Plant boosts efficiency
New $2.4m facility is installed
THE installation of a new $2.4 million custom seed processing plant in Toowoomba has been completed in what is hailed as a major project to facilitate growing demand from customers.
Toowoomba-based company Pacific Seeds’ new plant combines multiple cuttingedge mechanisms expected to increase seed processing capacity by 30 per cent, and significantly improve seed cleaning and treatment across a range of crops.
Processing and warehousing manager Angus Rathie said the design of the plant, on Alderley St in Harristown, had been in the works since 2018, with Pacific Seeds working with German-based firm PETKUS and GrainTech Engineering.
“The initial concept plans for the plant were based around having a portable commercial sized colour sorter available for cleaning our seed so that we could move around from silo to silo,” Mr Rathie said.
“As we developed the idea with GrainTech, we realised that we could get two birds with one stone by combining those plans with additional upgrades to the seed cleaning shed and amplify our overall cleaning and treatment activity.
“Once we had the design refined and approved, we had to be very strategic with how the new plant installation was scheduled as we had to manoeuvrer construction activity amid our ongoing agricultural activity.”
Mr Rathie said the plant meant significant benefits for customers and growers as it allowed for a more efficient cleaning and treating processes, resulting in a high-grade product.
Pacific Seeds marketing manager Andrew Short said the timing of the new plant installation was ideal.
“We’re currently harvesting forage sorghum, grain sorghum and corn in Kununurra, so this will be the first seed to be processed with the new equipment,” he said.
Due to the smaller winter crop in Queensland and northern NSW, a larger fallow area could mean increased demand for summer crops.