Cargill’s E-Crane Off to Flying Start

The Cargill Fertilizer facility at Port Cargill in Savage, MN, needed to reduce operating costs and increase the volume handled by its barge off-loading operation. A conventional cable crane and rope operated bucket had been the off-loading method at the facility for years, but increasing safety concerns, repair costs and poor reliability made it clear that a change was needed. Ricky Carlson, North American operations and engineering manager of Cargill Fertilizer explained, &#8220;The E-Crane is a key piece of equipment in the improvement of our Port Cargill facility. This crane combined with a planned upgrade for the hopper and conveyors will substantially improve the productivity of Port Cargill.&#8221; Lisa Brickey, terminal superintendent said, &#8220;The E-Crane design is perfect for an operation such as ours. Its efficient operation is a major step to increasing our volume.&#8221; The E-Crane is mounted on a freestanding pedestal and has 81 ft. (24.69 m) of outreach. It was commissioned in September 2000 at Port Cargill, located on the Minnesota River, which flows into the nearby Mississippi River. It is the seventh E-Crane installation on the U.S. inland waterways. For more information, call 800/235-8351.