Cargill, Argentina installs two 1500 Series E-Cranes

Cargill operates worldwide and has several plants in Argentina. The Cargill PGG ( Puerto Gobernador Galvez ) Plant is located about 10 KM south of Rosario, Provincia de Santa Fe. This plant processes soya bean oil form Soya beans via milling and solvent extraction. The Cargill plant adjacent to PGG processes all other types or grains and ships them worldwide.

Cargill PGG decided to update their logistics system and install a barge handling system in addition to their receiving docks fro trucks and Rail. This makes it the only plant in Argentina that has 3 different modes to receive grains. This adds flexibility to the logistics chain and reduces logistics dependency for Cargill PGG.
The decision to add a barge handling and offloading system was driven in part by the increased use of the “Hidrovia”, a combination of the Paraguay and Paraná River system, which allows for barge traffic from Corumba, Brazil all the way to Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
The Hidrovia opened new markets for soybean farmers and processors in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, offering a low cost logistics alternative to transport the grains to the processor, as well as low cost transportation for other commodities, such as iron ore for Rio Tinto and others.
The corn is loaded by the E-Cranes into hoppers and then the conveyor system moves the corn into the tower and the scale room. For there it can be directed to the plant or loaded directly into ships.
Cargill purchases soybeans from Paraguay and / or the Cargill “Diamante” Plant located about 100 Km north of Rosario. Cargill PGG can receive Corn as well as soybeans at this dock.
Soybeans are offloaded the same way, but are strictly for in-plant processing.
Cargill purchased a competitor’s Crane for their sister facility in xxx Argentina, but opted to install two, series 1500, model 10290-B at this facility to take advantage of new markets, an alternative shipping mode and it’s economic benefits.
The Cranes were installed in June/July of 2008 and commissioned in October, in order to accommodate Cargill’s dock build schedule.
We congratulate Ing. Jorge Pawlow, Ing. Paul Blanche, Lic.Raul Masnu, Ing. Gustavo Ramirez and all the other people involved in this project for this courageous decision and we will do everything possible to assure that the 2 E-Cranes meet or exceed Cargill’s expectations.
In addition we wish to extend the most cordial welcome to Paul Blanche and his family and wish him a warm welcome to the USA and hope he will have very positive experiences during his 3 years with Cargill in Minneapolis.
Also our sincerest thanks to the invaluable assistance from Balpego’s “Indio” crew during the installation of the 2 E-Cranes!
Source: J. Hoffmann , E-Crane International USA