Bulk Handling News – Bruks Siwertell customer magazine issue 2, 2024

ABOUT BRUKS SIWERTELL

Bruks Siwertell is a market-leading supplier of dry bulk handling and wood processing systems. With thousands of installations worldwide, our machines handle raw materials from forests, fields, quarries and mines, maintaining critical supply lines for manufacturers, mills, power plants and ports.

We design, produce and deliver systems for ship loading, ship unloading, conveying, and storing and reclaiming dry bulk materials, alongside equipment for bale processing, shredding, chipping, composting, screening, milling and grinding, and recycling and processing wood and agricultural waste for the biofuel, bioenergy, panelboard, sawmill, pulp and paper and forestry industries.

An extensive global service team offers support to Bruks Siwertell customers whenever and wherever it is needed.

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Bulk Handling News is a customer magazine for the dry bulk handling industry. The opinions expressed by the authors or individuals interviewed do not necessarily represent the views of Bruks Siwertell.

Publisher: Bruks Siwertell AB P.O. Box 566 Gunnarstorp SE-26725 Bjuv, Sweden

Editors: Emily Brækhus Cueva emily.cueva@bruks-siwertell.com Malin Pekberg malin.pekberg@bruks-siwertell.com Lindsay Gilliland lindsay.gilliland@bruks-siwertell.com

Editorial assistant: Anette Andersson anette.andersson@bruks-siwertell.com

Layout and production: Metamorf Design Group AB

Image sources: Bruks Siwertell, Shutterstock, Dreamstime

Printed by: @graphiken, Malmö 2024

We are stronger together

Dear reader,

We are experiencing the impact of a team being greater than the sum of its parts. When we embarked on our merger and the establishment of Bruks Siwertell Group in 2018, our hope was that together, we would complement and strengthen the capabilities of both brands, and grow long-term as a result of that strength, diversifying into markets where we believe that our technology can make a difference.

Our current position meets, and even surpasses, the expectations of that hope six years ago. As a company, we are experiencing fantastic development and financial growth. This would not be possible without three key elements: the trust of our customers; our market-leading products and services; and our team of dedicated personnel. We recognize the importance of each.

We are also investing in major developments to continue our business’ strength and growth. This includes everything from our sustainability work, which is not only our corporate responsibility, but also our social and environmental one, to strategic acquisitions, such as welcoming onboard colleagues, products and services from West Salem Machinery (WSM) in the USA.

Strengthening our wood processing capabilities at a time when the world needs renewable sources is important. Our support of new technologies and industries within the biofuel and energy sectors, for example, demonstrate our commitment to this. Furthermore, our biomass handling equipment for port terminals is at the forefront of helping power generators transition away from coal.

Throughout the issue, you can read more about this, along with updates about our ongoing sustainability work, the unique advantages that our technology offers the alumina industry, operator experiences, and how the leadership in our Bjuv-based business unit is shaped by decades of dedication from a board of directors, who work together as a tremendous team.

Peter Jonsson, Group CEO

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fifty years of market-leading ship unloading

Siwertell ship unloading technology, first introduced to the market in 1974, has revolutionized the dry bulk handling industry, eliminating material spillage, minimizing dust emissions, and continuously setting market-leading capacities. This year, Bruks Siwertell is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

“No other continuous mechanical ship unloading system can discharge dry bulk materials from a vessel faster, and with less environmental impact than a Siwertell ship unloader,” highlights Jonas Fack, President, Bruks Siwertell AB. “It is also the only enclosed ship unloading system that can safely handle biomass and sulfur at very high capacities. This capability is ensuring that operators can make a

sustainable switch from handling coal to renewable energy sources such as biomass.

“As for the future, digitalization will probably provide the most opportunity and present the greatest challenge,” adds Fack. “The industry is very likely to move towards autonomous operation, troubleshooting and maintenance, with the automatic replenishment of spare parts, for example. We are already working towards realizing many of these.”

Siwertell ship unloaders can be delivered as road-mobile, portmobile or large-scale unloading systems with rated capacities of up to 3,000t/h, accommodating vessels up to 230,000 dwt.

Bruks Siwertell Group releases latest annual sustainability report

Bruks Siwertell has released its annual sustainability report, which outlines the Group’s long-term sustainability ambitions, reflects its response to a new European Union (EU) directive, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which came into force in January 2024 for listed companies and January 2025 for unlisted, and also highlights current progress and initiatives.

“We are keeping our goals in plain sight, and have maintained the intensity of our sustainability work this year, including deepening our scope 3 climate calculations,” says Peter Jonsson, CEO, Bruks Siwertell Group. “These now set the base level of the Group’s carbon emissions, and are important for obtaining evidential data about the true impact of our business operations.”

Bruks Siwertell Group’s continued transparency in reporting its sustainability work remains a key commitment. “Transparency in sustainability communication is not just ethical, it is strategic,” says Emily Brækhus Cueva, Director of Marketing Communications, Bruks Siwertell Group. “It builds on our credibility and resilience, setting the stage for longterm success and our ultimate aim to set the sustainability standard for the industries that we serve. We invite our stakeholders to share this journey with us.”

Bruks Siwertell Group’s sustainability report 2023, is available to read at www.bruks-siwertell.com.

New radar-based anti-collision system enables safer, faster dry bulk handling operations

New digital advances, designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of dry bulk handling operations, have been introduced as optional extras for large-scale Siwertell ship unloaders and loaders.

Available for both new and existing equipment, they include a radar-based anti-collision system, which enables supervised, semi-automatic loading and unloading, and a further option of digital hatch visualization. Bruks Siwertell already offers a laser-based anti-collision system, which also has the option for semi-automatic unloading.

“We are developing systems on a continual basis,” says Krister Holmberg, Manager Electrical Systems, Bruks Siwertell. “Digital advances are offering new levels of operational insight, and safety improvements, including the efficiency advantages of being able to run the ship unloader or loader in a semi-automatic mode when our anti-collision systems are in use.”

The radar-based system uses technology from a thirdparty company. It has extensive experience in the development of industrial radar applications and extends this expertise to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by providing interface options.

The use of radar offers some distinct advantages in dry bulk handling. Even in challenging environmental conditions such as dust, fog, and snow, it is able to provide a very effective mechanism for digital image generation, and enables the option for data-generated hatch visualization.

Dry bulk handlers benefit from scalable, next-generation service support

Operators who use Siwertell ship unloaders, ship loaders, conveying systems and terminal operations can now access new, next-generation planned service agreements, which can be customized, tailored and combined to achieve optimal operational and maintenance strategies.

“Customers are at the heart of our business, and a key part of our commitment to them is ensuring that we offer global, through-life support, so that when we are needed, we respond,” says Daniel Frostberg, Service Director, Bruks Siwertell. “This responsiveness is now enhanced through these scalable next-generation agreements; customers benefit from support on their terms.”

Bruks Siwertell’s next-generation service agreements for dry bulk handling equipment comprise seven key areas: inspections; maintenance; remote assistance; Siwertell Smartview; spare parts management; training

and education; and operational management. Within each of these, customers can choose the depth of support that they require.

Operators can benefit from the introduction of remote diagnostics and support within these new agreements. Other digital advances will be available shortly, including remote connection to the equipment’s programmable logic controller (PLC) for easy troubleshooting, and the Internet of things (IIoT) system, Siwertell Smartview, which is planned for phased integration into Siwertell dry bulk handling technology.

RECEIVE, STORE, RECLAIM: SETTING THE STANDARD FOR SUPPLY CHAINS

Offering some of the most efficient truck unloading capabilities and setting the industry standard for cost-effective, high-volume storing and receiving, it is no wonder that Bruks technology is gaining an even greater installation base

THE ROLE OF WOODYARDS is reaching a critical juncture. For a papermill, raw material is the biggest cost, and this is beginning to increase. Power plants have discovered co-firing as an effective way to offset their use of coal, with some switching to biomass entirely. Meanwhile, there is increasing demand for biomass-derived fuels throughout the transport sector; all competing for feedstocks of sustainably sourced processed wood and wood waste.

