CBH confirms completion of Brookton expansion project, adding 127,000 tonnes of permanent storage

CBH has completed its Brookton expansion project, adding a total of 127,000 tonnes of permanent storage.

The expansion site, which is situated next to the original site, includes four new open bulkheads, an unattended weighbridge and 500 tonnes-per-hour inloading equipment to service open bulkheads.

CBH released a statement on Tuesday confirming the completion of the project, which was originally scheduled for 2020 until COVID-19 forced delays.

A particularly wet winter caused further delays this year.

The works allow the expansion site to be fully functional by itself, but there have also been improvements to the original site.

The height of three open bulkheads at the original site were increased from 1.2m to 1.8m, adding 13,000 tonnes of storage.

“Brookton is a key site for this part of the State, primarily because it is connected to the narrow-gauge rail system,” CBH area 12 manager Richard Williams said.

“Our aim is to get growers in and out as quickly as possible but also get grain out during those high demand shipping periods at the start of the calendar year.”

Valmec completed the bulk of the expansion works after it was awarded the contract earlier this year.In total, the upgrades have added 127,000 tonnes of permanent storage.

“The program of work involved installing key infrastructure such as an unattended weighbridge, grain storages, conveyors inloading and optimising site traffic flow,” Mr Williams said.

“This work aims to improve how quickly we can receive deliveries plus meet the demands at harvest as the pace and size of the crop increases.”

Brookton was one of three major expansion projects for CBH this year, along with Hyden and Dale, which added a combined 270,000 tonnes of permanent storage.