Cover Story: Sioux Steel Company
Sioux Steel Company has spent nearly a century focused on providing value to their customers. What started as a dream to start a steel corrugating business has grown into the only fourth-generation, family-owned company that manufacturers grain storage solutions throughout the world.
Founded in 1918, Sioux Steel manufactured steel ductwork for local construction projects. In the 1920’s, the construction-focused company began manufacturing hog feeders, stock tanks, barn ventilators, and grain storage bins for the agricultural industry .
In the 1930’s, Sioux Steel began to push the limits of their products to fit what they saw the future of farming becoming. The 500 bushel grain bins grew to 10,000 bushel grain bins. And over the next 20 years, Sioux Steel expanded their infrastructure to accommodate the larger product lines.
Faced with grain embargos, high interest rates and poor crops in the 1980’s, Sioux Steel continued to thrive through the expansion of diversified product lines such as tractor loaders and a variety of livestock equipment.
Throughout their 97 year history, Sioux Steel has always held the ideals of integrity, honesty and the highest-quality products as their number one priority.
SAFEST IN THE INDUSTRY
Daay Bin Paddle Sweep
The Daay Bin Paddle Sweep is the #1 safest bin sweep in the industry.
The Daay Bin Paddle Sweep is an augerless system that requires zero entry into the bin while the sweep is working. The rubber paddles help to eliminate the labor intensive process of sweeping the remaining grain that an auger-based sweep would typically leave behind.
The Daay Bin Paddle Sweep can be manufactured to fit bins between 15’ and 105’ in diameter. Working in single or multiple passes, the single segmented tire allows the sweep to slow down when covered in grain and then dig back into the pile after it has unburied itself from a grain avalanche.
The Daay Bin Paddle Sweep has an inclined pivot section allowing the grain to flow to the sump no matter if it is offset of center or not. Pivot kits are available for both a new install or to retrofit an existing power sweep reclaim system.
The United States Patent and Trademark Appeal Board has upheld a patent owned by Sioux Steel Co. for its Daay Bin Paddle Sweep and its revolutionary advance in worker safety, Sioux Steel recently announced.
The decision comes after a three-year legal battle in which Sioux Steel defended its patent as the pioneer of bin sweep technology. Sioux Steel spent several years developing the revolutionary Daay Bin Sweep and its paddle technology for safely clearing grain from bins, replacing traditional auger sweeps that have maimed and killed countless agriculture workers.
WHAT’S NEW: HIGH-VOLUME SWEEPS
Using the latest technology, Sioux Steel has developed new commercial grade bin sweeps to add to their current product line. As with their entire line of bin sweeps, Sioux Steel has designed them for safety – an operator can start the system and walk away. They virtually take care of themselves.
The EXTRAC Dual Paddle Sweep is currently available. The latest sweep, the Eclipse 45-12—will be available for purchase in 2016.
EXTRAC
The EXTRAC Dual Paddle Sweep is a high capacity, minimal entry grain bin unload with dual paddle sweeps. At maximum capacity, the EXTRAC can unload 5,500 to 11,000 bushels per hour in a bin up to 105’ in diameter.
The EXTRAC sweep is unique because of the independently rotating sweeps that use position-sensing technology to more effectively clean the grain bin. If one sweep is ahead or behind slightly, the other will momentarily shutoff and restart when aligned with the other sweep again.
Like the other Sioux Steel bin sweeps, the EXTRAC is designed to be completely submersed in grain and continue to operate at normal rates.
ECLIPSE 45-12
The Eclipse 45-12 bin sweep is the newest edition to the original family of Grain Paddle Sweeps. It incorporates an array of new technologies, both mechanical and electrical, including a unique 45 degree paddle chain design with an aggressive paddle that allows for better engagement into the grain pile. This architecture also allows for direct ground support to the floor down the center line of the grain sweep. The Eclipse sweep has up to 12,000 bushels per hour capacity and is manufactured for bins from 60’ to 105’ in diameter.
The industry-leading Eclipse Bin Sweep design allows the end user to unload their grain bin in a safer and more efficient manner. With this sweep, the introduction of the new Ambit Controller is being launched. The Ambit Controller is a remote/mobile communication system that is integrated with the onboard sensor logic system. With this new technology and innovation, users have the ability to run their grain sweep remotely, using their smart phones or iPads.