To do this most effectively, stakeholders in the wood supply chain need to have an understanding of how best to transport, receive and store these raw materials, so they can be used effectively. For example, the long fibers in wood chips are a critical element of the paper and card-making process, allowing thin layers of material to hold together. Fibers degraded by poor handling, or long exposure to the elements, lead to lower-quality end products.

TEXT Ken Upchurch PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell

Bruks Siwertell technology spans wood supply chains to the extent that entire woodyards have been equipped with Bruks products. With a particularly strong presence in North America, from receiving systems to storage and reclaiming, Bruks woodyards are setting the industry standard.

Minimizing truck traffic

Vehicles operating in the mining industries and elsewhere feature hydraulic rams to tip out the contents of their trailer bed at the end of their journey. But having heavy and specialized equipment on board every truck incurs higher operating costs and requires more fuel.

To overcome this challenge, one of the most efficient ways to transport large volumes of free-flowing processed wood and wood waste is by specially designed bulk trucks, sometimes known as chip trucks. Bulk trucks have a box-like trailer with a flap that opens at the back and can be discharged of their contents either by tipping just the trailer, or the entire truck, causing the material to dump out of the back.

Bruks truck dumper systems are relied upon throughout the North American wood products industry, and time and again have proved to be the most efficient and flexible way to transport pellets, hogged fuel, wood chips and other cargoes. All Bruks truck dumpers are designed for a lifespan of around two million cycles, and require minimal maintenance.

Stand-out installations

“With almost 100 installations already in action since their introduction in 2004, the reputation and popularity of our truck dumps are growing,” says Ken Upchurch, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Bruks Siwertell.

“Listening to our customers’ challenges, we have refined our designs to address them. This has delivered some great insights and improvements over the years,” Upchurch continues. “Our systems are now more cost-efficient to install, and faster to operate than ever before, and we also have the option for integrated screen and dust collection options, something not available in many competing systems. All

while delivering the reliability to which Bruks Siwertell customers have become accustomed.

“The optional hopper dust collector system negatively pressurizes the air to capture any dusty material in the receiving area and reintroduce it back into the system for use, ensuring market-leading utilization of the truck’s cargo.

“Dust emissions can be further minimized with specially designed, covered receiving systems that are so well-matched to the tipping platform, that fugitive dust is kept at negligible levels. The covers can be fixed or articulating, depending on what is needed, but any configuration combines to deliver the most sustainable, optimized, safe unloading process,” Upchurch explains.

Just the right angle

Avoiding waste is a crucial first step in the process of ensuring that as much as possible of what is delivered ends up utilized in the facility’s production processes. Bruks truck dumps feature a low-profile design, ensuring that trucks tip their load as close to the ground as possible. This reduces the impact of material flowing out of the truck and landing in the hopper, preventing an impact-cloud of dust. They typically rise to a maximum angle of 63 degrees.

“ Listening to our customers’ challenges has delivered some great improvements over the years

KEN UPCHURCH, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL

Tipping angles are calculated to be the best for voiding the trailer’s contents, while reducing excessive tipping for the truck. Receiving hoppers can be covered on all sides and totally contained, protecting the surrounding environment against potential dust emissions and minimizing any material losses.

Three main solutions

Bruks Siwertell’s range includes three main truck dump solutions: back-on, driver-over, and extended arm truck dumpers; all are designed with safety, reliability and user-friendliness in mind.

In the case of back-on truck dumpers, drivers back their trailers onto the platform, using raised tire guides to keep them in the correct position as the cab reverses. The backing-on, lifting, lowering, closing the back doors, and driving-off is typically completed in under ten minutes.

Slightly faster drive-over truck dumpers allow trucks to drive straight onto the tipping platform in a forward position, requiring no reversing. A hatch opens behind the truck to reveal the receiving hopper inside. This means the process is usually completed in under nine minutes, making the Bruks drive-over truck dump an industry leader in high-volume applications.

Extended arm truck dumpers enable the rapid unloading of free-flowing dry bulk material into an angled receiving hopper, which is tilted and positioned above ground. Raising the elevation this way increases the angle of the truck, preventing material from building up inside the trailer.

Speciality storage and reclaiming

Complementing these truck receiving systems are Bruks Siwertell’s comprehensive range of stacker reclaimers, which, in addition to processed wood, can be used to efficiently store large volumes of multiple dry bulks. With the majority of these systems installed in the US, Bruks Siwertell has built a reputation for automated, cost-efficient, high-volume material storage.

Some bulk material is much more sensitive than others. For example, organic feedstocks, such as wood chips, bark and sawdust, are subject to microbial action and are likely to degrade if not handled properly and generate ‘hot spots’ that make the rest of the pile vulnerable. Again, reducing waste in the wood supply chain is critical, which is why this issue needs to be addressed with effective blending, inventory control and material flows.

Solutions for every application

Bruks Siwertell has been delivering value for decades with its portfolio of stacker reclaimers, including systems that offer a true first-in, first-out (FIFO) profile, which offers significant operational advantages for applications where complete pile blending is essential. Delivering this is the fully automated Bruks circular blending bed stacker reclaimer (CBBSR). These rotate through 360 degrees, receiving materials via one conveyor, and reclaiming them using a harrow at the base of the tower.

Bruks Siwertell has a number of other models of stacker and reclaimers available for different settings. For example, circular overpile stacker reclaimers minimize the space needed to store large volumes of materials by organizing the process into semi-circular pile arrangements, whereas linear overpile portal reclaimers find their best use reclaiming materials from very wide piles or situated inside structures.

Stoker reclaimers provide customers with a cost-effective, robust method of receiving, storing and conveying moderate volumes of virtually any dry bulk material, and are excellent in settings where material is stored in large

Bruks truck dumps have been designed to minimize dust emissions

rectangular bunkers, like coal. Traveling stacker reclaimers offer a high-capacity conveyor-type material handling system that can also accommodate a wide variety of commodities, whilst cantilever chain reclaimers deliver a heavy-duty solution for hard to handle commodities.

Advantages of automation

Automation brings considerable benefits to woodyards. Fully automated stacker reclaimers minimize the number of personnel-hours required for daily operations, delivering significant cost savings. They have a unique design that improves inventory control, as well as maintaining consistent quality, and have a fraction of the carbon footprint of a manually managed pile, with much improved emissions control.

“Industrial processes need to have a steady input of raw materials, which is why inventories of wood chips and other bulk materials are necessary for smoothing out supply chains,” Upchurch says. “We have taken this role to heart with our automated equipment often having a

lower installation cost than competitor systems, whilst minimizing downtime and enabling hassle-free, long service lives. After all, if we can enable our customers to spend less time thinking about their truck receiving, and storage and reclaiming systems, and more time on optimizing profitability and minimizing waste, this is something we take very seriously.”

“ Our systems are now more cost efficient to install, and faster to operate than ever before

KEN UPCHURCH, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL

SHIPMENT QUALITY UNDERPINS ALUMINA TRADE

Waste through spillage and material degradation are costing the bulk alumina industry hundreds of millions of dollars; careful cargo handling with enclosed Siwertell ship unloading technology could offer the booming bulk alumina trade a sustainability lifetime

TEXT Per Hansson and Ola Jeppsson PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell

WHAT DO A PHONE, a plasma television, a lithium-ion battery, and a light-emitting diode (LED) have in common? They all rely on the purest form of alumina to make synthetic sapphire. Essentially, alumina underpins the development of modern technology and its growth.

Global trade in alumina is booming. According to leading strategic market insight company, Precedence Research, the global alumina market size stood at around USD 41 billion in 2022, with around half of that attributed to the Asia Pacific (APAC) market. By the end of 2032, the global alumina market is anticipated to reach around USD 64.59 billion, with the compound growth rate predicted at 4.7 percent during the forecast period 2023 to 2032.

The global drivers behind the dynamic trade in this white crystalline material, aluminum oxide, are many, particularly as there are so many end products that rely on its supply. From the usual domestic and industrial demands including sheet aluminum to food packaging to the less obvious, but critical, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, and LEDs, which all require the highest purity alumina.

