong exports caused by lack of competition from Brazilian ethanol after a short sugarcane crop there. That said, US ethanol stocks are climbing each week, implying demand is lagging supply, so things may yet slow down as we move further into 2012. The USDA recently raised its world 2011/12 maize crop forecast to 868m tonnes – 41m more than last year. That’s about level with consumption, which grew by 25m tonnes. Assuming the main factors in demand growth – China and Brazil – grow at the same pace next year, the world crop will need to advance by at least that much to defend already tight stocks against further, unacceptable erosion of the pipeline supply. Between them, the US and China might just pull that off but will Europe and Ukraine get the same favourable weather that boosted last year’s yields? Clearly there is no room for complacency over forward maize prices yet.

KEY FACTORS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD • The final impact of drought on Argentine and Brazilian maize crops • China’s maize ‘deficit’ may be smaller than the bulls thought a year ago but is probably growing – so imports may rise beyond this season’s forecast 4m tonnes – a potentially bullish factor. • US spring planting weather, the timing and size of increase in actual sowings • ditto Ukraine • Global economic problems continue to erode consumer confidence but has the potential impact on meat, feed and grain demand been exaggerated? • Speculative activity in commodities – they could be drawn to maize by the tight balance – especially at US spring planting time if the weather plays foul

Oilmeal supplies look adequate In the protein sector, the Latin American drought has trimmed estimates for global soyabean supply in 2011/12 and pushed US prices of soyabeans by 10% , soya meal by about 16% from the lows since our last issue. However, the effect on overall oilseed supplies has been offset by a series of upward revisions for 2011 crops of sunflowerseed, rapeseed and

groundnuts. Also, by drawing down soyabean stocks, crushers will keep 2011/12 soya meal supplies up (about 3.7% over the previous season). Globally, protein meal supply will also increase by about 3.4%, easily keeping pace with growth of consumption. If the Latin American crops come through with modest drought losses, prices will be under no obvious upward pressure. The next landmark after that will be US sowing weather in April and May. Early estimates see crop area up or down slightly but the timing of maize sowings may shift plans. This time last year, Chicago futures were seen 4% lower by end 2012 but despite peaking twice in the $1,450’s (February and August), the near month hit a low of $1,100 in mid-December amid heavy export competition from last year’s record South American crops. Along with a slightly higher crop estimate from the USDA, lower US crush and export projections, the US soyabean supply situation looks fairly comfortable with projected ending stocks of 7.5m tonnes - a five-year high. Soya has also been restrained by reports that the largest, fastest-growing importer, China took less in 2011 than 2010 - its first annual drop in seven years. But at this stage, the USDA still sees its total 2011/12 (Sep/Aug) soyabean imports rising by 8%. Big sunflower supplies from the CIS countries should mean more coming into European crush to replace short rapeseed oil supplies. That suggests there will be more sunflower meal on the market as the by-product, at competitive prices. The trade will be keenly watching European/CIS spring sunflower sowing for clues to whether this bonanza will continue, especially with uncertainty over the impact of weather in timing and size of this year’s EU winter plantings. Overseas, Canada expects to sow a record rapeseed crop but big consumer India has had some weather challenges with its own rapeseed crop. Overall, the oilseed sector should be adequately supplied if Latam crops pull through. The Chicago futures markets currently suggest soya prices will stay flat through 2012 which suggests confidence in supplies. Other oilmeals usually take their cue from soya, So this is fairly promising for restrained protein meal costs as a whole.

KEY FACTORS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD • South American crop weather • Chinese consumption and timing of imports • US planting progress/acreage sown this spring • EU/CIS rapeseed plantings - up or down for 2012?

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Book review The Pesticide Detox: Towards a More Sustainable Agriculture

n 2005 Professor Jules Pretty who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Science & Engineering and Sustainability & Resources at the University of Essex edited The Pesticide Detox, a book looking at the subject of pesticide use since the 1960s and how we need to change our use of pesticides in agriculture.

