Projects

Each project on this page encapsulates our commitment to innovation, precision, and excellence in the grain handling industry. These highlighted projects are just a glimpse into the extensive list of systems we’ve expertly installed over the years. At Skyway Grain Systems, these featured projects are a testament to our expertise and dedication to transforming challenges into successful grain handling solutions.

Forquith Holdings

In the summer of 2023, Skyway Grain Systems built a truck receiving system with a capacity of 14,300 BPH for Forquith Holdings near Legal, Alberta. This system features a curved incline drag conveyor from RAD Equipment and a 42″ Head Pulley bucket elevator from Lambton Conveyor. The bucket elevator is utilized to fill three Westeel 10,000-bushel hopper tanks, which are connected to the farm’s grain drying operation.

Cedar Brook Farms

In 2016, the development of Cedar Brook Farms’ storage and drying system was initiated by Skyway Grain Systems, incorporating the Lambton Conveyor 10,000 BPH truck receiving and main bucket elevator to fill four 55,000-bushel flat-bottom bins. In 2020, the project progressed to its second phase, introducing the Model 2414 Sukup Mixed Flow Grain Dryer. During this stage, two Sukup Heavy Duty Commercial 15,750-bushel hopper tanks were integrated to handle the wet grain surge preceding the dryer, along with an additional pair for managing dry grain surge behind the dryer, along with the conveyance infrastructure connecting them and leading back to flat storage…

In 2022, the facility saw its most recent improvement with the incorporation of a 72,000 bushel Model 4812 Sukup Flat Bottom bin. This bin is seamlessly connected to loading, unloading, and receiving grain that has gone through the grain dryer.

V.M. Moran Farms

In the summer of 2023, VM Moran Farms undertook a substantial investment in a 10,000 BPH grain handling system. This system combines the 12″ Lambton Loop drag conveyor and 12″ Lambton Cannon Drag Conveyors. Its operations include filling, blending, and reclaiming to and from the main truck scale located at the south end.

Baytree Colony – Baytree, AB

The main component in the system is the 12” x 10,000 BPH Commercial Hutchinson Grain Pump loop drag chain conveyor. The key to this commercial Grain Pump Loop is that it is designed with double 81XHH chain which allows for a much longer Grain Pump system design than the standard 12” Hutchinson Grain Pump which only has one strand of 81XHH chain. The double chain allows the designer to put larger HP drives on, which means a longer line of bins and more bushel capacity under one line. This Loop drag chain conveyor is installed on a slant where the top run goes across the top of the Meridian 1620 loadout bin…

above the truck loading/unloading driveway, the 4 Sukup 2707 hoppers used for wet surge, the five Sukup Model 5409 flats and the three Sukup Model 4809 flats.

The other two Sukup 2707 hopper tanks are positioned above the bottom run of the loop and all of the Springland U-Trough/sweep bin unloaders in the 5409’s and 4809’s unload directly into the bottom run of the loop. So if a truck comes in from harvest with wet grain that needs to be run through the dryer it will drive onto the driveway ramp over the bottom run of the Hutchinson Grain Pump Loop, unload into the truck receiving hopper, from there the Grain Pump elevates and conveys horizontally the grain at 10,000 BPH into one of the four Sukup 2707 wet surge hopper tanks. The wet surge hopper tanks are unloaded through the Sukup 16”x17” curved incline drag conveyor to the 12” Lambton Grain Cannon drag which takes it to the top of the Sukup 2414 Mixed flow dryer.

The Mixed flow dryer has a 10’ extension on its unload drag conveyor so that it reaches out and drops dry grain directly into the boot hopper of the Sukup dry grain bucket elevator – this Sukup bucket elevator lifts the grain up and drops it into one of two Sukup 2707 hoppers (dry surge hoppers) – when these two Sukup 2707 Hoppers are full of dry grain they empty directly into the bottom run of the loop chain conveyor which allows the operator to move the dry grain at 10,000 BPH into any of the bins in the system. When a truck comes in from harvest with dry grain it also unloads into the truck receiving hopper and from there the grain is elevated and conveyed to any storage bin in the system.

The 4 Sukup Model 3610 bins were positioned off to the side of the main line because the allowable HP was maxed out. An extra top discharge gate was installed on the Grain Pump in order to allow the operator to unload a truck through the Grain Pump up and along the top to this extra top discharge gate where it discharged into a 12” Lambton Grain Cannon drag conveyor over to the line of 4 Sukup 3610 flats off to the south side of the main line. Another 12” Lambton Cannon drag is used to distribute the grain to any one of the 4 Sukup 3610’s (at 10,000 BPH). Skyway’s crews started construction at the beginning of June 2019 and the system was commissioned and in full operation by September 17, 2019.

