Agriculture & Grain Handling

Agricultural Bulk Material Handling Solutions

Agriculture runs on the movement of bulk materials. Grain, seed, fertilizer, and crop inputs move through receiving, storage, and loadout in a continuous cycle across farms, grain elevators, and co-ops. When materials don’t flow — when bins bridge, silos rathole, or hopper trailers won’t discharge — operations slow, costs rise, and in some cases, worker safety is put at risk.

Agricultural Material Handling Challenges

Agricultural bulk materials span a wide range of characteristics, and conditions in the field don’t always cooperate.

Seasonal moisture variation changing the flow behavior of stored grains and materials
Grain bridging and ratholing in storage bins and silos
Incomplete discharge from hopper and dry bulk trailers
Moisture-laden grain adhering to bin walls and chutes
Seed clogging in hoppers and planting equipment
Railcar unloading delays due to bridged material
Product left in trailers and railcars after unloading
Silo entry hazards

Why Agricultural Materials Are Difficult to Handle
Agricultural bulk materials are among the most variable in any industry, which creates real handling challenges:
- Grain moisture content varies by harvest, season, and storage conditions, directly affecting flow behavior
- High-moisture grain cakes and adheres to bin walls, creating bridging that resists gravity discharge
- Fertilizers range from free-flowing granules to hygroscopic powders that resist flow
- Seeds are small, lightweight, and sensitive, requiring gentle handling
- Manual interventions create real injury risk for operators
- Grain dust is highly combustible
Agricultural Materials Handled
Our equipment is designed to handle the full range of agricultural bulk materials efficiently and safely:
- Corn, wheat, barley, oats, and sorghum
- Soybeans and canola
- Rice and specialty grains
- Granular and powder fertilizers
- Agricultural chemicals and crop inputs
- Field crops, vegetables, and specialty crops
- Limestone and soil amendments
Where Our Products Fit in the Supply Chain

Receiving & Truck Unloading Hopper trailers and dry bulk trucks delivering grain and fertilizer often need vibration assistance to discharge completely. Incomplete unloading wastes time, increases turnaround costs, and leaves valuable product in the trailer.

Railcar Unloading Grain, fertilizer, and agricultural chemicals delivered by rail can bridge and freeze in hopper cars, especially in cold or wet conditions. Railcar vibrators and gate openers keep discharge moving and reduce unloading time significantly.

Grain & Commodity Storage A plugged bin halts everything downstream. Properly sized and positioned bin and silo vibrators keep material flowing at discharge without damaging the storage vessel — and without putting workers inside.

Fertilizer & Seed Handling Fertilizer hoppers and spreader equipment are prone to bridging, especially with hygroscopic or fine-particle products. Seed hoppers in processing and planting equipment require gentle, consistent flow to protect germination rates.

Loadout & Bulk Delivery Vibration at the loadout hopper ensures fast, complete filling of trucks and railcars. Vibration on delivery trailers ensures complete discharge at the destination.
Agricultural Operations Supported
Our equipment supports efficient receiving, storage, and loadout across a wide range of agricultural operations:
- Grain elevators and storage facilities
- On-farm grain storage and handling
- Fertilizer terminals and blending facilities
- Seed processing and packaging operations
- Agricultural co-ops and grain merchandisers
- Bulk loadout and export terminals
Operational Benefits for Agricultural Environments
Martin Vibration Systems & Solutions helps agricultural operations improve throughput, reduce material loss, and keep workers safer.
- Faster truck and trailer turnaround with more complete discharge
- Reduced product loss — less grain and fertilizer left in trailers and railcars
- Elimination of bin and silo plug-ups that halt downstream operations
- Reduced need for manual bin beating and silo entry keeping workers out of harm’s way
- Consistent flow from storage into processing and loadout equipment
- More even fertilizer and seed distribution from spreader and planter equipment
- Grain dust safety compliance in regulated environments

Products Typically Used In This Application

MARTIN^® PKL^® Interval Impactors

Interval impactors generate individual blows similar to a hammer.

Great for spray dryers, pipes and dust collectors
Superb controllability
Reduces noise, energy costs, and bin damage
Available with ATEX certification

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NTK^® Oscillators

This oscillator provides a great motive force for compaction tables, feeders, and screens.

Start and stop instantly in any position
Also available in a mini version for small hoppers and bins
Available with ATEX certification

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MARTIN^® NTS™ Non-Impacting Bin Vibrators

This bin vibrator offers low-frequency, high-amplitude energy best suited for larger particle sizes and light bulk densities.

Delivers powerful linear force without impacting
Designed for use with bowl feeders
Available with ATEX certification

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MARTIN^® Bantam Series of Miniature Air Vibrators

These are compact pneumatic vibrators engineered for small hoppers and tight spaces.

Designed for food and pharmaceutical applications
Provides powerful, performance in a mini size
Works with Stick & Shake™ Adhesive Mounting System

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CDX Explosion Proof Electric Vibrators

This series provides powerful vibratory force in hazardous environments, engineered for applications where explosion-proof equipment is essential.

Guaranteed for 3 years even when operated at 100% amplitude setting in a 24/7 environment
Suitable for environments where explosive gases and dusts are present

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POCKET ROCK-IT™ Railcar Vibrators

This lightweight, high-performance vibrator unloads stubborn materials from closed top hopper cars safely and efficiently.

Includes a wedge bracket, hose whip, and regulator for easy setup
Weighs < 32 lbs, greatly reducing the risk of back injury
Quiet operation reduces noise pollution

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MARTIN^® MT-FAST™ Hopper Trailer Vibrator

This vibrator is purpose-built for the trucking industry and is ideal for unloading DDG, grains, and other stubborn materials from hopper trailers.

Reduces unloading time by up to 65%
Mount wherever hangups occur
Uses rig’s own air supply
Try it FREE for 30 days

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MARTIN^® MT-FAST™ Dry Bulk Trailer Vibrator

This vibrator is purpose-built for the trucking industry and is ideal for loading and unloading cement, flour, and other stubborn materials from dry bulk trailers.

Significantly reduces loading and unloading time
Mount wherever hangups occur
Weighs < 20 lbs
Try it FREE for 30 days

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MARTIN^® Stick & Shake™ Adhesive Mounting System

This is a revolutionary option for permanently mounting vibrators with no welding, bolting, or drilling.

Designed to work perfectly with our miniature air vibrators
Installs quickly and easily on virtually any surface
First one FREE

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MARTIN^® VAC-MOUNT™ Portable Vibrators

This mount uses vacuum suction allowing for quick, easy installation and portability.

Designed for applications requiring flexibility and portability
Can be mounted wherever hangups occur
No welding required

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Why MARTIN®?

Our vibration solutions are built around the full scope of agricultural bulk material handling — from field receiving through loadout. Equipment needs to handle moisture-variable materials, operate reliably in outdoor and seasonal environments, and in grain handling applications carry ATEX-certified or explosion-proof certification where grain dust is present. Our application team can match the right equipment to your specific materials, equipment, and operating conditions. Martin Vibration Systems & Solutions delivers proven vibration technology for farms, grain elevators, co-ops, and fertilizer terminals.

Contact our application experts to discuss how our equipment can improve throughput, reduce product loss, and keep your operation moving safely. Engineering and application assistance is always free.