The world’s population has doubled since the 1960s and agricultural production has increased per person by a third. Yet this growth in agriculture has been fueled by pesticide use and this over use has masked serious problems that have been caused. Many of the issues and problems caused by pesticide use is long term such as ecological, environmental and chronic health effects are being seen as unacceptable. This book looks at the potential for the phasing out of hazardous pesticides, for more effective alternatives that are already on the market. By moving to a more ecological kind of pesticide we can move to a more sustainable kind of agriculture. In general this is a very interesting book that is well written and well presented and contains contributions from many eminent scientists and researchers. The book offers a broad and in depth look at the arguments against pesticides and for alternatives methods to be used instead. A must have text for agricultural scientist and students alike as well as teachers and farmers.

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

Pesticide Use and the Environment The Health Impacts of Pesticides Paying the Price: The Full Cost of Pesticides Corporations and Pesticides Overview of Agrobiologicals and Alternatives to Synthetic Pesticides Chapter 6: Farmer Decision-making for Ecological Pest Management Chapter 7: The Human and Social Dimensions of Pest Management for Agricultural Sustainability Chapter 8: Ecological Basis for Low-toxicity Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Rice and Vegetables Chapter 9: Towards Zero-pesticide Use in Tropical Agroecosystems Chapter 10: From Pesticides to People: Improving Ecosystem Health in the Northern Andes Chapter 11: Breaking the Barriers to IPM in Africa: Evidence from Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal Chapter 12: Towards Safe Cocoa Pest Management in West Africa Chapter 13: Agroecological Approaches to Pest Management in the US Chapter 14:Towards Safe Pest Management in Industrialized Agricultural Systems Chapter 15: Policies and Trends

ISBN 1-84407-142-1

IGC Grains Conference 2012 Thursday 7 June 2012 • Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre • London

Bringing policy makers and industry together At a time of continued uncertainties in ﬁnancial and commodity markets, the 2012 event will feature a wide-ranging and informative programme covering key grains and oilseeds issues. The IGC Annual Conference attracts the world’s leading buyers, sellers and other industry representatives, offering excellent opportunities for networking. Leading international speakers will give their perspectives on the latest developments and their impact on world markets and trade. A Full Day Pre-Conference Workshop 12 March 2012

Commodity Insurance and Trade Finance

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40 | January - February 2012

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Book review Tropical Root and Tuber Crops: Cassava, Sweet Potato, Yams and Aroids

n 2009 Vincent Lebot, a researcher with the CIRAD ‘Genetic Improvement of Vegetatively Propagated Crops’ Research Unit, wrote the book, Tropical Root And Tuber Crops: Cassava, Sweet Potato, Yams and Aroids. In this book Lebot explains that these type of food probably emerged before agriculture based on cereals and grains. The root and tuber crops (cassava, sweet potato, yams and aroids) are among the oldest on earth and were the staple diet in many areas, especially the wet tropics and fed extensive populations. These early crops were vastly important as they can be produced with low inputs and are an important source of income and employment in marginal areas, especially for women. This type of crop was considered as plants of the past, but they are the crops of the future since they allow local production of carbohydrates, which can substitute expensively imported cereals. A comprehensive volume of the crop production science in horticulture series, that deals with every aspect of the subject from the origins of the root or tuber to the eventual post harvest quality and marketing. Lebot has written a highly informative and practical text that will be of value to students and professionals in horticulture and botany.

Section I: Cassava 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing

Section III: Yams 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing

Section II: Sweet Potato 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing

Section IV: Aroids 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing

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March 14 – 16, 2012 Orlando, Florida Visit www.afia.org for more information

January - February 2012 | 41

Classified section Analysis • Automation Products, Inc. • Brabender® GmbH & Co KG • CHOPIN Technologies • Diversified Laboratories, Inc. • Evergreen Analytical Services, Inc. • Foss Analytical AS • FOSS UK • Lancaster Laboratories • NDC Infrared Engineering Ltd • Neogen Corporation • Pfeuffer GmbH

Silo Construction & Engineering

SCE Maximum bulk storage

• • • • • • • • •

Blo-Tech Ltd Cargotec Sweden AB Christianson Systems Inc Clyde Materials Handling Ltd Cyclonaire Corp Dunbar Kapple/Vac-U-Vator Dynamic Air Inc Dynamic Air Ltd. Geroldinger GmbH & Co KG

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ELEVATOR BUCKETS & BOLTS

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R-Biopharm Rhône Ltd, Unit 3.06 Kelvin Campus, West of Scotland Science Park, Maryhill Road, Glasgow, G20 0SP Scotland Tel: +44 (0) 141 9452924 Fax: +44 (0) 141 9452925 info@r-biopharmrhone.com, www.r-biopharmrhone.com

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Elevator & Conveyor Components

• Systech Instruments Ltd

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• Alicorp SA

CENZONE TECH INC. 2110 Low Chaparral Drive San Marcos CA92069 USA Tel: 760 736 9901 Fax: 760 736 9958 Web: www.cenzone.com

CRAFTMANSHIP IN THE ANIMAL FEED AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

• Teta Engineering Inc.

