Agrana opens sugar silo with 70,000 tonne storage capacity at its factory in Tulln, Austria; site now capable of storing 180,000 tonnes of granulated sugar
Andrew Rogers
VIENNA
,
October 13, 2011
(press release)
–
AGRANA inaugurated its new granulated sugar silo at its sugar factory in Tulln today. The new silo, which stores 70,000 tonnes of granulated sugar, is one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Europe thanks to its structural design and impact on the environment. In combination with the remaining five silos, the Tulln site is now capable of storing a total of 180,000 tonnes of granulated sugar.
The silo has been erected using the slipform construction method with reinforced concrete. It is 52 metres high and has an inner diameter of 49 metres, making it the second-largest sugar silo in Europe. Construction work began in November 2010, during which time approximately 7,500 m3 of concrete and 550 tonnes of construction steel were used. A 200-metre long conveyor bridge at a height of 18 metres makes it possible to collect and deposit 125 tonnes of sugar per hour. “At current sugar production levels of around 2,300 tonnes per day, we expect the silo to be completely filled for the first time with thirty days,” predicts Johann Marihart, CEO of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG.
The new sugar silo also has much to offer when it comes to the issue of sustainability. “The newly created additional storage capacity eliminates the need for sugar to be transported to external warehouses, thereby achieving considerable reductions in annual CO2 emissions. In addition to this, waste heat from the sugar production process that previously went unused can now be harnessed to heat and condition the silo, reducing CO2 emissions further still. In order to minimise the quantity of particulate matter produced, filtering systems with a total surface area of around 430 m2 were also fitted,” says Johann Marihart in reference to the environmental aspects of the new facility.
About AGRANA
AGRANA is the foremost sugar company in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the leading provider of specialised products in Europe as well as being the largest producer of bioethanol in Austria and Hungary. In the field of fruit, AGRANA is the top global producer of fruit preparations for the dairy industry and one of the leading producers of fruit concentrate in Europe. In the 2010|11 business year, AGRANA generated revenues of approximately EUR two billion. AGRANA employs around 8,000 personnel at 53 sites in 26 countries around the world.
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