No substitutes available

High-purity alumina (HPA) stands at a minimum purity of 99.99 percent, otherwise known as 4N HPA, rising to purities of 5N and 6N. This purity means that it can manufacture the much sought-after material, synthetic sapphire. Currently, there is no substitute for HPA in the manufacture of synthetic sapphire.

The global trade in 4N HPA runs at a different pace. With Global Market Insights estimating the HPA market predicted to grow at a compound growth rate of over 13 percent through to 2032 and its value standing at over USD 1.7 billion in 2022.

In the context of the increasingly digitized world, it is no surprise that this specific alumina trade is almost treble that of bulk alumina in general, and with there being no other raw material alternatives to synthetic sapphire on the horizon, the global trade in alumina shows no signs of slowing.

Too expensive to waste

So where does Bruks Siwertell fit into this picture? Firstly, fines should be considered, the tiny particles

“ A switch to Siwertell ship unloading technology could save the bulk alumina industry a fortune

PER HANSSON, SALES DIRECTOR EMEA & L at A m , BRUKS SIWERTELL

created by degraded materials. Alumina processing is incredibly sensitive to the level of fines in a shipment. Secondly, spillage needs to be scrutinized. All forms of alumina are very expensive, and the higher the level of purity, the higher the cost, no part of a bulk alumina shipment should be wasted through spillage.

If these two elements alone are considered, Bruks Siwertell has estimated that it could save the bulk alumina industry a fortune if it switched to Siwertell ship unloading technology. These savings are applicable if switching from both pneumatics and grab cranes. This is because Siwertell technology addresses the two main points of material degradation and spillage.

Let us look at them in more detail, starting with grab cranes. Because alumina is a high-value dry bulk material, spillage associated with this traditional unloading method costs the industry millions of dollars every year.

Our customers report that, depending on the type of grab crane used for unloading, one to three percent of the entire shipment can be lost during the discharge process from spillage. In contrast, independently-observed tests with Siwertell ship unloaders showed no loss of bulk material. This is because Siwertell ship unloaders offer a totally enclosed conveying line, from the ships’ hold through to the jetty conveying system or awaiting bulk trucks. This ensures no spillage and minimal dust emissions.

Preserving particle sizes

Pneumatics are enclosed, so do not incur spillage, however, they are associated with much higher levels of material degradation, with the ensuing production of powdery fines.

Any reduction in fines throughout the industry has a huge impact on downstream processing of alumina, including the extraction of aluminum from its oxide during the energy-intense process of smelting. The lower the percentage of fines, the lower the temperature required in the smelting process, which dramatically reduces a smelting plant’s energy consumption. Bruks Siwertell estimates that minimizing cargo degradation by using Siwertell screw-type unloaders across the industry would see annual savings into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Feedback from a Siwertell ship unloader customer, comparing its experience with a pneumatic unloader and a Siwertell unloader, notes that alumina discharged with its pneumatic unloader had a fines content, with a particle size of less than 45 µm, of up to five percent. Its Siwertell unloader consistently returns average fines values of between 0.2 and 0.3 percent.

“ The global trade in alumina shows no signs of slowing

PER HANSSON, SALES DIRECTOR EMEA & L at A m

, BRUKS SIWERTELL

This extremely low fines level is the direct result of smooth material flows within the screw conveying system. There are no major forces acting on the particles, which means that they are drawn up from the ship into the conveying system with minimal disturbance and therefore are exposed to minimal particle collisions. This preserves the shipment quality.

Operators already benefiting

Bruks Siwertell has numerous global ship loader references for handling alumina including serving Hydro Alunorte alumina refinery located in the city of Barcarena, state of Pará, Brazil. It is the world’s largest outside China. Bulk alumina is handled by a Siwertell A1800 1 aeroslide ship loader fitted with a cascade chute, loading vessels at a rated capacity of 2,500t/h.

Ship unloading references include a Siwertell 10 000 S next-generation road-mobile unloader for Trímet France, part of Germany-headquartered, Trimet Aluminum SE. It serves the company’s alumina import facilities in France’s largest port, Marseille, which had an intake of around 50,000 metric tons of alumina in 2022.

The road-mobile ship unloader was commissioned in 2021 and discharges shipments of alumina to silos, ready to be sent in rail wagons to a long-established aluminum-producing factory in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, south-east France.

Smooth material flows within the screw conveying system, preserve alumina shipment quality

At the time of commissioning, a spokesperson for Trímet France noted that: “One of the biggest challenges for us has been to reduce the time that a vessel stays at the berth. The faster vessels can be turned around the higher the utilization rate of the jetty, delivering better profitability for the terminal.”

Trímet France’s road-mobile unloader has a designed rated capacity of 130t/h for discharging vessels up to 10,000 dwt. It also features advanced digital capabilities and is fitted with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) device, CompuLab, which provides customers with remote access to extensive monitoring, follow-up support, diagnostics and troubleshooting.

Cost-driven markets

Trímet France leased an older Siwertell road-mobile system prior to it ordering its own. This speaks positively

about the direct benefits that this technology offered one operator. Beyond this, road-mobile systems enable operators to respond dynamically to a market that is heavily cost driven, moving between ports located close to customers and offering discharging options dependent on market drivers.

Siwertell technology offers distinct advantages to the global alumina industry as a whole. Prerequisites for commercial success are proving to be heavily intertwined with managing rising energy costs and environmental impact.

Screw-type ship loaders and unloaders are very cost-effective options for alumina operators looking to tackle both of these issues with a single approach. Their gentle cargo handling, no spillage, and minimal dust emissions, together with market-leading through ship efficiencies, may just prove to be the solution that the alumina industry needs for a sustainable future.

Hydro Alunorte’s alumina refinery is served by a Siwertell A1800 1 aeroslide ship loader

TEAMWORK DRIVES SIWERTELL TECHNOLOGY SUCCESS

Every key area in Bruks Siwertell Group’s Bjuv-based business unit in Sweden, Bruks Siwertell AB, is led by a person that has dedicated years of service to the success of the technology and the company; this year they share their own ‘Siwertell’ stories

TEXT Malin Pekberg PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell

THIS YEAR MARKS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE for Bruks Siwertell Group’s Bjuv-based business unit in Sweden, Bruks Siwertell AB; the birthplace of Siwertell technology. It is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Siwertell ship unloaders and the Siwertell brand.

Few technologies have done as much as Siwertell ship unloaders to transform the dry bulk handling landscape. This is not just in terms of environmental capabilities, such as eliminating spillage and minimizing dust emissions, but extends to setting market-leading throughship efficiencies, which have revolutionized jetty utilization rates, vessel turnarounds and the profitability of port terminals.

There is a lot to be proud of, and none are more so than Bruks Siwertell AB’s nine company directors; each head-up key activities within the business unit, from human resources, technical development, sales, service, and purchasing, to finance, with Jonas Fack, Managing Director and President of Bruks Siwertell AB, overseeing the company as a whole.

Strength of a team

Fack has served the company for over three decades, starting in 1994 as a product manager, and notes how his decision making is informed by many factors. “Military service as a paratrooper taught me the importance of

teamwork; nothing is stronger than the weakest link, and a team’s ability is always larger than the sum of its individuals. A university degree in industrial engineering and management has given me analytical strengths, and competing in individual sports, such as sailing and golf when growing up, has taught me to trust in my own abilities.

“The combination of these gave me a solid platform from which to grow, along with the influence of ‘good’ leaders at the start of my professional career. All have proved their worth when changing screw conveyors in the jungle, unloading ships in the middle of the night, as well as negotiating challenging multimillion-dollar contracts.”

Fack is not alone in his decades of service. At forty years, Katarina Åkesson, Human Resources (HR) Director, is

Bruks Siwertell AB’s longest-serving board member, always seeing its capacity for teamwork and the inspiration of individual people as two of Bruks Siwertell’s greatest assets.

