As part of an ongoing expansion and upgrading programme of various UK sites within the Crisp Malting Group, T H WHITE Projects has been heavily involved in the construction of a new speciality malt processing, storage and packing plant at the client’s head office and maltings in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk.

The speciality malt plant is the first in the UK to be built on a commercial scale. It includes a fully automated milling, cleaning and packing line focused on the growing craft brewing industry sector. Since its commissioning in 2018 the technology-led system solution has now been operating successfully for 12-months, achieving its production expectations.

An excellent business relationship between Crisp Maltings and T H WHITE Projects resulting from many successful projects together enabled a joint approach to the design and development of the overall scheme within some stringent site location planning conditions. The result has been the construction of two dedicated, purpose-built structures to house the malt processing and packaging equipment, plus a large silo block of 24 x 30t finished product malt storage bins, 6 x analysis bins, 4 x malt buffer bins and 2 x 30t bulk vehicle out-loading silos.

The bulk materials handling system enables the malted barley to be conveyed gently and transferred at 40tph from the existing malt production facility by means of a series of elevated belt conveyors on specially designed bridge gantries and connecting structural towers across the site and into the new block of 24 x finished product storage bins. These can also be fed directly from a new 60tph rated bulk intake arrangement. 

From beneath the bins further conveying equipment transfers the malted barley at a rate of 25tph into the new packing hall where the finished material is automatically cleaned, weighed and packed into its designated containers and bags ready for palletising, shrink wrapping and warehouse storage in readiness for the market. There is also the option to utilise a 10tph malt mill within the numerous speciality malts available.

The new packing hall has been provided with a specially designed mezzanine floor to accommodate the new processing equipment which gives safe and comfortable access for operational staff.

The filling and packing of bags is handled on the fully automated line which can crush, clean, weigh and bag 20 tonnes of malt per hour into 25kg bags – a speed approximately three times faster than the conventional manual filling and stitching method commonly used.

Key factors in the design of the whole system solution have been cleanliness,  maintaining minimal material degradation and cross-contamination during the process, as well as ensuring safe access for site maintenance personnel to the various items of plant and machinery, the whole scheme being fully compliant with ATEX requirements. 

In production, the high-tech speciality malt processing & packing plant is operated and monitored via a fully automated, integrated PLC control system, ensuring that the process solution generated by T H WHITE Projects in close conjunction with the client fulfils its operational expectations and market demands.

T H WHITE Projects specialises in cereal processing & storage solutions of all sizes, from small farm installations to large commercial/industrial bulk facilities, taking each project from conception to completion. If you have a scheme you would like to talk about, please do contact us on 01380 723040 or email projects@thwhite.co.uk