Whether on the farm or in grain marketing and merchandising, keeping stored grain protected and conditioned is vital to getting the most return from your harvest receipts. For elevators, integrators and ethanol processors, the goal is to get as much grain as possible at harvest time, as it’s the most cost-effective time to purchase.
“For most end users, the question becomes how do I maintain the quality and integrity of the bushels I have so I can utilize them during the peak months,” said Rob Yarborough, Director of Commercial Sales at GSI. “They think of it from a pricing standpoint to control their own costs and also keep it in condition to maximize or improve feed conversions and other use efficiencies.”
But sometimes, even well-stored grain can see damage when water gets inside through traditionally designed joints and seals. The experts at GSI are elevating grain bin construction design to make this problem a thing of the past.
What is EVO 2XTM?
In 2021, GSI rolled out its EVO System. Engineered from the small details out, EVO 2X defends your grain from the elements, maximizing strength and efficiency through fewer connection points, ensuring the outside stays out and profit potential is secured inside. The design focuses on the weakest points of the bin that are most likely to leak, eliminating half the vertical seams and doubling the length of each sheet of steel.
- Optimized bolt pattern for fewer bolts and fewer holes
The EVO System uses metric bolts in a staggered design. The metric bolts provide more bearing capacity, allowing GSI to use fewer to construct the bin. Fewer bolts mean fewer opportunities for water to enter the bin and create a vector for mold or pathogens. - Tougher hardware with 4x corrosion protection
The EVO System uses NZF-2000 zinc-coated hardware that provides 4x better corrosion resistance. The NZF coating is applied without heat, reducing the chances of a bolt becoming brittle and the potential for failure. - Water-tight seals
The EVO System has conical washers on sidewall bolts to improve how the washer seals out water when tightened.
The EVO 2X commercial bin is available in widths from 90 to 156 feet in diameter. Better overall optimization means there’s less need for steel overlap on the larger bins, often making for a faster, more efficient build.
EVO 2X in Action
“One of the first customers to take advantage of the EVO2X system was a normal co-op in Central Illinois,” said Greg Trame, Director of Technology Sales for GSI. “When they emptied their older bins, it was common for them to find crusted grain along their bolt seams, where water had leaked in. When they unloaded their EVO2X bins for the first time, there wasn’t crusted grain stuck to the wall anywhere.”
With this realization, the point had been made for this and other co-ops already using the EVO system. The EVO2X bins are almost guaranteed not to leak, thanks to a combination of three elements explicitly designed to stop the elements from getting inside the bin where they aren’t wanted – the alignment of the laminated sheets, the removal of extra, unnecessary holes in the assembly and washers that seal off the bolt holes from the outside.
A key benefit for many delivery points is that when the bins see fewer moisture issues, they require less cleaning and maintenance – avoiding the added labor issues many elevators and other end users face.
While other bins need a complicated, precise construction process to promise no leaks, GSI’s construction is more forgiving, making getting the best bins to protect your most important investment easier and faster.
Would the EVO System from GSI be right for you and your operation?
Contact your local GSI dealer for more info, or visit here for more information and bin specs.