“Although I do not work on the technical side of the business, we all have an understanding of the technology that we offer. We work as a team, and this is no different in the boardroom. It is important that we have different experiences and backgrounds, from engineering, to finance and strategy, so that together we can find the best solution,” says Åkesson.

“ A team’s ability is always larger than the sum of its individuals

JONAS FACK, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT, BRUKS SIWERTELL AB

“As for the future, it is vital for the company that we maintain our high levels of competence with regard to mechanical and electrical engineering, wear parts, as well as in automation and digitalization. Our personnel need to be at the forefront of dry bulk handling technology, so that we can continue to serve the global industry in the decades to come. The right recruitment policies and the wellbeing of our personnel are central to this,” she adds.

Pioneering in new markets

Also noting the company’s pioneering spirit is Jens Lindell-Frantz, Purchasing Director, Bruks Siwertell AB, who started his Bruks Siwertell career as project purchaser in 1993. “We pioneered screw-conveyor unloaders and its key technology, the counter-rotating inlet feeder, which is the basis for an efficient Siwertell ship unloader. Our technology is still the market leader; Siwertell is the original screw-type unloader.

Jonas Andersson, Technical Director Michael Fors, IT Director

Jonas Fack, Managing Director and President, Bruks Siwertell AB

“If I had to highlight three reasons why an operator should invest in Siwertell technology, I would nominate: efficiency, environmental protection and safety,” he continues. “My hope is that we move the industry success that we have had in coal handling to others, and continue to pioneer in more sustainable energy markets, such as biomass handling.”

Knowledge builds confidence

Understanding the nuts-and-bolts of the technology is Per Hansson, Sales Director, Bruks Siwertell AB, who started work within the service department as a key account manager in 2006. He notes that this was a pivotal learning experience.

“Working in the field means that you are continually thrust into numerous, often new, challenges, that

“ A company is nothing without its customers

DANIEL

FROSTBERG, SERVICE DIRECTOR, BRUKS SIWERTELL

provide a spectrum of experiences, which span from triumphant achievements to monumental obstacles, each contributing and building on your individual knowledge and character.

“To take the lead, and make a decision, is all about being confident, whether it is an idea, problem-solving or an emergency situation that requires a split-second decision,” Hansson says. “This confidence comes through experience, listening and discussing, and trust in your colleagues. Decisions are rarely a one-man show, they are based on a collective effort.”

Overseeing some of the company’s largest customer projects during his 33 years working with Siwertell products is Lars Melander, Finance Director and Deputy Managing Director, Bruks Siwertell AB. “More than three decades of working with Siwertell products and the company has shown me the depth of dedication of all our personnel and their wish to achieve the best solution for a customer; we never walk away from challenging situations, we fix any issues that our customers face, and work hard for resolutions. We keep our promises.”

Pivotal commercial success

Also sharing pivotal moments in the company’s history is Jan Karlsson, Sales Director APAC, Bruks Siwertell AB, including the sale and installation of the very first mobile Siwertell unloader in 1991.

“It was an incredibly proud moment for us all to see it up and running. The installation represented the true

Jan Karlsson, Sales Director APAC

Per Hansson, Sales Director EMEA and LatAm

Daniel Frostberg, Service Director

commercial start of our successful range of road-mobile ship unloading technology. I believe that its introduction has been a notable moment in the company’s development.

“Given my long experience with Siwertell technology, I can see how our customers pretty quickly benefit from installing our technology after start up, and those benefits have extended to the communities they serve as well,” says Karlsson.

Promises to deliver

Jonas Andersson, Technical Director, Bruks Siwertell AB, has dedicated his entire working career to screw conveyor technology, and developing advances that promise to deliver operational and efficiency benefits to dry bulk handling customers worldwide. He started working with Siwertell products in 2004.

“The past fifty years has seen significant changes,” notes Andersson. “There has been a large expansion of our product portfolio not only in size and capacity, but also in the development of new types of equipment such as road-mobile and port-mobile ship unloading systems, ship loaders, and terminal equipment.

“I feel that it is important to note that all the mechanical design work is carried out in-house, so we have a real sense of ownership of these developments and enormous pride in seeing their successful application in industry. We have always been a front-runner. I hope that digitalization will help maintain this position and enable us to create even better machines,” says Andersson.

Customers are everything

A company is nothing without its customers. Daniel Frostberg, Service Director, Bruks Siwertell AB, understands the meaning of good customer support, working his way from a purchasing engineer in 1996 to leading the company’s aftersales business.

“The delivery of long-term, through-life equipment support is a humbling experience. Our service business is built on trust and partnerships to ensure lasting stability for our customers. We do this with passion and integrity, and we know that we are nothing without our customers.

“As a company, we feel a collective responsibility for making sure that our technology performs to the best of its potential throughout its service life. I am passionate about ensuring that the Siwertell equipment that we deliver in one decade, continues to meet our customers’ needs in decades to come,” notes Frostberg.

Inspiring new voices

Business leaders not only drive the success of a company, but also preserve its spirit; company directors have often worked their way through various roles, invested their careers into a business, and are crucial for inspiring new personnel and leading with confidence.

More about the stories and legacy of Bruks Siwertell AB and its directors can be found on the Bruks Siwertell website, acknowledging the pivotal roles that so many have played in the success of Siwertell technology.

Jens Lindell-Frantz, Purchasing Director

Katarina Åkesson, HR Director

Lars Melander, Finance Director

A GOAL-FOCUSED SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 2018, Bruks Siwertell Group has adopted a strategic approach to integrating sustainability work into its business and development plans, engaging in an intensive and ambitious goal-focused journey. This includes a roadmap for achieving its 2030 sustainability targets.

The roadmap started with a comprehensive materiality analysis carried out across all global office units, and includes stakeholder dialogues, risk analysis and the analysis of external factors that impact the business.

New regulatory advances

A new European Union (EU) directive, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), came into force at the beginning of 2024. It is designed to modernize and strengthen the rules around the social and environmental information that companies have to divulge, and also requires more companies to regularly publish sustainability reports. Bruks Siwertell welcomes this regulatory advance.

For CERD compliance, an updated GAP analysis has been conducted, and an updated materiality analysis

is being carried out in 2024, with new sustainability targets added if necessary. Materiality analysis work is designed to be educational, increasing the Group’s knowledge of how it both impacts, and is impacted by, the outside world.

Sustainability work in a global context

Bruks Siwertell Group’s sustainability agenda is linked to the United Nation’s collection of 17 interlinked Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to achieve a sustainable future and promote equality, human rights, and justice for all by 2030. Analysis shows that the Group currently contributes to ten of the SDGs.

To help businesses achieve the SDGs, the UN developed the Global Compact, which is an extensive toolbox including platforms, hubs and resources. The Group’s basic responsibility to individuals and the planet is maintained through strategic sustainability work and by supporting and integrating the UN’s Global Compact principles into the Group’s policies and processes. Maintaining a business culture that has integrity and good ethics is a top priority, along with transparency in its sustainability reporting.

Bruks Siwertell Group’s sustainability work is linked to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the Group directly contributes to the highlighted SDG icons above

TEXT Anna Halling PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell, Shutterstock

OUR 2030 AMBITIONS

Bruks Siwertell Group’s sustainability goals and ambitions are assessed from an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) perspective, with each initiative falling into one or more of these categories.

Environmental factors consider an organization’s impact on the environment and the risks and opportunities in relation to it.

Social factors include how an organization performs in relation to its internal and external stakeholders.

Governance factors examine how an organization regulates itself, focusing on internal policies, best practice and legal compliance.

The outcome of our materiality analysis has resulted in challenging but clear focus areas and ambitions for 2030: Bruks Siwertell Group wants to set the sustainability standard for the industries that we serve and with ambitious targets, make a positive impact on surrounding ecosystems.