Tri-M Farms – Bon Accord, AB

Skyway Grain Systems was very pleased to be awarded the chance to build this magnificent grain handling and storage facility for Murray Mulligan and his family at Tri M Farms just north of Edmonton at Bon Accord, Alberta. The system was constructed starting in May of 2019 and was commissioned for full operation by the end of August 2019.

The main component in the system is the 12” x 10,000 Bushel Per Hour (BPH) Lambton Heavy Duty Loop drag chain conveyor system. This Lambton Loop chain conveyor is equipped with two 60 HP drive corners which allows Tri M Farms to expand this loop line sometime in the

future by two Sukup Model 4810 flat bottom bins ((62,523 Bushel each).

This Loop drag chain conveyor is installed on a slant where the top run goes across the top of the Meridian 1820 loadout bin above the truck loading/unloading driveway, the one Meridian Model 1435 wet surge hopper, the two Sukup 2109 wet surge hoppers, and the three Sukup Model 3611 flat bottom bins. The other two Sukup 2109 hopper tanks and the Meridian Model 1420 hopper tank are positioned above the bottom run of the loop and all of the Springland U-Trough/sweep bin unloaders in the Sukup 3610 flat bottom bins unload directly into the bottom run of the loop.

When a truck comes in from harvest with wet grain that needs to be run through the dryer it will drive onto the driveway ramp over the bottom run of the Lambton Grain Loop conveyor where it is unloaded into the truck receiving hopper on the loop conveyor, from there the loop conveyor elevates and conveys the grain at 10,000 BPH into one of the two Sukup 2109 or Merdian 1435 wet surge hopper tanks. The wet surge hopper tanks are unloaded through Lambton 17”x14” curved incline drags to a Lambton 13” x 11” drag which transfers the grain over to the wet grain Lambton Bucket elevator, which takes it to the top of the Neco D24210 Mixed flow dryer.

The 13”x11” drag conveyor that feeds the wet bucket elevator also can drop grain to the bottom run of the Lambton Loop chain conveyor as it passes over top of it, plus at the head discharge of this conveyor there is a two way valve so that grain can not only be discharged into the wet grain bucket elevator it can also be dropped into the dry grain bucket elevator to bypass the dryer if need be (this allows the operator to fill the dry surge hopper tanks without going through the grain dryer). The grain dryer has an extension on its unload drag conveyor so that it reaches out and drops dry grain directly into the boot hopper of the Lambton dry grain bucket elevator.

This Lambton bucket elevator lifts the grain up and drops it into one of two Sukup 2109 hoppers or the Meridian 1420 hopper tank (dry surge hoppers). When these three dry surge hopper tanks are full of dry grain, they empty directly into the bottom run of the Lambton Grain loop, which allows the operator to move the dry grain at 10,000 BPH into any of the bins in the system, or to the overhead loadout bin above the truck driveway. When a truck comes in from harvest with dry grain it unloads into the same truck receiving hopper on the loop conveyor, from there the grain is elevated and conveyed to any storage bin in the system. Skyway’s crews started construction at the beginning of May 2019 and the system was commissioned and in full operation by the end of August 2019.

Skywest Colony

In the early spring of 2020, Skywest Colony, a new split from Rosebud Colony, initiated the construction of their state-of-the-art grain storage and drying facility. The facility is fully equipped with a comprehensive system, including 10,000 BPH truck receiving, storage with reclaim back to the truck featuring overhead loadout, and a complete grain drying system seamlessly connected to all storage units.

More Than Just Feeds – Granum, AB

Skyway Grain Systems is proud to have More Than Just Feeds as a highly valued customer. More Than Just Feeds operates feed milling plants across various locations in Western Canada and chose to collaborate with Skyway for the construction of their plant near Granum, Alberta. Although the plant may appear intricate, each equipment piece serves a specific purpose, enabling More Than Just Feeds to consistently meet market demands, satisfy their customers, and expand their market share.

Ok Colony – Raymond, AB

During the summer of 2020, Skyway Grain Systems undertook the construction of a grain storage, drying, and scalping facility adjacent to OK Colony’s canola crushing facility. The galvanized storage and Mixed Flow grain dryer were acquired from Sukup Manufacturing, while the handling equipment was purchased from Lambton Conveyor. Not only was this project a resounding success, but it also captivated the eye with its stunning visual appeal.

Riverside Colony – Fort MacLeod, AB

Construction of Riverside Colony’s new cattle feed milling system commenced in the spring of 2018 under the supervision of Skyway Grain Systems. The essential components, such as the bucket elevator, conveyors, support towers, and galvanized storage, were procured from Sukup Manufacturing. However, the standout feature of the system lies in the overhead loadout smoothwall hopper tanks, which were procured from nearby Meridian Manufacturing of Lethbridge, Alberta.

