Stable Biogas Through Smart Handling

German biogas producer Osterby Unternehmensgruppe operates three biogas plants and a biomethane upgrading facility, producing approximately 150 million kWh of biomethane and 3.5 million kWh of electricity annually.

To optimize the handling of a wide range of feedstocks—including slurry, cattle manure, pig manure, poultry manure, maize, grain, sugar beets, residual products, and catch crops—Osterby invested in a fully automated crane solution from DCB.

A Wide Variety of Biomass

Handling such varying materials creates significant operational challenges. According to Osterby, fluctuations in delivery schedules, varying material quality, and foreign objects in the biomass required a more intelligent and reliable handling solution.

At the same time, increasing just-in-time deliveries created a greater need for coordination and stable internal logistics.

“We needed a solution with high operational reliability, low operating costs, and a high degree of automation,” explains Oliver de Vries, Managing Director, Osterby Unternehmensgruppe. “Reducing manual work was also an important factor.”

Proven Technology from Danish Biogas Plants

DCB became part of the project after Osterby visited several biogas plants.

“Again and again, we came across DCB cranes in operation at Danish plants — many of them had already been running reliably for years,” Oliver de Vries explains.

Combined with a visit to DCB and discussions about the technical possibilities, the company quickly saw the potential of integrating a fully automated crane solution into the project.

“In the end, we were able to integrate the crane solution into both our operational plans and the project economy.”

Intelligent Automation for Complex Biomass Logistics

The PLC-controlled crane automatically manages biomass storage and feeding using intelligent fill-level sensors that continuously monitor storage areas in real time. Based on operational needs, the crane transports biomass to storage or directly to the feeding systems, ensuring stable material flow and optimized use of storage capacity.

With a handling capacity of up to 103 m³ per hour, the crane solution ensures stable material flow while reducing operational complexity and unnecessary machine movements across the site.

According to Oliver de Vries, the difference in daily operation is clearly noticeable.

“We experience a much calmer operation compared to other plants,” Oliver explains. “Many unnecessary vehicle movements are avoided, making the entire operation more efficient.”

The automation also reduces the need for manual handling while supporting more stable and consistent feeding into the biogas process.

Reliable Support and Long-Term Partnership

Operational reliability was one of the key priorities for NORTH-TEC Machinenbau GmbH when choosing a crane supplier for osterby Unternehmensgruppe’s biogas plant – and support continues to play an important role after commissioning.

“24-hour support and targeted coordination have worked very well for us,” Oliver de Vries states.
When asked if they would choose the same solution again, the answer is simple: “We would do it again.”