FOCUS AREAS

» Product development

» Reduce and limit CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions

» Reduce energy use

» Reduce waste

FOCUS AREAS

» Health and safety

» Employee satisfaction

» Diversity and inclusion

FOCUS AREAS

» Anti-corruption

» Supply chain management

» Management systems

MEASURABLE GOALS

» 50% reduction in CO₂ emissions

» 90% circularity of products

» Zero waste in our office units

» 100% renewable energy

MEASURABLE GOALS

» Zero workplace accidents

» 30 eNPS score

» 30% female managers

MEASURABLE GOALS

» 100% of work processes updated and improved

» 100% compliance with Codes of Conduct for both suppliers and customers

Handling the Future is Bruks Siwertell Group’s sustainability commitment logo and communicates its ambitions to drive positive social, environmental, and governance change. Handling is a key word within the company; from ports to industrial settings, Bruks Siwertell technology handles material transfers. Together, the Group’s 2030 sustainability targets, along with collaborations with customers, suppliers, business partners and other stakeholders, aim to shape a sustainable future.

GLOBAL INITIATIVES, MEASURABLE CHANGE: SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS

Environmental gains and enhanced engagement revealed through student collaboration

Novel ways of thinking, student engagement and collaboration are key approaches in sustainable businesses. A Sweden-based collaborative project with Lund University’s student-run consultancy, Lunicore, had two focus areas: firstly, it asked the consultants to look at innovative ways for companies to interact with students; and secondly, it gave access to both the technology and the in-house knowledge bank to allow students to explore new approaches and assess the potential environmental impact of fully implementing a Bruks Siwertell digital industrial internet of things (IIoT) tool, a go-to-market-IIoT project.

The go-to-market-IIoT project involved students working together with Bruks Siwertell, and Lunicore contributing with expert market research and evaluation knowledge. Lunicore had open access to all technical information, and involved Lunicore consultants learning about Siwertell ship unloading and loading equipment for handling dry bulk materials, and visiting a customer site in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“We encouraged the students to openly interact and interview company personnel,” explains Kristoffer Alm, Business Solution Developer,

Bruks Siwertell. “We have always been a company that has given young people opportunities, responsibilities and the possibility to take on new positions and tasks. The ‘new minds’ from Lunicore have shown that it was the right decision to trust this project to a younger generation, giving us opportunity to take this go-to-market-IIoT project further, faster. It also improved our value proposition for new personnel.”

Since 2018, Bruks Siwertell’s IIoT platform has enabled the company to provide remote, expert, customer support, which has significantly reduced service travel. “Significant levels of CO2 could be saved when the system is fully developed, with estimates indicating that travel could be reduced by around 125,000km a year, equating to an annual reduction of 35.5 metric tons of CO2,” Alm adds.

Phased implementation of ISO 14001 environmental management system going to plan

The impact and scale of updating and improving Bruks Siwertell Group’s entire work processes has numerous sustainability benefits, from being able to pass on efficiencies to customers, reducing business costs, and lowering environmental burdens.

Part of this process has been the phased implementation of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 standard, which provides a framework for business to follow, enabling them to introduce an effective environmental management system.

ISO 14001 implementation and certification is designed to offer assurance for personnel, customers and stakeholders, that a company’s environmental impact is being effectively measured and improved.

Bruks Siwertell Group is currently assessing its criteria, certification and pathways to implementation. This includes its Bäckefors, Sweden, business unit, which commenced ISO 14001 introduction in 2023. It will be possible to measure the introduction of this new standard at the end of 2024. However, its implementation is already changing the way the business unit is working.

“Our sustainability targets are included in this ISO standard, which means that, going forward, we should all function and think from a deeper environmental perspective, regardless of whether we work in procurement, design, production or sales,” says Ulf Godtman, Aftersales and Quality Manager, FTG Cranes. “Our hope is to pass on this inspiration and support the adoption of this standard more widely.”

Waste reduction strategies yield positive results

Bruks Siwertell Group has a target to bring the amount of waste generated in its global business units to zero by 2030. A round-up of current waste-reduction strategies from across its units, from offices to factory floors, shows progress, including transitioning to digital office systems, intensifying personnel training, introducing recycling schemes, eliminating single use plastic water bottles, and replacing some work vehicles with allelectric versions.

The global nature of the company and its diverse range of production facilities and offices meant that a decentralized, local approach has been necessary, essentially addressing site-specific waste reduction strategies.

Going forward, continuing education programs for personnel, good collaborations with specialist waste contractors, and the establishment of key performance indicators (KPIs) so that progress is measurable and effective, are high on the agenda.

ANNA HALLING, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, BRUKS SIWERTELL “

Over the coming years, our sustainability journey is full of exciting and focused work

Personnel training embeds sustainability ambitions

Throughout Bruks Siwertell Group, compulsory personnel sustainability training, combining a mixture of theory and discussions, have been carried out. The three-hour interactive, on-site sessions included popular climate tests, and fun competitions around climate knowledge, including measuring an individual’s climate footprint.

“If we are to reach our ambitions, all personnel need to have a basic understanding of sustainability and what it entails,” says Anna Halling, Chief Strategy Officer, Bruks Siwertell. “My hope is that, through these training programs, which indirectly connect to all our sustainability targets, awareness amongst personnel will improve, and we can build on a process where each individual person can think about what they can do differently within their role.”

The sessions provided a platform for sharing knowledge about sustainability and the results are that all personnel who undertook the training now have a base level of climate knowledge and what, why, and how sustainability targets are being used within the company.

“Our hope is that the training will permeate the Group,” notes Halling. “The sessions ensured that participants left with fresh perspectives. Over the course of three hours, we delved deep into the realm of sustainability, transcending the conventional notions of merely environmental concerns.”

All new personnel will continue to receive sustainability training, along with the completion of Group-wide training this year.

ANNA HALLING, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, BRUKS SIWERTELL “

If we are to reach our ambitions, all personnel need to have a basic understanding of sustainability and what it entails

Training ensures that participants leave with a fresh perspective; here Anna Miles, Key Account Manager in Bruks Siwertell’s Atlanta unit, leads a session.

Efficient businesses benefit customers and personnel

A lean approach to business passes efficiency savings onto customers, ensures build consistency and quality, and creates a working environment that increases team productivity and boosts morale. Bruks Siwertell Group’s Bjuv, Sweden, business unit is working towards updating and improving 100 percent of its work processes, shortening lead times, and inspiring other units with best practice strategies.

Customers are looking for shorter delivery schedules, and the company is looking to meet these through improving efficiencies, increasing production capacity, and better margins. “No company is perfectly efficient,” says Jonas Fack, Managing Director and President of Bruks Siwertell AB. “All personnel have a role to play in the future sustainability of our company and in meeting our sustainability targets. We hope to inspire all sites to work in a leaner way.”

Twenty-four plan, do, check, act (PDCA) initiatives were completed in 2023 as well as system applications and products (SAP) development implementation, and work on modularization and standardization strategies. Improvements range from visible, functional aspects such as better lighting, air-conditioning and safety signage, through to the automation of some processes, making it easier to access information and follow up progress though complex quotation progression. They are now being assessed for impact.

BRUKS SIWERTELL GROUP’S MAIN POLICY DOCUMENTS AND BUSINESS GUIDELINES GOVERN HOW IT CONDUCTS A SUSTAINABLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY OF WORKING. THESE INCLUDE:

• Product development

• Anti-corruption policy

• Code of Conduct for personnel

• Code of Conduct for sales representatives

• Code of Conduct for suppliers and partners

• Communications policy

• Drug and alcohol policy

• Environment, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) policy

• Equality policy

• EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy

• Sustainability policy

• Whistleblowing policy

• Work environment policy

SWITCH ON WITH BIOMASS: NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

As part of a global farewell to fossil fuels, port terminals have to be able to handle the increased volumes and mitigate the risks of transitioning to renewable biomass sources; this is not without its challenges, all of which can be overcome with Siwertell technology

TEXT Per Hansson and David Ingvarsson

PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell

THIS IS THE DECADE OF ACTION. Global commitment to alter the course of climate change has never been more urgent. The landscape of energy insecurity against a backdrop of surging demand, is complex, and as commitments to targeted emissions reductions loom ever closer, how are governments meeting them and enabling power generators to plug the fossil fuel gap?

