New Competitor In Blue Silo Market

New Competitor In Blue Silo Market CROP STORAGE Silos (50) 5-1-29 There's a new competitor in the glass-fused-to-steel "blue silo" market. Midwest Silo Inc., Boscobel, Wis. the first silo builder to offer both concrete stave silos and glass lined steel silos, is competing for a share of the market, currently dominated by the A.O. Smith Harvestore Co. of Arlington Heights, Ill. Midwest's glass-lined silos, colored midnight blue, will be offered in 15, 21, 24 and 27 ft. dia. and at heights up to 95 ft. They are for grain storage primarily but forage can also be stored if an unloader is chosen that will handle it. To date, four Midwest glass-lined steel silos have been erected in Wisconsin where the company is based. A branch office in Shelbyville, Ind., will also offer glass-lined steel silos this spring. "The reason we decided to go with steel is that it has proven to be very successful and popular," Earl Wickern, president of Midwest Silos, told FARM SHOW. "We've had concrete stave silos for years. Our customers have expressed an interest in both steel and concrete so we're offering both." Wickern says Midwest's glasslined steel silos will be competitive with Harvestores both in performance and price. "We're offering the newest and best in glass-fused-tosteel structures," he emphasizes. The new steel silos feature bottom unloading with a choice of five models of Laidig or Supreme unloaders. Midwest is using the same "breather bag" principle as the Harvestore and Sealstore structures, according to Wickern. He adds that Midwest hopes to be able to offer large, above-ground glass and steel manure tanks later this year but those plans aren't yet finalized. For more details, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Earl Wickern, Midwest Silos, Boscobel, Wis. 53805 (ph 608 375-4250).

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