Project Overview
Location
Pōkeno
Date Completed
2012
Services
Cut. Form. Build.
Installation
Engineering Support
In 2011–12, Longveld worked alongside GEA on a major dairy infrastructure project at Yashili’s Pokeno facility. The scope: the engineering design and fabrication of six 90m3 stainless steel bulk powder hoppers built to manage high-volume milk powder flow.
Designed and Fabricated for Dairy Performance
Each hopper was 3 metres in diameter and 14 metres long, providing 90 cubic metres of storage capacity. Fabricated from 6mm stainless steel, the design focused on strength, hygiene, and reliability—critical requirements for dairy powder handling and food-grade processing environments.
Our engineering team worked through detailed design and fabrication planning to ensure structural integrity, cleanability, and long-term performance. These hoppers were built to meet the operational demands of continuous dairy production, where downtime is not an option.
Single-Build Fabrication for Quality Control
Rather than fabricating in sections for on-site assembly, each hopper was manufactured as a single, fully integrated unit within our workshop. This approach improved dimensional accuracy, reduced weld risk, and allowed for tighter quality control throughout the fabrication process.
Completing the builds in one piece also simplified installation on site and ensured consistency across all six units—an important factor for large dairy processing facilities running parallel systems.
Specialist Transport and On-Site Coordination
Moving fully assembled 14-metre stainless steel vessels required careful logistics planning. Transport and installation were carried out through close coordination between our fabrication team, specialist transport providers, and GEA’s site crew.
Seeing the hoppers standing at Pokeno was a clear demonstration of what’s possible when engineering design, fabrication, and delivery are aligned from the outset.
A Foundation for Large-Scale Dairy Projects
This project marked a step forward in Longveld’s role as a trusted partner for dairy engineering and stainless steel fabrication. Delivering these bulk powder hoppers strengthened our working relationship with GEA and set the benchmark for future powder-handling vessels, hoppers, and process equipment.
Ongoing Leadership in Dairy Fabrication and Engineering Design
Today, Longveld continues to design and fabricate bulk powder hoppers, vessels, and process equipment for the dairy industry, applying the same attention to detail and disciplined engineering approach established on this project.
Every build is shaped by close collaboration, thorough planning, and fabrication expertise—delivering equipment designed to perform reliably in demanding dairy processing environments for decades.
