[ MillManagement by Lori Weaver ]
Getting a grip
on transportation
eff iciencies
Some energy efficiencies are
overlooked and underused.
Reducing equipment weight, such as with Walinga’s
new Image 2092 “Xtra-Lite” all aluminum semi trailer,
is one way feed manufacturers can attempt to realize
energy savings.
Rapidly rising fuel prices are taking
a huge bite out of profits for nearly
all businesses, feed manufacturing included. Any efficiencies that can
be squeezed out of energy usage could
mean precious savings for operational
budgets.
Transportation companies allied with
the feed industry have been putting much
emphasis on the development of energy-saving options for feed manufacturers.
One of the areas most often centered
on is efficiency of loading and unloading.
The less time spent on any given load, the
lower the energy costs.
Reducing unload time
For example, Hensley has developed
what they call their Super Auger, which the
company claims will unload at the
rate of between 6,000 and 7,000
lbs. per minute. The company
says the Super Auger can unload
24 tons in under eight minutes
at 1,200 RPMs, while the same
amount of feed might take up to
30 minutes to unload otherwise.
Their equipment offerings include
models with both front and rear
unload to provide mills with the
option that will prove most efficient for a
particular set up. The company says their
front unload models not only offer greater
visibility to the operator, but are easier
to position, cutting the time required to
deliver a load of feed which can equate
into fuel savings.
Sudenga Industries has also been
putting emphasis into the development
of improving energy efficiency through
development of equipment with fast and
efficient unloading.
How can transportation efficiencies
such as these best be realized? Feed
Management recently sat down with
Terry Medemblik, sales and marketing
manager, Walinga Inc. to talk about
improving energy efficiencies in feed
transportation.
FM: Energy costs have continued to
grow dramatically and greatly impact feed
mill operational expenses. What are the
top three transportation efficiencies feed
manufacturers should address in order to
improve their energy efficiency?
Medemblik: Lighter tractor trailer
combinations, tighter load/delivery sched-
lighter equipment, or more fuel efficient
equipment allows more feed to be hauled
with lower fuel consumption. One thing
that the purchaser needs to be aware
of and can be difficult at times, is pushing the weight and fuel envelope too far,
subsequently ending up with equipment
that has too many issues with respect to
service and maintenance thereby causing
the whole program to go the opposite
direction it was intended for.
For example, say the purchaser tries
to save on weight, orders a unit that is
built too light, where the manufacturer
has compromised structural integrity in
favor of weight, or used sub standard or
under-spec’d components in order to get
the overall weight down on the unit. Such
a unit would spend more time in service
than is typical, causing the owner to spend
“Buying lighter equipment, or more fuel efficient equipment
allows more feed to be hauled with lower fuel consumption.”
–Terry Medemblik, sales and marketing manager, Walinga Inc.
ules/programs, and good maintenance
programs.
FM: Can transportation equipment
choices have an impact on transport
efficiencies? If so, how is this return on
investment realized?
Medemblik: Most definitely! Buying
more money maintaining the equipment
than what he intended to save hauling
more feed per load.
So, in a sense, there is a fine line here
that manufacturers, and purchasers, need
to be aware of in order to see that return
on investments. The same issue holds
