The largest Australian owned brewer, Coopers, has opened a $65 million malting plant at their Regency Park brewery in Adelaide, South Australia. The 13,000 square meter plant is considered the most technically advanced in the world and will produce around 54,000 tonnes of malt per year, giving Coopers full control over an important raw material.

Ahrens Group, the main contractor on this project built the four carbon steel outer vessel shells and contracted TFG Group to fabricate and install the stainless steel internal liners for the vessels and kiln. TFG also expertly installed all services and pipework along with connecting the air, water and cleaning lines and in addition, an overhead gallery of pipe bridges linking the maltings to the brewery. Over three kilometers of 304 and 316 pipe and tube were used in this project.

The stainless steel linings to the germination vessels were 20 meters in diameter and eight meters in height, whilst the kiln lining was 30 meter in diameter and eight meters in height. The germination vessels required 3000 m welding per vessel while the kiln was 4000 m. Each vessel was welded with pulse MIG to minimize distortion and weld splatter and for optimum efficiency in completing the project on time. All equipment was provided by Ahrens & The Bhuler Group, a world technology provider for plant and equipment and related services for processing foods and manufacturing advanced materials.

TFG along with Ahrens Group completed the 18 month project with an impeccable safety record of zero harm.