In the last four months of 2006 the MacGREGOR Group part of the Cargotec Corporation received orders for six Siwertell dry bulk cargo handling systems, two of which will be manufactured in China and the others in Europe. Four will be installed at terminals in the USA, China, Nigeria and Greece, while the destinations of the other two have yet to be announced. The range of bulk cargoes handled encompasses grain, alumina, coal, cement and limestone.
Alumina
One of these orders represents a breakthrough for the company into a new medium: alumina handling for the aluminium production industry. The client is increasing its alumina production capacity and therefore needs additional loading capabilities, which MacGREGOR can supply, said Jonas Fack, sales director at MacGREGOR Bulk.

MacGREGOR will supply a Siwertell ship loader for loading alumina at a rated capacity of 2,000 tonnes/hour to Panamax-size ships. The contract also calls for MacGREGOR to supervise the assembly and commissioning of the system. The Siwertell will be built in Europe and delivered in April 2008.

MacGREGOR was chosen for the contract because Siwertell is a highly efficient, cost-effective loading system and is also environmentally friendly, because it is a totally enclosed conveying system, which therefore limits the amount of cargo dust released into the air, Mr Fack said.
Cement
To meet a client demands for increasing its cement handling capacity and logistics, MacGREGOR is supplying a cement unloader and conveying system to a terminal at an as yet undisclosed location. The Siwertell ship unloader will have a rated capacity of 900 tonnes/hour from Panamax-size ships, and will be built in China. The system will be delivered in October 2007, and the contract also calls for MacGREGOR to supervise assembly and commissioning.

For Greek operation, MacGREGOR will deliver a Siwertell 700-L continuous screw-type loader for loading cement at a rated capacity of 800 tonnes/hour to Panamax-size ships for Titan Cement. This order maintains the company position as a leader in supplying continuous, efficient and environmentally friendly loaders for dusty and difficult materials, Mr Fack said. The system will be built in Europe and delivered in August 2007.
Grain
For US company Southern Star Shipping, for operation by Nigerian Flour Mills in Nigeria, MacGREGOR will supply a Siwertell ship unloader for unloading grain at a rated capacity of 600 tonnes/hour from ships of up to 70,000 dwt. The Siwertell 490-M continuous screw type ship unloader will be delivered in October 2007.

The client is increasing wheat import to its flour mill and the new unloader is replacing old inefficient pneumatic units. The company already uses a Siwertell unloader on the same jetty for its cement import operation, which it is very satisfied with. Common technology and spare parts also played a role in the order, Mr Fack said.

Coal
In December 2007 MacGREGOR will on a turn key basis supply a Siwertell 640-M continuous screw type ship unloader to Formosa Plastic Corporation, Taiwan for the Ningbu Plant in China.
It will be used to unload coal at a rated capacity of 1,000 tonnes/hour from 50,000 dwt ships. The contract also calls for MacGREGOR to supervise the assembly and commissioning of the system, and spare parts.

This contract is a continuation of the excellent co-operation with FPC, one of the largest corporations in the world. It is increasing coal intake to a power plant and therefore needs highly efficient unloading equipment. Moreover, we have a record of supplying five unloaders for their Mai Liao Plant in Taiwan with great success, Mr Fack said.
Another breakthrough for MacGREGOR is its contract for a Siwertell 790-D continuous screw type ship unloader to discharge coal for Mirant Mid-Atlantic LLC, which will be delivered in July next year. This order together with an order for a limestone/gypsum unloader/loader in 2005 are significant for our breakthrough in the US coal- and limestone-handling markets, he highlighted. We are strong in cement-handling in the US, but have historically not been quite so successful in other segments, which is why this is significant.

The company requires the new system because it is changing from supplying coal to its power plant by railway, to supplying it by 20,000 dwt barges instead. The new system has a rated capacity of 1,530 tonnes/hour from 20,000 dwt barges. MacGREGOR will also supervise the assembly and commissioning of the system, and be responsible for spare parts.

[ends]

For further information please contact:
Jonas Fack, Sales Director, MacGREGOR Bulk (AB)
Tel: (+46) 42-858 05 Fax: (+46) 42 858 99
E-mail: jonas.fack@macgregor-group.com

or

MacGREGOR Group press office:
Mr Steve Labdon, MacGREGOR Group Media Representative
Tel: +44 (0)20 8364 1441 Fax: +44 (0)20 8364 1331
E-mail: steve.labdon@j-l-a.com

Editors notes:
Siwertell continuous screw-type unloaders
The first Siwertell ship unloader based on screw technology was supplied in 1974, and since then more than 275 sets have been supplied worldwide or are on order.
With a totally enclosed conveying line, the Siwertell unloader ensures environment-friendly operation. It is suitable for a wide range of dry bulk cargoes such as cement, coal, grain, derivatives, fertilisers and minerals. An advantage is that one unloader unit can be used for different materials such as cement, fertilisers and grain.

Various unloader types are delivered depending on the size of ship that the unit is intended for, the commodities and annual volumes to be handled, and the capacities required.

Advantages of the Siwertell continuous screw-type unloader system include:

Proven and reliable continuous unloading technology: Siwertell ship unloaders have been delivered for more than 30 years, and some customers have bought as many as 12 units.

Low impact on the environment: The conveying line is totally enclosed, therefore very little dust is generated when bulk is picked up in the ship's hold. Noise levels are low, which is important as many Siwertell machines operate close to densely populated areas.

Cost competitive unloading system: With its low weight due to its unique design, and its well proven technology, competitive prices as standard can be offered. The low weight also reduces the investment costs for the jetty when such facilities need to be built or reinforced.

Simple and robust design with few moving parts and high accessibility: No specially designed tools are needed for maintenance.

High capacity throughput: The Siwertell unit provides fast efficient loading and unloading capacities throughout the ship. Approximately 75 % of the rated capacity is normally the effective capacity when unloading bulk ships. This compares with a typical grab unloader for example, where the effective capacity is around 50 % of rated capacity.

Less damage to the ship: The small profile and the well-controlled movements of the Siwertell machine, ensure that there are no claims for ship damages.

Sensitive goods handling: The Siwertell handles fragile goods like rice and urea with great care, and several tests, controlled by independent surveyors such as SGS, corroborate this.

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