The good news was that overall, 2009 appears to have been measured by a gradual increase in serious inquiries as the year matured, rather than orders signed and readying for delivery. And the major manufacturers have largely been able to resist layoffs and plant closures, knowing “that this too will pass” when it comes to the current world economic challenges. Some even admit to being short of engineers and other trained professionals. The big guns of the bulk handling segment – names such as industry pioneer ThyssenKrupp Fordertechnik of Germany, Japan’s IHI Transport Machinery Co., China’s ZPMC, Germany’s FAM Group, Tenova Takraf or Italy, and Doosan of Korea usually keep contract details close to the vest at the best of times. In a time of worldwide economic meltdown they are reluctant to talk at all for fear of discouraging would-be customers once the recovery gains steam or tipping off their rivals on contract leads. Some companies such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan have simply opted out of the business and no longer make the bucket-type CSUs. Others like Doosan in Korea admit tenders were scarce around the world in 2009 for the CSUs as would-be customers awaited a rebound of the world economy. Doosan gained no new CSU contracts last year, but was still busy on orders signed in 2008 before the global economy went into a tailspin. Thankfully, there was sustained work from a steady order book for POSCO of Korea with some projects at the installation stage.
Better 2010
Doosan’s Eric Kim, Overseas Marketing Manager, doubts that the market has actually diminished and says that as the environmentally friendly characteristics of CSUs over such alternatives as grab cranes are better understood demand will pick up. He expects more contract successes for Doosan to come in 2010. This feeling is shared at IHI Transport Machinery Co in Japan where Masao Akamatsu, General Manager, Overseas Sales Department, expects some movement in the iron ore industry in 2010 for the bucket-type continuous shipunloaders. IHI lays claim to being “the leading supplier in the world of continuous shipunloaders for bulk materials” and has its eye on the steel industry. Thanks to growth in four straight months of gains year-over-year in the steel industry to the end of 2009 by the world’s 66 leading crude steel producers, Akamatsu also expects some buyer interest there and his company has been actively promoting itself to the major producers, highlighting the technical merit and other features of IHI CSUs. “I think the continuous shipunloader will fill a more important role because of environmental issues as it is less polluting of the air, sea and land,” adds Akamatsu. “Such aspects are going to be crucial factors in many countries.” IHI has delivered the world’s largest continuous shipunloader with a capacity of 4,000 tonnes per hour and working in the ironstone sector. As well as its belt-type CSU, IHI also offer pneumatic unloaders for various food and feed materials such as soybeans, wheat grains and corns. Meanwhile, there’s no doubting the value of continuous shipunloaders over grab cranes. Some see CSUs as “probably the most important innovation in bulk material handling technology of the last years” because of the ability to offer a constant handling rate in a more environmentally friendly manner. And CSU capacity is continually increasing say Carlo Ferreti and Luca Bruzzone in a background paper for Techint Italimpianti material handling systems. The only limitation they and others note are the more complicated mechanics needed to keep the CSUs running.
Contract successes
Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Fordertechnik (TKF) has been among the leading designers and manufacturers of bulk handling equipment for many years and Dr Wei Ye, Vice President, Sales, says it has an excellent track record when it comes to continuous ship and barge unloaders. That reputation helped secure a contract for two CSUs installed on a coal dock of the Jimah Power Plant in Malaysia back in 2007. To date, TKF lists over 50 continuous ship and barge unloaders with sales to countries such as Korea, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, USA, Great Britain, Spain, Germany and the sale to Malaysia over the past 30 years. In an order secured in 2008 and commissioned late in 2009, TKF supplied a CSU to the Nansha Power Plant in the Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Province. With a maximum unloading capacity of 1,500 tph, the continuous shipunloader channels coal to the nearby power plant stockyard. The order came on the heels of a two-CSU deal to two other Guangdong power plants in 2007 – Shanwei and Huilai. The four CSUs had a rating of up to 1,800 tph and were designed to handle vessels up to about 100,000 deadweight tonnes. And as a tribute to TKF’s reputation, there was a follow-up order in November 2009 for a third and even higher capacity CSU at the Huilai power plant. Capable of unloading at 2,300 to 2,500 tph from vessels up to 150,000 tonnes, the latest CSU is expected to be in operation by June 2011 and will then be the largest CSU unloading coal in all of China. For Dr Ye, the contracts underscore the increasing confidence buyers have in TKF’s advanced technology, first-class technical service and ability to facilitate large-scale projects, and extensive worldwide experience. He also noted a “good relationship with TKF’s Chinese partners for manufacturing and erection.”
Guarantees
Italian manufacturer Tenova Takraf doesn’t freely share contract successes, but is prepared to offer guarantees for its CSUs. It takes some of the doubts away for would-be users by guaranteeing maximum operating safety; coupled with easy manoevuring; reduction of maintenance; improved wear reduction; better efficiency; maximum use of standardised components; and reduced dust and noise pollution. A specialised bucket elevator operates with different length and configurations in the hold guaranteeing a “high degree of safety for the ship unloader” while reducing the use of auxiliary machines for the final cleaning of the hold. Tenova’s CSU design also features a patented articulated digging foot which can modify its geometrical configuration to give it the best bucket filling while allowing it to reach the outer walls of the hold to remove residual material. This can allow the unloading of about 85% of the bulk material before a pay loader is needed. The FAM Group lists successful sales of five of its Conti CSUs, one in Holland and four in Germany. The Dutch port has a huge continuous shipunloader capable of servicing vessels up to 180,000 dwt at unloading coal at rates of up to 3,000 tph. The four CSUs in Germany power plants also handle coal but from much smaller vessels – 2,500 to 5,000 dwt – at rates from 1,100 to 1,300 tph. And in the fall of 2009, the Shanghai-based ZPMC (Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery) commissioned a five CSU order gained in 2008 for Hyundai Steel of Korea. The CSUs were rated from 1,600 to 3,500 tph moving coal and iron ore.
Barge unloaders
In North America, where the economic recession is lingering on and the once-mighty dollar remains volatile, CSU fortunes are not so kind. “We have had a couple of serious inquiries,” says Harry Edelman, Executive Vice President of Heyl & Patterson in Pittsburg PA. “But, we just don’t sell a lot of this type of equipment.”H&P is better known for its barge unloading systems and other bulk handling equipment such as rail car dumpers. The company’s continuous barge unloader is designed for US-style barges which handle coal, lime, limestone, petroleum coke, ore, woodchips, grains and other similar materials. The equipment can unload at rates up to 5,000 tph and H&P claims it can outperform rival barge unloaders by maintaining a much higher average offloading rate, while requiring less horsepower than pneumatic unloading systems. Edelman adds that not every buyer needs the top capacity rating and most fit the 3,500 tph range. Thanks to modular construction the continuous barg
e unloaders can be quickly installed. Dust collection units are becoming an increasingly important option. And another big name in bulk handling equipment, Metso is among the 25 or so active makers of continuous barge unloaders competing in North America for the vast river barge traffic. Metso claims its CSUs feature a cleaner, less polluting operation with lower maintenance costs and power consumption, which combine to provide excellent overall unloading rates up to 5,000 tph that allow faster barge and ship turnaround. For companies struggling to keep current equipment operational until the economy improves and the purse strings are eased, Metso offers 37 different upgrades to existing barge unloaders ranging from a new cab with better visibility, more space and improved layout to remote troubleshooting from its Pittsburgh office via modem of unloaders equipped with PLC controllers.