Material Handling & Electronic Components for all Applications • Hazard Monitors

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• Elevator Buckets & Bolts • Belts & Fasteners • Forged Chains & Sprockets

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E-mail: cenzone.tech@worldnet.att.net

Extruders

• Danisco Animal Nutrition • Noack - Group of Companies • Papillon Agricultural Products, Inc

Bulk Storage

Flour improver

www.extruder.nl / www.expander.nl

Bulk Handling • Croston Engineering Ltd

WWW.OTTEVANGER.COM

• Alicorp SA • Dr Eckel GmbH

Conveyors Almex b.v., Verlengde Ooyerhoekseweg 29 7207 BJ Zutphen, The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0)575 572666 e-mail info@almex.nl, www.almex.nl

• Anderson International Corp • Amandus Kahl

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Croston Engineering Ltd Tarvin Mill Barrow Lane, Tarvin Chester CH3 8JF Tel: 01829 741119 Fax: 01829 741169 E-mail: admin@croston-engineering.co.uk Website: http://www.croston-engineering.co.uk BULK STORAGE, HANDLING, AND PROCESS ENGINEERS FOR THE ANIMAL FEED, GRAIN, FLOUR, BAKERY, HUMAN AND PET FOODS INDUSTRIES

42 | January - February 2012

• • • • • • • •

Anderson International Corp Amandus Kahl Andritz Feed & Biofuel Brabender Clextral Dinnissen BV Extru-Tech Inc Jiangsu Muyang Group Co Ltd.

• • • •

Flour improvers Enzymes Baking premixes Advice on applications

Kurt-Fischer-Strasse 55, D-22926 Ahrensburg Tel.: + 49 (0) 4102 / 202 001, Fax: -010 info@muehlenchemie.de A member of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe

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Pag

Classified section Grinder hammers John Staniar & Co.

Packaging

Rolls

• Arodo BVBA

Other

• Andritz Feed & Biofuel BV • Kay Jay Chill Rolls Pvt Ltd

Grinder Screens A Clondalkin Company

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

John Staniar & Co.

Level measurement CB Packaging is a market leader of multi-walled paper sacks. With over 50 years of experience, we offer solutions for a wide range of industries, including animal feeds, pet food, seeds, milk powder, flour and root crops.

• Millson Engineering Limited • Muench-Edelstahl GmbH

Silos

For more information, please call Tim Stallard: +44 (0) 7805 092067 www.cbpackaging.com

Yingchun Group

Process control • • • •

Grain Silo Manufacturing

Converteam UK Ltd Datastor Systems Ltd KSE Protech BV RED-BERG s.r.l.

Buhler AG CH – 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland T: +41 71 955 11 11 F: +41 71 955 66 11 E: milling@buhlergroup.com

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Analysis & Control

Equipment for sale

Intake and Inline measurement of moisture, protein, temperature, structure, ash, fat, fibre, starch and colour. Recipe management and traceability records.

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FOR SALE

• AGRI-Associates • Agribusiness Recruiters

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Mill Design & Installation

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22/09/2011 13:54

January - February 2012 | 43

Events 2012

6th - 7th February 12

january 16th - 18th January 12

1st ICC India Grains Conference, in Partnership with ICRISAT New Delhi, India Contact: Anita Habershuber, Event Management, ICC- International Association for Cereal Science and Technology. General Secretariat. Marxergasse 2 1030 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +43170 772 027551 Fax: +4317 077204 Email: anita.habershuber@icc.or.at Web: http://india2012.icc.or.at