Western Soybean – Granum Colony – Granum, AB

During the winter and spring of 2014/2015, Skyway Grain Systems undertook the task of supplying and constructing the storage and handling equipment system for Granum Colony’s soybean crushing facility – Western Soybean. The necessary components, including bucket elevators, conveyors, galvanized hopper storage, and support towers, were procured from Sukup Manufacturing. As for the smoothwall steep cone hoppers used for meal storage, they were sourced from the nearby Optimum Manufacturing facility.

Brian Ellis – Seed Truck Receiving – Olds, AB

Truck receiving system installed for Brian Ellis Seed. Round bottom Lambton Drag Conveyor feeding Lambton bucket elevator with cleanout drawer to fill two model 1620 Meridian smoothwall hopper tanks – 6,000 BPH.

Brian Ellis Seed Dryer System – Olds, AB

Dryer system installed for Brian Ellis Seed. The Sukup Model 1613 Mixed Flow Grain Dryer with vacuum cooling is the centerpiece of this system. For storage the system includes 8 x Meridian Model 1830 smoothwall hooper tanks equipped with Meridian AirMax Aeration. Four of these 1830’s are for wet grain surge, these four hoppers are unloaded via a RAD 12” round bottom drag to the Lambton 3,100 BPH bucket elevator which fills the dryer. Dry grain discharges directly into the dry grain Lambton bucket elevator which elevates and drops grain into the second set of 1830 hoppers for dry grain surge.

Arn’s Brae Farm Ltd – Torrington, AB

James Christie approached Skyway in 2017 looking for an efficient way tie his existing 2 rows of Westeel hopper storage to a new grain dryer set up. Skyway worked hard with James to come up with a simple solution. The most impressive thing about this system is that James built everything you see himself, including all of the support structures! (with the help of drawings from Skyway).

Hoppins Farm – Trochu, AB

Skyway Grain Systems was approached Hoppin’s Farm in the winter of 2020 and asked to come up with a handling system which utilized a row of existing hopper bottom storage as wet grain surge before a grain dryer as well as to distribute the dry grain after the dryer to a row of existing flat bottom storage. In the spring /summer of 2021 Skyway supplied and installed the Lambton flat bottom drags, bucket elevators, and Cannon drag conveyors you see in the video to create this very flexible system.

Tebb Farms – Olds, AB

Tebb Farms grain handling system was supplied and built by Skyway Grain Systems in the summer of 2017. The main components in the system are two 12” Lambton Grain Loop chain conveyors – 10,000 BPH. The system design allows the Tebbs to move grain from the truck unloading/loading driveway through the main 12” Lambton Grain Loop conveyor to any storage bin in the system, but most importantly to the three 7,000 bushel wet surge hopper tanks.

The system incorporates an older existing grain dryer with separate handling equipment that brings grain from the 3 wet surge hopper

tanks to the grain dryer and separate handling equipment that gets the dry grain from the dryer to two 7,000 bushel dry surge hoppers. The Tebb’s can continually be receiving grain from harvest at 10,000 BPH while drying grain at around 600 BPH with their older existing mixed flow grain dryer, with no interruptions.

The two 7,000 bushel dry grain surge hoppers are positioned on top of the main 12” Lambton Loop conveyor so that when they are full they can be unloaded quickly at 10,000 BPH to any storage bin in the system – so either from the truck unloading driveway to any bin in the system or from the dryer to any bin in the system – complete flexibility.

Beiseker Colony – Beiseker, AB

Over the spring and summer of 2014 Skyway Grain Systems Inc supplied and installed Beiseker Colony’s fourth Hutchinson Grain Pump system installation. The storage consists of 5 x 4812 Commercial stiffened flat bottom bins equipped with full floor aeration and Springland U-Trough/power sweep crew conveyor unload. Wrapped around the entire line of storage is the 12” Hutchinson Grain Pump drag conveyor which elevates and conveys grain at 10,000 BPH. In this system the grain pump was installed on a slant with the bottom run situated on the exterior of the bin underneath the discharges of the Springland U-Trough bin unloads and underneath the truck receiving

driveway – the top of the grain pump loop is above the storage bins for filling the storage. Not only do the operators have the convenience of unloading and loading trucks at one point (driveway) they also can use the Grain Pump conveyor for blending and turning grain with the push of a few buttons.