Approaches are multiple, and just one strategy is biomass; sustainable, organic material, specified for energy generation. It is classed as renewable, but sits in a framework of environmental pushes and pulls.

Almost doubled in demand

A decade ago, global appetite for wood pellets stood at around 25.5 million metric tons. Now, according to Hawkins Wright, this grew to around 46 million metric tons in 2023, with Europe still demanding the lion’s share, despite a consecutive two-year contraction, and Asia, and North America showing greater levels of uptake.

It is also big business. Polaris Market Research, estimates that the global wood pellet market was valued at USD 9.58 billion in 2023 and has a predicted compound growth rate of 4.70 percent, with expectations that it will reach USD 14.5 billion by 2032.

The power segment leads wood pellet biomass industry consumption. Polaris Market Research notes that the emergence of renewable energy sectors across all global economies, are among the main factors influencing the market growth, along with the rise in consumption of wood pellets in co-firing applications, where

“ In 2023, the global wood pellet market was valued at USD 9.58 billion and is predicted to grow at 4.70 percent

POLARIS MARKET RESEARCH

both coal and wood biomass are burned. The easy availability and low production cost of agricultural residue and wood waste, predominant sources of wood pellets, are also likely to fuel market growth.

It is not difficult to see why power generators consume the largest quantity of wood pellets; with significantly higher volumes of pellets needed to match the energy output from coal. Furthermore, using preexisting power-generation infrastructures offers substantial cost-saving advantages. Although conversion technology is necessary, a lot of the basics are already in place, and makes good use of it until either a significant other renewable energy resource is found, or there is a breakthrough with the supply gaps of wind and solar.

Value-adding waste

Bruks Siwertell’s aim is to switch to renewable energy sources by 2030, with some units already upgrading to biomass boilers. Beyond this, the company is part of global power

transitions as well, with its ship unloading, ship loading, conveying, and wood-processing technology found at every single juncture within the biomass logistics chain.

Wood biomass pellets are an excellent, value-adding upgrade to wood fractions or agricultural waste. Once in pelletized form, the dense, lowmoisture content pellets deliver very consistent, high-efficiency combustion profiles and enable the pellets to be stored and transported much more easily than in their raw states.

Wood and wood waste is Bruks Siwertell’s largest sector, and this extends to machinery for its processing, and once it is in pelletized form, the company’s dry bulk handling systems are able to overcome some of the significant challenges of its transfer. This includes volume requirements, degradation sensitivity and self-ignition.

The largest global wood pellet exports come from North America; a sector that is estimated to continue

growing, cites the Polaris report. Both Bruks and Siwertell equipment are firmly footed in this region.

Meeting export ambitions

For example, two years ago, a new deep-water marine terminal in a key Mississippi, USA, port was brought online as a shipment hub for wood pellets manufactured in the Gulf region. It was designed to receive dry bulk materials by rail, barge, and truck from a pellet producer’s regional manufacturing plants and store the pellets for export at the terminal in large-capacity domes.

The terminal needed high-capacity ship loading equipment that could meet the operator’s long-term export ambitions and strict environmental requirements for dust emissions, and a conveying system to transfer pellets from the domes to the ship loader.

In 2022, Bruks Siwertell commissioned a B1600 type-five Siwertell ship loader for the port, along with the terminal’s new shore conveying system. The ship loader is ideal for sensitive materials that are likely to degrade, such as fragile wood pellets,

and it was also specially designed to keep dust generation to a minimum. Dust mitigation is achieved with a Cleveland Cascade chute and dust collectors at all transfer points.

The ship loader accommodates Panamax-sized vessels up to around 70,000 dwt, bound for markets in Europe and Asia, and loads wood pellets at a rate of over 1,000t/h.

Transatlantic biomass trade

Meeting these shipments, on the other side of the Atlantic, are several Siwertell ship unloaders. Notable examples are in the UK, Europe’s largest wood pellet importer, taking around a 33 percent share of the total European import market, according to Hawkins Wright, with the Netherlands and Denmark in second and third places at 15 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

Drax Power Station in the UK, once Western Europe’s largest coal-fired power station, has gradually transformed into the UK’s single-largest generator of renewable electricity, and in 2023, it stopped burning coal entirely.

“ Siwertell ship unloaders have clocked up around 100,000 hours of biomass handling

PER HANSSON, SALES DIRECTOR EMEA & L atAm

BRUKS SIWERTELL

,

Wood pellet supply for Drax’s boilers are predominantly US imports, which are unloaded at a number of UK locations including at Associated British Ports’ Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal (IRFT). Since 2014, wood pellet cargoes have been discharged by two rail-mounted ST 790-D Siwertell ship unloaders, which are designed to handle both wood pellets and coal.

In 2016, the Ligna Biomass terminal in Liverpool, UK, came online. Operated by Peel Ports, the terminal can store up to 110,000 metric tons of biomass. Like IRFT, Ligna is equipped with two ST 790-D high-capacity unloaders, which supply Drax power station with up to ten train loads of pellets per day and account for up to 40 percent of the total biomass consumed by Drax each year.

Also in the UK, a Siwertell ship unloader was ordered to support a new 299MW biomass-fueled power plant in Teesside, Middlesbrough. Delivered in 2018, the rail-mounted ST 790-type D Siwertell unloader is located close to the plant, which requires 16,000 metric tons/day of biomass. To ensure minimal dust emissions and no spillage, it is matched to a 272m-long Siwertell jetty conveyor with a movable transfer trolley. The unloader can handle both wood pellets and wood chips at a rated average capacity of around 1,200t/h.

Safety at every stage

The phaseout of coal and helping power stations make the switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources is a key capability of Siwertell ship unloaders. Globally, Siwertell ship unloaders have clocked up around

100,000 operational hours of discharging biomass.

They offer several advantages to port terminals. If a terminal is currently feeding coal to boilers, a Siwertell ship unloader can handle it. If the power generator wants to co-fire, the unloader can handle both coal and biomass, and when ready, the ship unloader can very efficiently discharge pure biomass, in a number of forms, from palm kernels and wood chips to dense, wood pellets.

Siwertell ship unloaders mitigate the self-ignition risk that accompanies all biomass with a unique, integrated safety system, which incorporates detection measures including thermal cameras, temperature and pressure sensors and spark detectors. In the

event of an explosion, fast-acting valve technology prevents it propagating downstream, while emergency discharge, directly to trucks, stops damaged cargo being transported any further.

Inherently careful conveying

With safety assured, operators can discharge materials at high rated through-ship capacities, ensuring that the port terminal is able to keep power-generation fuel lines fed. In addition to these market-leading efficiencies, Siwertell ship unloaders handle bulk biomass carefully, preserving pellet quality, without spillage and dust.

Careful handling is achieved through steady conveying velocities, which

ensure that no major impact or forces are applied to the pellets. This minimizes material degradation to negligible levels and has further advantages as well: it maintains the quality of the shipment, degraded, dusty pellets do not burn with the same consistency; and minimized dust translates into a reduced fire risk and lower environmental impact.

With Siwertell ship unloaders, loaders and conveying systems, Bruks Siwertell is well-placed as a technology provider that can help generate positive global change through renewable energy transitions. They are an excellent choice for handling biomass with respect to the environment, capacity, reliability and safety; numerous operators are already benefiting, and Bruks Siwertell is ready to help more.

Siwertell ship unloaders handle bulk biomass carefully and efficiently, preserving pellet quality without spillage and dust

LOWER COSTS, INCREASED CAPACITIES: RECOMMISSIONED ROADMOBILE UNLOADERS DELIVER ON ALL COUNTS

Bulk cement can now be transported with increased capacity and at lower costs for Oman operator, Pioneer Cement, thanks to two recently recommissioned and renovated Siwertell road-mobile ship unloaders

TEXT Jonas Hansen PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell

“ I am excited to share more about our operational success

SAEED TAGHDISI, TECHNICAL MANAGER, PIONEER CEMENT

HEADQUARTERED IN MUSCAT, OMAN, Pioneer Cement LLC, is among the leading suppliers of construction materials in the region. With dynamic business operations located in Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Turkey, and Tajikistan, its responsiveness to the changing market demands of the cement industry is key.

