A storage silo is a very specialized part of any long term storage system. The silo’s design and construction are determined by what it will store. Different substances such as food, chemicals, petroleum products, sewage and metal ores can all be part of a silo storage system. It's even possible to refit a silo to store a different type of product, although wet silos are difficult to convert to dry and vice versa.

Most companies make a wide variety of silos for many different applications. When shopping around, try to settle on a company that makes all the different silo storage options your company will require. It will save time and effort just dealing with one or two suppliers. Keep the following in mind when looking at silos:

1. Long-term silo storage is available for many kinds of dry and wet goods.

2. Specialized silos are required for certain goods.

3. Planning, both before and after building, will save time and headaches.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use bulk silo storage for all your long-term storage needs

Nearly anything, liquid or solid, can be stored in a silo. Choosing a single company with several storage options is often the best in the long run.

I recommend: Foremost Machine Builders and Bulk Process Equipment make a variety of both wet and dry silos. Bulk Process Equipment also offers a variety of conversions and additions to their standard silo tanks.

Find specialized silo storage for animal feed and dairy products

The two most common varieties of silo storage, animal feed and dairy, require specialized equipment. With the regulations on these industries tightening every year, specialized equipment is vital to staying ahead of the competition.

I recommend: Mueller offers a specialized dairy tank that meets or exceeds every FDA requirement on the books. It also has several design features that make it easier to operate and maintain than other dairy tanks. Harvestore makes a specialized steel storage silo designed for animal feed. They are leaders in storage silo design as their proprietary construction technique makes them easy to expand or move.

Decide what kind of silo storage equipment is right for your company and maintain your investment

Knowing the exact size and shape of the silo you need before pricing out systems can help in the beginning. Maintaining your storage silo over the years will reduce costs and problems in the future.

I recommend: At StorageSilos, you will find an easy to use capacity calculator for many types of wet and dry silo storage tanks. For inspection and repairs of silos in use, visit San-Con Industries. They handle all kinds of jobs from the superficial to the urgent.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always spend a little time each year looking over your silos. Small grooves on the interior or inconsequential looking cracks on the exterior of a cement storage silo can quickly amount to a big problem. If you see anything strange, contact an inspector or your dealer to find out if you need to repair.