24th - 26th January 12

2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo, Atlanta, GA, USA Contact: Pennie Stathes, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, GA 30084, USA Tel: +1 678 5141977 Email: pstathes@poultryegg.org Web: www.ipeweek12.org

* 2nd Commercial Farm Africa, Dubai, UAE 31st January 12 - 1st February 12

Contact: Ms Grace Oh, Centre for Management Technology, 80 Marine Parade Road, #13-02 Parkway Parade, Singapore, 449269 Singapore Tel: +65 6345 7322 / 6346 9132 Fax: +65 6345 5928 Email: grace@cmtsp.com.sg Web: http://www.cmtevents.com

february 2nd - 4th February 12

ISRMAX India 2012, Chandigarh, India Contact: Geetika Malhotra Asudani, Pixie Consulting Solutions Ltd, #923/9, Urban Estate, Karnal, Haryana, India Tel: +91 9991705003 Fax: +91 1842231050 Email: Isrmex@pixie.co.in Web: www.isrmexindia.com

* See our magazine at this show • More information available

44 | January - February 2012

The 6th International Conference Mixed Feeds - 2012, 20, Pervy Shchipkovsky pereulok, Moscow, Russia Contact: Dr. Vladimir I. Dashevsky, 20, Pervyi Shchipkovsky per, Moscow, 115093, Russia Tel: +7 959- 669 Fax: +7 959 6669 Email: dashevsky@grainfood.ru Website: www.grainfood.ru

7th - 9th February 12

EuroKarma 2012, MTPolska Center Ul. Marsa 56, 04-242 Warszawa, Poland Contact: Agnieszka Niemczewska, PO Box, 73, 32-332 Bukowno, Poland Tel: +48 514 544 048 Email: info@eurokarma.eu Web: www.eurokarma.eu

7th - 10th February 12

Cereals-Mixed Feed-Veterinary--2012, AllRussian Exhibition Centre, Moscow, Russia Contact: Tatiana Sokolova, P.O.Box 34, Moscow, 129223, Russia Tel: +7 495 7555035 Fax: +7 495 7556769 Email: ts@expokhleb.com Web: www.breadbusiness.ru

8th - 9th February 12

Ildex Bangkok, BITEC, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Bangkok, Thailand Contact: Mr. Jobe Smithtun, N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer Co., Ltd. (NEO), 60 New Rachadapisek Rd, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 – Thailand Tel: +662 229 3000 Fax: +662 229 3001 Email: info@qsncc.com Web: www.ildex.com

10th - 11th February 12

6th International Seminar on Wheat & Wheat Products - Moving Towards Food & Nutrition Security, New Delhi, India Contact: Wheat Products Promotion Society., #601, 6th Floor, DDA Building, Laxmi Nagar District Centre, New Delhi - 110 092, India Tel: +911 122 457518 Email: seminar@wpps.org Web: wpps.org/iws/index.php

March

15th - 17th February 12

FIAAP, Victam & GRAPAS Asia 2012, BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand Contact: Andy West, Victam International, Po Box 411, Redhill, Rh1 6We, Uk Tel: + 44 1737 763501 Email: Andrew.west733@ntlworld.com Web: www.victam.com

3rd - 6th March 12 GEAPS Exchange 2012, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Contact: 4248 Park Glen Rd, St. Louis Park, MN USA Tel: +1 952-928-4640 Fax: +1 952-929-1318 Email: info@geaps.com Web: www.geaps.com

19th - 22nd February 12

Gulfood 2012, Ingredients Middle EAST 2012 and Resturant and Cafe 2012, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Dubai, UAE Web: www.gulfod.com

3rd - 7th March 12 Europain & Intersuc 2012, International Bakery, Pastry, Ice-Cream, Chocolate, Confectionary Exhibition, Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center. Paris, France Web: www.europain.com

21st - 23rd February 12 Middle East Grains Congress 2012, Dubai, UAE Contact: Ms THAM Ruoh Yi, 1 Grange Road, #08-02 Orchard Building, Singapore 239693 Tel: +65 6508 2463; +65 6508 2400 Fax: +65 6508 2408; +65 6508 2407 Email: Ruohyi.tham@ibcasia.com.sg Web: http://www.middleeastgrains.com

