System Cost: Benefit Analysis

OPIsystems can provide you with an effective grain quality management solution for mere pennies per bushel. The attached Cost per Bushel chart ** provides a general indication of cost for the 3 levels of StorMax, StormaxPro.Gima and StorMaxPro.Gimac systems. Simply match the total bushels of you storage facility to the level of system to come up with a cost in "cents per bushel".

Cents per bushel a good way to think about payback on investment. For mere pennies per bushel, the StorMax handheld system can help improve your storage management by providing information as to grain health, as well as to help make decisions as to when and how long to manually operate fans fort the best possible storage condition. That said, the big savings come from automated control. As a result, the following example is based on the StorMaxPro.Gimac system,

• StorMaxPro.Gimac system for a 200,000 bushel facility approximately 10 cents per bushel.
• 200,000 bushels * 10 cents/bushel works out to a one time investment cost of $20,000.
• An amortization period of 4 years would equate to an annual cost of $5,000 or 2.5 cents/bushel.
• Electrical savings from 70% reduction in fan runtime with automation compared to manual operation = 2 cents / bushel per year (see Aeration Management Article for more detailed description as to how electrical savings can be realized with the system).
• Better fan management will also result in a reduction in shrink, which at 1% moisture content gain on grain valued at $3.00/bushel = 3 cents/bushel per year (See Aeration Modeling program in Grain Quality Management section).
• Combined total savings on electrical efficiency at 2 cents and shrink reduction at 3 cents = 5 cents per bushel per year.
• A 5 cent savings on a 2.5 cent annual cost means that the system will more than pay for itself through the initial 4 year amortization period, after which time you will enjoy the savings every year, for free!

In addition to electrical savings and moisture control, there are a number of other ways that StorMax and StorMaxPro can help to improve your bottom line: These include;

• Optimization of grain quality
• Elimination of spoilage
• Fumigation reduction,
• Labor savings
• Reduced wear and maintenance on grain conditioning equipment.