Growers to see benefit of bin upgrade

Grain growers are expected to benefit from an additional 80,000 tonnes of storage at CBH's Gairdner receival site this harvest after a $17-million facility upgrade was opened on Tuesday.

The upgrade comes just weeks ahead of the start of what has been tipped to be a bumper harvest for growers in the region.

CBH Albany Zone assistant manager Mark Pinney said the improved facilities would increase the speed farmers will be able to get their grain into the bin and the amount stored on-site.

"The Gairdner site first opened in 1966 and had a storage capacity of 22,000 tonnes and could in-load at about 200 tonnes per hour," he said.

"It now holds 257,000 tonnes and has the capacity to in-load at 2600 tonnes per hour ... that is a marked increase for deliveries this harvest."

The upgrade took two years to complete and includes four 20,000 tonne circular cells, fed by two discharge grids which operate at 500 tonnes per hour.

"That effectively gives us an extra 80,000 tonnes storage space for Gairdner," Mr Tinney said.

"There are also two new 160-tonne weigh bridges, one in and one out, where previous to that we were at 100-tonne bridges."

The upgrade was prompted by increase deliveries to the site in recent years.

The first grain deliveries for the season are expected by the end of this month.