“Grain procurement and logistics begin with making the investment decision at the right location and they are evaluated together with proper equipment having proper management order. After this; acceptance, processing and storage of products are the last important steps before reaching the customer. The most important step in forming the right supply chain goes through the usage of proper logistic method and instruments so that processed and stored products can be delivered to proper places in a healthy way.”

Sadık TÜFEKÇİ - Eurasia Region Sales Manager, PETKUS Technologie GmbH

The decrease in arable land, the increase in population and the consumption demand thereupon have increased the pressure on food products. Growing demand for food products requires increased productivity in decreasing arable land. The use of high-tech and high-quality equipment has become an important need to ensure that products reach the end-user in the shortest time and in a healthy manner. Together with this, grain production and storage will become healthy with the selection of facility location, equipment selection based on this location, logistic ease and right operation and management.

Selection of right investment location Proximity between concentrated regions of arable land and land of the facility is closely related to the selection of right location. The closer the facility and the production area are, the higher the initial logistical convenience will be. This selection is the most important factor in production procurement, production cost, fixed expenses and in related to this productivity and profitability. As silo facility is a long-term investment decision, it will be very difficult and costly to change this location. The facility location should be decided in line with the targeted level of production and forecasted demand. In this sense, the location decision should be deemed as a long-term strategic decision and it should be decided studiously.

Equipment Selection In grain screening and storage systems, the selection of right equipment plays a crucial role. Since the harvest season is short, grain should be collected within the shortest time and analyzed, processed and stored. For this reason, the most important questions in grain storage systems are time, flexibility, reliability and practicality. Even the raw material to be used for silo systems should be selected depending on the location. For example, galvanized sheet steel should be used with appropriate galvanized sheet steel together with suitable galvanized sheet steel in areas close to the sea since the resistance of the galvanized sheet to seawater alone is low and seawater has a high risk of increasing corrosion.

The other important point in equipment selection is that the facility should allow flexible operation. For example, the facility should allow the acceptance of two different grains, production procurement and truck unloading at the same time. In addition to the right equipment selection, the supplier should have quick and good service network, easy spare parts supply, ease of maintenance, and automation.

Logistical Means Logistics means should be at the highest level in the location where the facility is located. These means are customer proximity, supplier proximity, and proximity to customs points for import-export operations. If the geographical location of the facility is close to targeted countries for export, that will make it easier to export and to lower cost of transportation and other logistical expenses; thus this is an important decision that may create advantages.

Proper Operation In addition to right location, equipment and logistic means, it is also important to use and manage the equipment in a proper way. Within this scope, the following points should be taken into account: • Proper use of human and material resources, • Transfer of know-how to the work and operation, • Productive use of time is essential for efficient and productive operation.

Improvement work carried out with proper operation will increase productivity. This will allow the facility to work in an economical way. This will bring profitability with it. Putting a quick and proper system into practice for the operation part of the whole business is as important as the proper operation of the machine mechanism.

Grain procurement and logistics begin with making the investment decision at the right location and they are evaluated together with proper equipment having proper management order. After this, acceptance, processing and storage of products are the last important steps before reaching the customer. The most important step in forming the right supply chain goes through the usage of proper logistic method and instruments so that processed and stored products can be delivered to proper places in a healthy way.