More than a storage silo, a pilot tool for precision seed work.

In line with its development of numerous very specific quality sectors, the Vendée cooperative needed to go even further in grain processing technology.

It therefore set up an internal work team, supplemented by the Cérès Solutions design office for the design of this new project.

The Herbergement site, initially planned to house a new traditional storage silo, has therefore seen its vocation evolve to become a high-technology grain center.

Following a call for tenders, CERES GROUPE under the DURAND MANUTENTION entity won the contract for the “mechanical equipment” lot.

The major constraint of the project was to be able to fit all the machines and circuits necessary for the requirements of sorting without any impurities, into a space that was not initially planned for.

All the experience of our design engineers was necessary to implement the various equipment in a more than full grain processing tower: flat cleaner, densimetric table, optical sorter, brush sharpener.

The numerous exchanges of load descent plans and pipe layouts with the civil engineering and sheet pile silo companies also working on this site allowed for a proper interweaving of the whole and a limited timeframe for the completion of the site.

The CERES group's industrial organization then deployed its strengths and expertise by manufacturing the handling and dust removal equipment, as well as installing them on site, also integrating the sorting machines chosen by the project owner.

All this in a relatively short time, as CAVAC only allowed 12 months between the awarding of orders to the various companies and the commissioning of the silo.

This new silo, available for the 2021 summer campaign, was then able to be tested with many very different seeds: Peas, flax, rye, multi-species wheat/fava bean crops, etc.

The tool initially designed to meet the needs of millers is now a real pilot tool for the development of various agricultural sectors.

Laurent GATINEAU

Business engineer