Taks Farm – Crossfield, AB

Skyway Grain Systems Inc. designed and built this grain handling, drying, and storage facility for Taks Farms just west of Crossfield, Alberta in the summer of 2018. The facility is operated by the Father and Son team, Murray and Ryan Taks. The system consists of:

  • 12” x 10,000 Bushel Per Hour Lambton Loop Chain Conveyor – operating on a slant.
  • 4 x 25,000 Bushel Sukup 36’ diameter flat bottom bins with 10” Springland U-trough unload systems and full floor canola perf aeration systems.

  • 4 x 7,000 Bushel hopper bins (2 for wet surge & 2 for dry surge) all equipped with aeration
  • 2 x 3,900 Bushel Per Hour Lambton Galvanized Bucket Elevators (1 for wet grain & 1 for dry grain)
  • 2 x 12” x 3,900 Bushel Per Hour round screw augers for wet grain (operated on VFD drives)
  • Sukup Axial Screen Dryer Model T203 – 500 BPH removing 5% cooled (Wheat)

The key piece of equipment in this system is the 12” x 10,000 Bushel per hour Lambton loop chain conveyor. The Lambton loop conveyor is wrapped around the entire line of bins and a truck filling and unloading driveway. The top run of the loop can discharge grain to the driveway for truck filling, the two wet 7,000 bushel hopper tanks, and the four 25,000 bushel flat bottom bins. The bottom run of the loop reclaims grain from the 4 x U-Trough unload screw conveyors under the 25,000 bushel flat bottom bins as well as the two 7,000 bushel dry hopper tanks.

At harvest trucks unload into the truck receiving hopper on the loop conveyor by driving up and over the concrete driveway. From the truck receiving hopper the loop conveyor elevates and conveys the grain at 10,000 Bushel Per Hour to either of the two wet surge hopper tanks if it needs to be dried, or if it is dry off the field straight to one of the four 36’ diameter x 25,000 bushel flat bottom tanks for long term storage.

If the grain comes off the field too wet for safe long term storage it goes from the truck receiving hopper at 10,000 bushel per hour into one of the wet surge hoppers. Each of these wet surge hoppers has a 12” slow turning heavy duty screw conveyor unloading to the wet bucket elevator. The wet bucket elevator has a three way pan valve at the discharge with three spouts. The most used spout off of the wet bucket elevator goes to the Sukup Model T203 Axial Screen Dryer, the other two spouts allow grain to fill the dry surge hopper tanks – the reason for having these two spouts off the wet bucket elevator into the dry surge hoppers is so they can get grain into the dry surge tanks without having to route it through the grain dryer.

At the discharge of the Sukup grain dryer we have the dry grain bucket elevator. The grain drops via gravity from the discharge auger on the grain dryer into the boot hopper on the dry bucket elevator. The dry bucket elevator lifts the grain and drops it into one of the two dry surge hopper tanks. The two dry surge hopper tanks are situated above the bottom run of the loop conveyor allowing them to be unloaded at 10,000 bushel per hour with the loop conveyor and taken out to one of the 25,000 bushel flat bottom bins, or back into the wet surge tanks, or to the truck spout above the driveway. Every bin in the system is connected to the Sukup Grain Dryer. The loop conveyor is driven by two 60 HP drive corners situated in each top corner. The reason for these large HP drives is that Murray and Ryan plan on adding 5 more of the 36’ flat bottom bins in the future – the two x 60 HP motors will be required for this future expansion.

When the time comes for this expansion Skyway will take down the tower and slant section at the end of the loop (opposite end as the truck driveway) set it to the side, build five more of the 36’ diameter flats, and then reinstall the end tower into its new location with the new loop components installed above and below the 5 new flat bottom bins. In the end the Taks will have a total storage of 253,000 bushel all connected to each other and to the grain dryer.

Once explained the system design seems very simple doesn’t it? Like the founder of Skyway Grain Systems, Ellwood Sawby, would always say to himself while working with customers designing the perfect system flow to suit their specific needs: “keep it simple stupid”.

Rock Lake Flat Bottom – Coaldale, AB

In 2021 Rocklake Colony added 8 x Sukup Model 4809 x 56,000 bushel flat bottom bins to their collection. Each bin is equipped with full floor aeration, Springland U-Trough/sweep unloads, temperature/moisture monitoring cables, inner roof rings, as well as side wall rings to stand up to the strong Southern Alberta winds.

Rock Lake Hopper Bottom – Coaldale, AB

Starting with 10 x 27’ diameter Sukup Galvanized bins on top of welded cone hoppers in 2019 Rock Lake Colony in Southern Alberta has made quite an impressive collection grain storage. Each of these hopper bins holds 15,000 Bushel and are equipped with Grain Guard rocket style aeration, fans as well as temperature and moisture monitoring system from Bin Sense. For added strength against the harsh winds in Southern Alberta inner roof rings were added to the roof structure of these bins. Two more of these hoppers were added in 2020.

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