When customer needs become a challenge!

Reorganization and optimization of global and local supply chain under most difficult and aggressive conditions

At the beginning of 2010 the Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co. KG was approached by a producer of dry bulk material with the question of whether different bulk materials and other additives, could be transported, stored and easily supplied Just-in-time (JIT) directly into the production line. It would have to be directly out of the container and into the process under dry materials aggressive conditions.

Summary:

The Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co. KG has managed to load sensitive substances into a standard ISO container with maximum efficiency. In the context of an extreme test, this container was shipped the very long distance between Koblenz (Germany) to Hong Kong (China) where not only the distance, but also the highest degree of humidity in Hong Kong was part of the challenges that had to be mastered. The container, equipped with the siloadmaxx® liner bag, had to protect the dry bulk material for three months in Hong Kong, before it was returned to Germany.

After returning to Germany, the container was unloaded with the siloadmaxx® system. The dry bulk materials, that were shipped to Hong Kong, stored and then shipped back to Germany all in the same container without being unloaded or otherwise touched, were examined in a laboratory. The bulk materials showed no changes of material characteristics and were still in perfect condition. The siloadmaxx® system not only was successful, but has contributed to optimization of the logistic supply chain and revealed enormous time and price reduction potential. To the customers benefit a variety of organizational and operational advantages were identified that will increase of their level of competitiveness significantly.

Task:

The client (name and branch cannot be disclosed) approached Siloadmaxx with the requirements to support the penetration of the Asian market as well as establishing an own and local production site. The challenge of this test was that the quality of raw materials in Asia had to meet European standards and should preserve the raw materials during the transport (maritime and overland). Nevertheless, the procedure had to offer an alternative solution instead of the common usage of tower silos and secure the local supply of raw materials. The production process depends on a just-in-time (JIT) supply of raw materials as well as the supplemental materials. Because of the long distance delivery of the materials from Europe, a reserve supply directly out of the standard ISO containers was required.

Furthermore, the following questions had to be answered:

•Is a container a possible vessel to load, transport, storage and a direct-supply of the production with bulk materials?

•Will the characteristics of the dry bulk remain unchanged in the container throughout all environmental conditions?

•Can the siloadmaxx® system be used and a significant competitive advantage through time and cost savings be gained?

•Does the client reach the desired degree of flexibility and regional independence?

Solution 1:

Usability of standard ISO containers for shipment of bulk materials at high levels of humidity

The material was loaded with the siloadmaxx® system at the customer’s German production site. Total of 19 tonnes of the material were loaded within a net time of 20 minutes into a standard ISO container. Before this, the container was equipped with a siloadmaxx® liner bag. The container then was shipped to Hong Kong and stored unopened for three months before it was transported back to the customer’s site in Germany. The ability of the system to load dusty material almost completely free of contamination, allows not only the loading but also the storage of the dry bulk material independent of the humidity of a location.

Kept in the siloadmaxx® liner bag, it quickly became obvious that the material (During trial: highest level of humidity, high temperature differences) could be stored in containers in Hong Kong unaltered. Laboratory tests of the bulk materials used in the Hong Kong trial showed no change in humidity or other material changes.

This confirmed the concept developed by the Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co KG in Germany, which is based on the shipment and storage of dry bulk in containers equipped with the siloadmaxx® liner bag.

Solution 2:

Container site instead of Tower silos



The successful conclusion of the experiment for the storage of materials that are sensible to humidity in standard ISO container resulted in a reassessment of how dry bulk material could be handled. The siloadmaxx® liner bag equipped container became the optimal packaging for bulk material. With this new option to storage bulk material, a container site concept for the storage of bulk material could be developed.

The set up of a container site instead of tower silos saved not only time by decreasing the number of steps in the process chain (no transshipment from containers into the silo), but also money by reducing the investment volume needed, because neither tower silos nor additional warehouses had to be built. The warehouses on the Asian customer’s site could be used differently.

Furthermore, the container site could be build at the already available space as container sites needed less space.

Solution 3:

Reduction of process steps and flexibility

The comprehensive siloadmaxx® concept for loading, storage and discharge of bulk materials has enormous saving potential for both financial resources and time. For this customer, the bulk materials, after being loaded in Germany, do not have to be reloaded until they are supplied to the production in Asia.

Furthermore, the loading in a container equipped with the siloadmaxx® liner bag proved to be much more efficient than i.e. the loading into BigBags or other forms of packaging. During a previous test or the siloadmaxx® system, 7.900to bulk material were loaded. The number of containers could be reduced by one-third from 469 (common systems) to 316 containers (siloadmaxx® system).

This amounted to a cost reduction of 49.9% for that trial.

The requirement of the customer, to reach a self-sufficient supply of raw material in Asia within 3-9 years could also be fulfilled, because the German loading concept that was used for the test, can be applied in Asia as soon as the quality of the dry bulk material there has reached European standards.

Solution 4:

Independence of Europe

For the customer an Asian site is only feasible, if a general independence of Europe can be achieved mid-term.

Furthermore, the supply with spare parts for the siloadmaxx® loading and unloading systems have to be considered and secured. The Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co KG ensures this by the use of standardized equipment (e.g. ISO containers). Also, with the help of an elaborate licensing concept, licensee customers are put in a position that they can produce particular components and complete systems locally. The Siloadmaxx licensing, assisted by the partner energy patents GmbH, provides know-how and personnel training as long as necessary. Then the customer has achieved complete independence and can act freely once the client has acquired know-how, manufacturing and operating license.

Successful completion of the test project

The Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co KG has met all test requirements with the siloadmaxx® system.

The overriding rationale for the review of a supply chain concept based on the siloadmaxx® systems by the customer, were motivated by both the significant potential for time- and cost savings.

In summary the siloadmaxx® concept has identified the following solutions for the customer:

•Use of a flexible container site instead of expensive tower silos

•Increase process efficiency by significantly increased container utilization and reduction of process steps

•Reduction of complexity, since trans-shipment between location of origin and the supply into the production line is no longer necessary

•Maximum flexibility for the supply of raw materials and the handling of the siloadmaxx® systems

AboutSiloadmaxx GmbH & Co. KG

The Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co. KG was founded in March 2008 by Christian Hansen and Thomas Heinzen in Hilgert, Germany, after the positive decision on the patent application was issued in the fall of 2007. At the IAA for commercial vehicles in Hanover in 2008 the siloadmaxx® system was first shown publicly. The Westerwald-Lahn Junior champer (www.jci.ccwww.jci.cc) has awarded the invention in 2007 with the Innovation Award (WIN).

siloadmaxx® is a mobile system for filling of standard ISO containers (e.g. sea container) with bulk materials through pneumatic conveying of bulk material into the containers. This provides a faster and more sufficient way of loading the container. The loading time for a volume of 25 tons is reduced to 25 minutes.

The Siloadmaxx GmbH & Co. KG markets the siloadmaxx® system actively worldwide. The marketing concept is based on direct business, done by the Siloadmaxx headquarters or a branch and the awarding of worldwide licenses, supported by the energy patents GmbH.

For more information, please visit:

https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...siloadmaxx.htm11380 siloadmaxx.htm

Attachments

siloadmaxx_container_loadin (JPG)

siloadmaxx_man_tgm (JPG)

siloadmaxx_container_lining (JPG)

siloadmaxx_4 (JPG)

siloadmaxx_logo-1 (JPG)

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