Noticing the need for greater capacity, but also flexibility, efficiency, and environment-friendly dry bulk handling, Pioneer Cement required a new cement ship unloading solution. This came in the form of a pair of previously-owned Siwertell road-mobile ship unloaders, one 5 000 S and one 10 000 S.

Strategic unloading lowers costs

The road-mobile units offer the company a unique combination of asset agility and market-leading throughship efficiency, and are capable of deploying within an hour of arriving at the quayside. They move between the ports of Suwaiq, Sultan Qaboos, and Sur in Oman, directly

discharging cement to bulk trucks. The longest distance covered is around 350km, between the ports of Suwaiq and Sur.

“Siwertell technology provides several operational advantages for Pioneer Cement,” explains Saeed Taghdisi, Technical Manager, Pioneer Cement. “One of the key benefits lies in its ability to significantly reduce the logistics costs associated with cement unloading.

“With the Siwertell road-mobile unloaders, we have the flexibility to seamlessly relocate them between different ports, optimizing our operations to accommodate varying vessel sizes and the proximity of our customers to these ports. This flexibility allows us to strategically select the most efficient port for delivering cement to specific customers, ultimately leading to a reduction in the product’s final price,” Taghdisi notes.

“The acquisition of the Siwertell ship unloaders aimed to transform the transfer of cement from cement carrier vessels to general cargo ships,” he adds. “Cement carriers have transportation capacity limitations and incur high costs. Thanks to the utilization of these road-mobile unloaders, bulk cement can now be transported with increased capacity and at lower costs.”

Good fit for cruise ports

Regulations at regional, national and international levels rightly seek to ensure more environment-friendly dry bulk transfers, while port-specific requirements for clean and quiet procedures can place direct pressure on operators to improve their environmental performance.

A Siwertell ship unloader is totally enclosed, offering spillage-free dry bulk cargo handling, with virtually no dust creation. They are also quiet, making them ideal for operations in close proximity to residential, business and leisure areas, while their high efficiency makes them market leaders in terms of energy consumption per ton of material handled.

The road-mobile systems are an excellent fit for Pioneer Cement’s port locations. Taghdisi notes the particular benefits of this technology for one specific location. “Sultan Qaboos Port, situated in the Muttrah district near the center of Muscat, is primarily a passenger port

with frequent cruise ship traffic. This poses a unique challenge for dry bulk handling activities, which we were able to address seamlessly.”

Positive early feedback

“I am excited to share more about our operational success,” continues Taghdisi. “With the Siwertell 10 000 S road-mobile unloader, the efficiency and smooth operation of this equipment has been truly remarkable. We have successfully utilized it to unload cement vessels at the Sultan Qaboos Port.”

Pioneer Cement’s process is tailored to the size of the vessels it receives. “For smaller vessels, we utilize the 5 000 S unloader, which efficiently handles the unloading process, and the larger unloader solely handles larger vessels,” he adds.

“We find that the optimal unloading performance of the 5 000 S unloader is when it unloads cement from vessels weighing less than 5,000 tons. Its smaller size makes maneuvering during the unloading process much more convenient,” Taghdisi explains.

“Our cement transportation system is intricately tied to the price of cement in export ports and destinations. To enhance our market presence, we are actively

“ Thanks to these road-mobile unloaders, bulk cement can now be transported with increased capacity and at lower costs

SAEED TAGHDISI, TECHNICAL MANAGER, PIONEER CEMENT

studying the development of new ports in Oman, such as Sohar and Duqm, where high deadweight tonnage (DWT) vessels can unload cement efficiently. In these ports, we anticipate the need for unloaders with higher capacities, such as the 15 000 S, to handle the increased volume effectively.

“Furthermore, we are exploring new opportunities in several other ports in the UAE and Qatar, and foresee potential expansion into African markets in the near future. By leveraging these strategic acquisitions and expansions, we aim to fortify our position in the region and capitalize on emerging opportunities for growth,” highlights Taghdisi.

Running like new

Road-mobile unloaders offer flexibility and efficiency, and along with small footprints, low quayside weights and quality builds, meaning that they retain their value and are prized on the second-hand market.

Pioneer Cement could see this opportunity and made the decision to purchase and recommission the previously-owned units, turning to expert original equipment manufacturer (OEM) input from Bruks Siwertell to ensure that they were operating at peak efficiency.

“When the road-mobile unloaders were initially inspected, I saw that there were some wear parts in need of replacement, as well as a number of other improvements required for long-term operational performance,” says Jonas Hansen, Senior Surveyor, Bruks Siwertell.

For example, one of the systems had been running without the counter-rotating inlet feeder for some months. This is not recommended, as this component optimizes the draw of material into the conveyor for faster, more efficient dry bulk unloading.

“On the 10 000 S, we also found hardened cement inside the inlet and encasing part of the screw conveyor,” says Hansen. “This is not unexpected for a cement unloader

Depending on the

operated over a long interval without maintenance. Fortunately, the crew and I were able to remove the inlet and clean the cement off, restoring it to working order on site without having to order a replacement. We recommend that the bottom bearing is changed for this operation every 300 hours and we actually pushed through about 15kg of grease to clean the top bearing of the inlet.”

Pioneer Cement values proactive equipment service. It is embarking on a regular, thorough maintenance regime to keep the ship unloaders performing well and understands how good service impacts performance. “Thanks to the well-designed Siwertell ship unloader and Pioneer Cement’s rigorous maintenance program, we have achieved a commendable level of efficiency in cement unloading, with minimal dust emissions,” says Taghdisi.

“Additionally, we have invested in new technology from Bruks Siwertell, enabling us to use augmented reality (AR) glasses for maintenance tasks under the supervision

of Siwertell experts at its service center. This ensures the quality of our maintenance work,” he highlights.

Resilient, reliable design

Siwertell ship unloaders are renowned for their marketleading longevity, reliability, low maintenance costs, and replaceable wear parts.

“The robust and heavy-duty design of Siwertell unloaders plays a crucial role in minimizing maintenance costs,” says Taghdisi. “This durability ensures that the unloading systems operate efficiently over an extended period, thereby reducing the need for frequent repairs and maintenance, which can otherwise incur substantial expenses.

“In summary, Siwertell technology not only streamlines our logistical operations, but also contributes to cost savings through its resilient design, ultimately enhancing our competitiveness in the market,” he concludes.

size of the vessel, the Siwertell unloaders are relocated to different ports, optimizing Pioneer Cement’s operations

WE ARE READY FOR THE BIOFUEL REVOLUTION

As the world moves to make better use of its agricultural and forestry wastes, Bruks Siwertell can point the way, offering commercial advantages to emerging biofuel industries with proven wood processing and biomass handling technologies

EVEN IF HUMANITY WOKE UP TOMORROW to find every kilowatt of fossil fuel energy replaced with wind, hydroelectric, solar and nuclear, there would still be work to do. Rever-sing the effects of climate change will be a matter of reducing the CO2 already in the atmosphere, as well as preventing more. Any realistic decarbonization scenario will necessarily include both.

Fortunately, this is possible. Originally, carbon capture was thought of as a way of stripping CO2 from ambient air. But now in the early stages of commercialization, it looks a little different. Power plants want to use the technology to continue providing energy without contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, and are in the process of developing carbon capture, utilization and

storage (CCUS) mechanisms to enable them to do it.

Returning atmospheric carbon

Biochar is one. An interesting new notion, its uses could be various, being chemically and physically identical to charcoal. But one of the most exciting of these is the prospect of

TEXT Ken Upchurch PHOTOS Bruks Siwertell, Dreamstime

using biochar to put carbon back in the ground, burying it as a sequestration mechanism. Plants turn atmospheric carbon into solid mass, hence biomass, which could, in due course, be turned into biochar, and buried, as fossil fuels once were. If this process could be performed using renewable energy, it could be a very efficient way of returning atmospheric carbon to the Earth.

