The standard method of material handling found in South Africa is inefficient, threatening to cause product degradation due to the high contact of the fertiliser with machinery. Contact increases the risk of crushing the fertiliser, resulting in fine dust particles that decrease the product’s value while causing problems for farmers.

C. Steinweg Bridge needed to rebuild its facility after a massive fire in the Durban precinct in 2017. What was a considerable blow provided an opportunity to improve the company’s handling solutions and the control over the end product - the aim to give customers a higher quality product that is more profitable and more beneficial to the end-user. 

C. Steinweg Bridge developed a new 60 000 m2 facility, purpose-built to cater to the needs of the fertiliser industry, with fewer touchpoints, less handling, and state-ofthe-art automation - unlike any other warehousing facility in Southern Africa. The new system has tipping points outside the facility. Conveyor belts then carry the material to a height and distribute it evenly into stockpiles. Roger Hogg, Managing Director of C. Steinweg Bridge, explains, “This means a machine is not required to push the material to create the stockpiles, as was done previously. The use of Nidec Control Techniques equipment has been instrumental in the efficiency of this new facility.”

“The technology from Nidec Control Techniques enables us to keep a close eye on our delivery, giving us data on tons per second. We are achieving more tons per square metre than any other facility known to us, with larger trucks moving more product, faster.” Roger Hogg, Managing Director of C. Steinweg Bridge

Read the full case study here