Case Study - Opico

The dryer is supplied as standard with a grain cleaner to remove weed seeds and broken grains, improving the hectolitre weight of the crop whilst drying.

Once loaded into the dryer, the grain is constantly re-circulated at a rate of 60 tonnes per hour whilst being dried, this ensures that the grain is dried consistently and evenly throughout the batch. The low 270rpm of the main Auger means that the grain is handled gently at all times minimising damage.

Crop damage is further minimised thanks to the fuel provided by Calor. LPG offers precise moisture control and even heat ensuring crops are dried evenly and to the required moisture content. Using LPG to power the dryer also means that the grain is not tainted in any way as it does not leave a residue which oil can be prone to do.

Graham says: “The dryer is very easy to use with accessible controls and we are able to test the moisture levels of the grain at any time using the built in grain sampler. We simply take a reading of the grain’s moisture content prior to loading and can monitor the dried grain moisture levels at any time. Unloading the grain once it has reached the required level of around 15 per cent moisture is very simple.”

“We hook the dryer up to a tractor, making it very easy to move between sites which minimises any potential disruption”

Gary Battisson of Calor advised Graham on the purchase of the dryer and the installation of the three 2,000 litre tanks at each site. Gary advises “Calor offers the largest LPG delivery network in thecountry and the comparative rental cost for the tank covers regular maintenance checks, a 24 hour, 365 day emergency call out service and visual inspections every time the tank is refilled, giving customers
complete peace of mind.”

“We worked together with Graham and his team at the farm to arrange a delivery schedule that would meet their needs and keep up with the fuel demand.”

As one of Britain’s largest independent agricultural machinery distributors, Opico offers nearly 40 years experience and knowledge. The comprehensive range of grain dryers has proven to be the most reliable and efficient way of drying grain year after year and this success has made Opico a household name for many farms.

Graham concludes: “Once we had identified the need for the dryer, we had a very short amount of time to install the gas tanks and get the dryer up and running. Calor reacted efficiently and swiftly to our requests and enabled us to have the dryer operational within our required timescales.”

“Our first season of grain drying has been a huge success thanks to Calor and Opico and has enabled us to dry more than 4,000 tonnes of grain.”

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