MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
As each case is specific, VIGAN is helping its customers
making the right choice of equipment. It is important to
ensure that the machine selected is the most appropriate for
the job to be done, which is generally a rather complex
matter.
As a matter of example, to unload up to five million
tonnes of seeds per year,VIGAN usually recommends the use
of one or two pneumatic ship unloaders on a gantry. For
higher unloading rates,VIGAN recommends a mix between
NIV and SIMPORTER (mechanical ship unloader). In this
case, the pneumatic ship-unloader would be dedicated to
also assist in the cleaning of ship holds, which is the least
efficient phase during the unloading of seeds.
The main advantages of the pneumatic unloaders are
efficiency, reliability and cost-effectiveness. Indeed, the
pneumatic systems offer:
- most efficient cleaning of the vessel or barge hold;
- low energy consumption (0.7kW/h per tonne unloaded),
thanks to the direct drive of VIGAN high pressure multi-
stage centrifugal turbo blower(s) and its frequency
inverter steering;
- very low breakage/damage of the products;
- no spillage thanks to its totally closed design;
- no dust: filter with sleeves and automatic self-cleaning; and
v low noise thanks to acoustic insulation.
NIV 600 AS VIGAN STANDARD
In order to adapt its equipment to market trends,VIGAN has
evolved year by year to design, manufacture and erect
equipment of higher capacities. The VIGAN ‘NIV 600’
pneumatic ship-unloader, first designed in 2000, has now
become the standard, representing on average 60% of NIV-
type pneumatic ship-unloaders sold by VIGAN over the last
five years.
BIGGER AND BIGGER CAPACITIES
VIGAN continuously invests in R&D and larger
manufacturing facilities to offer handling equipment in line
with the market demand. The company namely invests in the
design of even higher capacity equipment, like 800tph
pneumatic ship-unloaders. In order to serve its customers
better and to be prepared for the future,VIGAN is expanding
its manufacturing facility in Nivelles, with a major extension
of an even larger pre-assembly hall.
VIGAN is convinced that pre-assembly of all ship-
unloaders in its factory guarantees quality and shortens
erection time locally, thereby cutting expenses to the
minimum.