22nd - 24th February 12 VIV/ILDEX India 2012, BIEC centre, Bangalore, India Contact: Guus van Ham, P.O. Box 8800, 3503 RV Utrecht, The Netherland Tel: +31 30 295 2302 Fax: +31 30 295 2809 Email: viv.india@vnuexhibitions.com Web: www.viv.net

28th February 12 - 3rd March 12

12th - 14th March 12

Rice Trade Outlook 2012, Marseille, France Contact: THAM Ruoh Yi, 1 Grange Road, #08-02 Orchard Building, Singapore 239693 Tel: +65 6508 2463 Fax: +65 6508 2407 Email: ruohyi.tham@ibcasia.com.sg Web: www.ricetrade.agraevents.com

12th - 16th March 12 Purchasing & Ingredient Suppliers Conference, Orlando, Fla. USA Contact: Veronica Rovelli, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916, Arlington, VA 22201, USA Tel: +1 703 5240810 Fax: +1 703 5241921 Email: Vrovelli@afia.org Web: www.afia.org

IPACK-IMA 2012, Fieramilano, Milan, Italy Contact: Cristina Bassan, Corso Sempione 4, 20154 Milan, Italy Tel: +39 02 3191091 Fax: +39 02 33619826 Email: ipackima@ipackima.it Web: www.ipack-ima.com

28th - 29th February 12

13th - 15th March 12

Global Grains Asia 2012 Singapore Contact: Ms Grace Oh, Centre for Management Technology , 80 Marine Parade Road , #13-02 Parkway Parade, Singapore, 449269 Singapore Tel: +65 6345 7322 / 6346 9132 Fax: +65 6345 5928 Email: grace@cmtsp.com.sg Web: http://www.cmtevents.com

2nd Annual Soft Commodity Trading Operations & Logistics 2012, Geneva Contact: Jessica Jonah, 127 Cheapside, 2nd Floor, London, EC2V 6BT, UK Tel: +44 20 76005130 Fax: +44 207 1837945 Email: jessicaj @international-research-networks.com Web: www.softs2012.com

&feed milling technology

Grain

GEAPS

Grain Elevator and Processing Society www.geaps.com

GEAPS EXCHANGE 2012 The Industry’s Largest Expo Over 300 grain-handling industry suppliers showcasing the latest in equipment and innovation

An Outstanding Educational Program • 3 days of educational sessions only found at GEAPS Exchange • 12 small group “pod” sessions focusing on safety in the workplace • 3-hour workshop on how companies can develop a culture of safety

PLUS... The Industry’s Best Networking Opportunities Connect with thousands of dedicated industry professionals, all in one place

EXCHANGE MINNEAPOLIS, MN

MARCH 3-6, 2012

March 3-6, 2012 Minneapolis Convention Center | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA The 83rd Annual International Technical Conference and Exposition of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society For Details on Attending and Exhibiting: Visit www.geaps.com Or Contact Us: info@geaps.com or (952) 928-4640 The Knowledge Resource for the World of Grain Handling Industry Operations

Events 15th - 16th March 12

GLOBALG.A.P Public Workshop CFM (Compound Feed Manufacturing), Buenos Aires/Argentina Contact: Daniela Fabiszisky, GLOBALG.A.P, Spichernstr.55, 50672 Cologne, Germany Tel: +4922157993 33 Fax: +4922157993 89 Email: fabiszisky@globalgap.org Web: www.globalgap.org

20th March 12

Segregation, Degradation and Cakin,g The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central, Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Contact: Caroline Chapman, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Tel: +44 20 8331 8646 Fax: +44 20 8331 8647 Email: wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

20th - 21st March 12

Pelleting of compound feed, Forschungsinstitut Futtermitteltechnik der Internationalen Forschungsgemeinschaft Futtermitteltechnik e. V., Research Institute of Feed Technology of IFF, Frickenmühle 1A, D-38110 Braunschweig, Germany Contact: Meike Stein, Petra Ding Tel: +49 5307 /92220 Fax: +49 5307 /922237 Email: iff@iff-braunschweig.de Web: www.iff-braunschweig.de

21st - 22nd March 12

Practical Powder Characterisation for Industry, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Contact: Caroline Chapman, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Tel: +44 20 8331 8646 Fax: +44 20 8331 8647 Email: wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

