October 02, 2013

02/10/13: Bike-powered mill; investment in US freight rail infastructure; invest in Indian grain storage - Rabobank

A bicycle-powered grain mill is helping to combat poverty in South Sudan.

Invented by Canadian PhD student, Chris Hergesheimer, the bike mill can produce 1 kg of flour in 7-9 minutes. This is a remarkable contrast to the1.5-3 hours it takes to grind a family's daily sorghum needs by hand.

Hergesheimer came up with the idea to give his arm muscles a break when milling small batches of flour for a farmers market in his native British Columbia.

The design is relatively simple, using a chain and sprocket to connect the mill to a bike frame equipped with a seat, pedals and handle bars.

The idea to export to invention to South Sudan came from one of Hergesheimer's friends who moved to Canada following the civil war in Sudan in the 1990s.

Now Hergesheimer his raising money to fund a trip to the country to build the mills with local people.
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US freight railroad company, BNSF, plans to invest USD$90 million in rail upgrades in New Mexcio, USA.

The company will make signal improvements to five main line tracks through the Belen Terminal and add a locomotive servicing pit to the yard at Belen. It will also continue its robust track improvement program in New Mexico, which will include 2,100 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of about 160 miles of rail and more than 170,000 railroad ties, as well as significant signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

“BNSF's capital investments in New Mexico will help ensure our network is prepared for growing demand for freight rail,” said Matthew K Rose, chairman and chief executive officer.

“We are focused on investing to meet our customers' expectations and on expanding capacity where growth is occurring. Given the importance of a low cost supply chain to the U.S. economy, our privately funded rail infrastructure is well positioned to help New Mexico compete in global markets.”

The US rail network plays a vital role in the transportation of grains in and out and across the country so the improvements are sure to be welcomed by the industry.
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The time is right to invest in Indian grain storage, according to a report by Rabobank.

Demand for grain storage is expected to grow in the next five years with the drive coming from an envisaged grain-storage deficit, inadequate storage and the new Indian Food Security Bill.

Rabobank predicts that in the long run, strategic players who prefer a relatively lower degree of government control will be investing; however, in the short-term, silos will attract investment on the back of government schemes and captive usage by private millers and processors.
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English: A BNSF heads west past the Rochelle T...
English: A BNSF heads west past the Rochelle Train Park. www.rochelletrainpark.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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