TRIED & TRUE
Farm Storage Grain Bins
Having the opportunity to store grain on your farm allows you to better market your crops when the price is right. To meet your on-farm storage needs, Sioux Steel has a line for farm storage grain bins that will stand up to the snow and winds of the north. Sioux Steel stands behind their farm storage grain bins with a 10-year warranty, the longest in the industry, which comes standard on every bin.
The farm storage grain bins are built with the tough G115 galvanized steel and roof peak load ratings up to 10,000 lbs. and 4” corrugation on wall sheets to reduce friction load on the sidewalls. This allows grain to flow easily down bin walls with less resistance.
Sioux Steel farm bins are built to withstand 64 lb/bu grain loads. This exceeds the ASABE industry standards for corn (56 lb/bu), wheat (60 lb/bu), and soybeans (60 lb/bu) weights. Each bin is designed for free flowing grain densities up to 51 lb/ft3 or 55 lb/ft3 including compaction. The typical corn densities are approximately 45 lb/ft3.
The Farm Grain Systems have a variety of accessories available including:
- Ladder and Cage System
- Solid, Tieless Walk-In Doors
- LJI Floor Support System
- Bin Unloads
- Grain Gauge
- Fans
COMMERCIAL STORAGE GRAIN BINS
If you have a commercial storage grain bin in your operation currently, you will understand the importance of durability, longevity, and strength.
Sioux Steel commercial storage grain bins feature G115 galvanized steel, the industries strongest stiffener splices, two to three stiffeners per sidewall sheet, and roofs with peak load ratings of up to 50,000 lbs.
Safety is a major concern when dealing with large commercial bins. Sioux Steel has met this challenge head-on with a lifeline anchor point at the peak of the roof as well as at the man-way in all commercial bins. Another safety concern is when the grain needs to be removed. This is why Sioux Steel made the Daay Bin Paddle Sweep available for installation in grain bins from 15’ to 105’ in size.
Over the years the test weights for grains have increased due to advances in hybrids and genetics. Just as farmers must plan for their future storage needs, so does Sioux Steel when they design grain storage units.
Sioux Steel is the first and only grain bin manufacturer to offer a line of commercial bins that can accommodate grains weighing up to 70 lb/bushel. This innovative thinking is why more and more producers are choosing Sioux Steel grain bins to store their grain as the weights increase year after year.
As with the smaller Sioux Farm Storage Grain Bins, all Commercial Bins come with a 10-year warranty—the longest in the industry.
PRO•TEC BUILDINGS
Are you looking to add a multi-purpose building to your operation? Would you like natural lighting, superior ventilation, simplified installation, minimal maintenance, and lower project costs? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you need to take a look at Pro•Tec Buildings, a division of Sioux Steel Company.
Pro•Tec Buildings are ideal for livestock shelters, grain storage, equipment storage, hay storage, vehicle maintenance and more.
The Sentry Series or Single Tube Buildings can be built with widths up to 180 feet and customizable lengths. These buildings are easily relocated and can be expanded at any time.
LIVESTOCK SOLUTIONS
During the last 97 years, Sioux Steel has intuitively expanded its products to continue to grow with the agricultural industry. The growth of the livestock division of Sioux Steel Company is another shining example of the drive to innovate.
Sioux Steel offers a wide variety of livestock equipment including the strongest cattle working equipment, including: squeeze chutes, tubs, and alleys. Sioux Steel is also known for hay feeders, mineral feeders, and the industry celebrated livestock gates.
Sioux Steel has five gates that come with Lifetime Guarantees at no additional cost. This is a truly unheard of feature.
These include the:
- 2” Victory
- 2” Victory Tall
- 2” Hi Country Heavy Duty
- 2” Hi Country Cattleman’s
- 2” Hi Country Super Six
Sioux Steel gates are made from 50,000 psi, high-tensile structural steel tubing, premium powder coat paint, Z-Bar vertical beam (4’ and 6’ gates) and a “Twist-a-lock” latch & chain.
CONTACT INFORMATION
To learn more about Sioux Steel and their products, go to www.siouxsteel.com or call (800) 557-4689.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook – www.facebook.com/siouxsteel
Twitter – www.twitter.com/siouxsteel
YouTube – www.youtube.com/siouxsteel