22nd - 24th March 12

Ildex Vietnam, The New Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Contact: Mr. Jobe Smithtun, N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer Co., Ltd. (NEO), 60 New Rachadapisek Rd, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 – Thailand Tel: +66 22 034241 Fax: +66 22 034250 Email: info@qsncc.com Web: www.ildex.com

29th March 12 - 1st April 12

Turkish Flour Industrialists Federation, TFIF 2012 International Congress: Wheat, Flour and Bread, Susesi Hotel, Belek Antalya Contact: Turkish Flour Industrialists Federation, TFIF, Konrad Adenauer Caddesi 523. Sokak No: 1/2 Yildiz Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey or Alp Reyal Tourism travel Agencey, Events Organisation Office. Ataturk Bulvari, No:160/6 Kavaklidere, Ankara Turkey Tel: +90 312 4 400454 Fax: +90 312 4 400364 Email: bilgi@tusaf.org Web: www.tusaf.org

APRIL 12th - 15th April 12

26th - 26th April 12

IBATECH 2012 5th International Trade Fair For Bakery, Patisserie Machinary, Ice Cream, Chocolate and Technologies Istanbul Fair Center, CNR Expo. Yesilkoy, Istanbul, Turkey Contact: Ozlem Ercan, International Sales Director, Messe Stuttgart Ares Fuarcilik Ltd. Sti. Binbir Cicek Sok. Naci Bey Apt No:3/9 1. Levent, Istanbul, Turkey Tel: +90 212 2 841110 Fax: +90 212 2 841001 Email: ozlem.ercan@messe-stuttgart.com.tr Web: www.messe-stuttgart.com.tr

24th - 25th April 12

26th - 26th April 12

Electrostatics in Powder Handling and Evaluation, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Contact: Caroline Chapman, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Tel: +44 20 8331 8646 Fax: +44 20 8331 8647 Email: olfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

Storage and Discharge of Powders and Bulk Solids, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Contact: Caroline Chapman, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Tel: +44 20 8331 8646 Fax: +44 20 8331 8647 Email: wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

25th - 27th April 12

Dust Explosions – How to demonstrate DSEAR/ATEX Compliance, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Contact: Caroline Chapman, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK Tel: +44 20 8331 8646 Fax: +44 20 8331 8647 Email: olfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk Web: www.bulksolids.com

MaY

1st - 1st May 12

Vetrana Poultry & Livestock EXPO, Amman, Jordan Contact: J Kumar, THAIS EXPO PVT.LTD, Tel: +91 98123 90009 Fax: +91184 4030999 Email: jkumar@thaiscorp.in Web: vetrana.weebly.com

3rd National Grain Conference, India International Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, India Contact: Raj Kapoor, Assocom-India Pvt. Ltd., Flat No. 601, DDA Building, District Center, Plot No.4, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi - 110 092, India Tel: +91 1147675218 Fax: +91 1147675201 Email: rajkapoor@assocom-india.com Web: www.assocom-india.com

7th - 9th May 12

Dietary Fibre Conference 2012, Roma, Italy Contact: Anita Habershuber, Event Management, International Association for Cereal Science ans Technology. General Secretariat. Marxergasse 2 A-1030 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +43 1 707 72 02 Fax: +43 1 7 077204 Email: anita.habershuber@icc.or.at Web: icc.or.at

7th - 11th May 12

116th Annual IAOM, Intenational Association of operative Millers, conference and Expo, The Davenport Hotel and Tower and the Spokane Convention Center. Spokane,WA,USA. Contact: Shannon Henson, Director of Meetings and Exhibits. IAOM, International Association of Operative Millers., 10100 West 87th Street, Suite 306 Overland Park, KS 66212 USA. Tel: +1 913 3 383377 Fax: +1 913 3 383553 Email: shannon.henson@iaom.info Web: www.iaom.info

46 | January - February 2012

&feed milling technology

Grain

• • • • •

Including an all new useful information section Thousands of industry related products and services listed Over 1000 companies with full up-to-date information International Organisations Our improved equipment comparison section Now including: - Coolers & Dryers - Elevator Buckets - Extruders & Expanders - Hammermills - Mixers & Grinders - Pellet Presses

2011/12 OUT NOW

2012 WEBLINKS