The two silo types differ fundamentally in how grain leaves the bin, and that single difference drives everything else.
Flat-bottom bolted silos (500–10,000+ t)
Grain rests on a flat floor. To empty it you need a sweep auger that crawls the floor and pushes grain to a central discharge. Unit storage cost is the lowest, which is why they dominate large long-term storage (1–2 cycles per year). The trade-off is that discharge is mechanically assisted and slower.
Hopper-bottom silos (50–300 t)
The cone bottom lets grain flow out by gravity — open the gate and it runs. No sweep auger, no cleaning crew. That makes them ideal for high-frequency turnover: processor raw-material bins, feed mills, daily blending. You pay more per tonne of capacity, but you save on handling labour and get instant drawdown.
How we size a group
Small farm 100–500 t (mainly hopper-bottom, 2–4 silos); medium cooperative 500–2,000 t (flat + hopper mix, 3–6 silos); large collection center 3,000–10,000+ t (mainly flat-bottom, 4–12 silos). Tell us your storage volume and turnover cycle and we design the silo group, not just sell you a bin.