Though various strategies for burying CO2 have emerged recently, including pumping the gas into disused oil wells in the North Sea, burying biochar could be much more straightforward logistically and could solve many environmental problems at once. Biochar can even assist the growth of crops in some climates, though the mechanisms are not yet well understood.

If there is to be a biochar revolution, it need not happen from scratch. This is because Bruks Siwertell has pioneered technologies that are very effective at handling various grades of coal, charcoal, wood, and other forms of biomass. In fact, Bruks Siwertell is able to offer these emerging decarbonizing, biofuel and bioenergy industries decades of expertise by being able to efficiently handle, process, convey, store and reclaim virtually any type of dry bulk; and the largest material that the company handles is wood.

Decarbonizing transport

As a means of reducing emissions, the hard-to-decarbonize shipping industry is making moves toward green e-methanol as a fuel, which will require a bio-based feedstock. Methanol is manufactured by combining hydrogen made with renewable energy,

with a source of carbon – in the case of green methanol, a non-fossil ‘biogenic’ one. This means that biomass would be a feedstock for yet another industry sector, adding additional pressure for stakeholders to make the best possible use of what raw material supply is available.

Indeed, there is a limit to what amount of carbon could be captured and recirculated in this way. There are only so many feedstocks which can truly be considered ‘residual’ from other production processes, and raising production over this level would generate more unnecessary carbon, and defeat the purpose of the exercise, yielding fuel which is just as polluting and more expensive to refine than conventional fossil fuels.

As well, the initiative will only work if the world’s agricultural sector gets involved. Research published by the UK’s Royal Society recently finds that as much as 68 percent of UK agricultural land would have to be devoted to production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), to provide the 12.3 million metric tons of fuel needed by UK airlines alone.

However, investigations are underway in the US, Asia, and in much of Europe, to explore the extent to which biomass might be able to stand in for various fossil fuels. If large amounts of plant biomass can be grown, harvested, and converted into SAF, in a way that does not threaten ancient forests or food production, it would absorb CO2

Peter Jonsson, CEO, Bruks Siwertell Group: the largest material that Bruks Siwertell handles and processes is wood

from the atmosphere while it is grown, and return it when burned, creating a circular carbon economy.

We understand biomass

The largest material that Bruks Siwertell handles and processes is wood. Its equipment portfolio spans every stage of biomass logistics chains, from harvesting through to processing and transportation within global port terminals.

Cellulose fiber, found in plant-based biomass material such as corn stalks, is a mainstay for biofuel production. Bruks wood processing equipment can easily turn to processing, handling and storing these materials. Bruks screening equipment can separate different grades and sizes of wood fractions; debarking systems and butt-flare reducers on cut tree trunks can make use of waste wood and leave products in a prime condition for onward processing; and heavy-duty chipping, and milling and grinding machines, designed to handle tough, valuable raw materials like tree stumps and offcuts, already operate globally.

“ Our equipment is already widely offering benefits to the wood handling and processing supply chain

KEN UPCHURCH, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL

Machinery such as this operates across the processed wood industries from paper mills to particleboard plants. These facilities are very accustomed to making the most of limited raw materials, and using what fractions of wood waste are available.

“Situated at paper mills, sawmills, engineered board plants and biomass pellet manufacturers, our equipment is already widely participating in and offering benefits to the wood handling and processing supply chain,” says Ken Upchurch, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Bruks Siwertell. “Innovation in this area has always been vitally important, but it becomes even more so when what raw material is available is shared between a greater number of stakeholders.”

The next link in the chain

If done right, biochar could take over from many of the applications for which charcoal is used today. But, as well, Bruks Siwertell has been supporting the transition away from using coal at power plants, instead using biomass pellets.

At facilities around the world, Bruks wood processing equipment is used both in biomass plant production

processes and in the biomass supply chain. Systems such as the Tubulator™ and The Belt Conveyor™ are used to carry biomass pellets from one part of the manufacturing plant to another. “These air-supported conveying systems offer huge advantages to the biomass sector,” continues Upchurch. “They eliminate rollers, which not only ensures minimal material degradation, but they are very cost-effective operationally and dramatically reduce maintenance costs in comparison to idler belt conveyors.”

In the port, biomass expertise continues with both ship unloading and loading systems ideally placed for handling delicate volatile cargoes such as biomass. To date, Siwertell ship unloaders have clocked-up around 100,000 hours of safely unloading biomass in ports.

“These systems are just one of a number of ways Bruks Siwertell has adapted to new bulk cargoes that have come to prominence as a result of the green shift,” says Upchurch. “We have been on this journey for some time, and we already know the particulars of handling biomass and wood. The message with respect to these emerging industries is clear: we are ready and we can handle it.”

Siwertell ship unloaders can discharge biomass safely and efficiently

OUR PEOPLE Taylor Polacheck

DESIGN ENGINEER, BRUKS SIWERTELL

Joining the company as a design engineer three years ago, 26-year-old Taylor Polacheck works for Bruks Siwertell’s Alpharetta, Georgia, USA, business unit and praises its career opportunities; she was also nominated as its 2023 Employee of the Year

AS A DESIGN ENGINEER , I create intricate three-dimensional (3D) models and drawings for fabrication and procurement using advanced computer-aided design (CAD) technology, especially SolidWorks. For the past three years I have worked on Bruks Siwertell’s equipment lines, particularly focusing on stacker reclaimers and ship loaders.

These are great pieces of equipment and what makes our products stand out is their versatility. Every project is a unique puzzle, with different locations, design parameters, and materials to tackle. It keeps things interesting. We never build the same machine twice, but this wide range of experiences gives our team a strong foundation to take on new challenges.

Growing responsibilities

Lately, I have taken on more project coordination responsibilities, tracking team progress and ensuring they have everything they need to complete drawings in a timely manner. I have discovered that one of the best aspects of working here is the people. I interact daily with colleagues of all ages and experiences, with mostly

technical backgrounds. Whether in the office or out visiting project sites, there is always something new to learn. I have really enjoyed learning from our site team.

At least some CAD experience is a great start when working in our office. But equally important are qualities like a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and strong communication skills, even if you are not entirely comfortable navigating the software at first.

Projects coming to life

For me, the real thrill is in seeing our projects come to life. You can work with models and drawings all day, but nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing your creation in action, out in the world. It completely changes your perspective.

I like to work somewhere where there is always the opportunity to try something new and this is possible here; there are always new opportunities. If you want to pursue designing our multiple product lines, you can have that opportunity.

If you want to dip your toes into project management or sales, you can do that and if you want to take on management responsibilities, you can do that too. There are many types of employment opportunities here. You can craft your career path to best suit your passions and interests. Many of our staff work in a more blended position. It is truly up to you. The world is your oyster with Bruks Siwertell.

ABOUT BRUKS SIWERTELL

Bruks Siwertell is a market-leading supplier of dry bulk handling and wood processing systems. With thousands of installations worldwide, our machines handle your raw materials from forests, fields, quarries and mines, maintaining critical supply lines for manufacturers, mills, power plants and ports.

We design, produce and deliver systems for ship loading, ship unloading, conveying, and storing and reclaiming dry bulk materials, alongside equipment for bale processing, shredding, chipping, composting, screening, milling and grinding, and recycling and processing wood and agricultural waste for the biofuel, bioenergy, panelboard, sawmill, pulp and paper and forestry industries.

We are global and local. You will find our main offices in Europe, Asia and North America, supported by a dedicated network of hundreds of representatives and dealers worldwide.

An extensive global service team offers support to all Bruks Siwertell customers whenever and wherever it is needed.

SHIP UNLOADING · SHIP LOADING · STORAGE & RECLAIMING TRUCK UNLOADING · CONVEYING · CHIPPING · SCREENING GRINDING & MILLING · WOOD WASTE RECYCLING WOOD RESIDUE, BALE & COMPOST PROCESSING FORESTRY HARVESTING & TRANSPORTATION

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