CBH Group
 | |
| Type | Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 5 April 1933 |
| Headquarters | Perth, Western Australia |
| Area served | Western Australia |
| Products | Grain marketing, logistics |
| Website | cbh.com.au |
The CBH Group (commonly known as CBH, an acronym for Co-operative Bulk Handling), is a grain growers' cooperative that handles, markets and processes grain from the wheatbelt of Western Australia. CBH has a permanent staff of around 1000 and revenue of $1.3 billion per year.[1]
History
CBH was formed on 5 April 1933[1] in order to create an efficient and cost-effective bulk handling system that would reduce costs for individual farmers. This was achieved when the trustees of the Wheat Board of Western Australia and Wesfarmers Ltd registered the company together with capital of 100,000 pounds divided evenly into 100,000 shares.[2][3] The cooperative was formed under the principle of one person, one vote regardless of the amount of grain supplied.
CBH merged with the Grain Pool of WA in November 2002 when legislation was passed in the Parliament of Western Australia allowing the merger to go ahead.[4]
Transport
During the early years most carrying was by rail transport over the WAGR network, with sidings, and branch lines specifically serving wheat growing areas. In the early 21st century, many of the branch lines and rail facilities have not been updated or maintained so that road transport has increased in many areas.
In 2012, CBH took delivery of 22 new CBH class diesel-electric locomotives and 574 new grain wagons, for use as grain trains on the open access former WAGR network managed by Brookfield Rail in the south of Western Australia.[5] The grain trains, operated for CBH by Watco WA Rail under a long term contract, link various CBH grain collection points in the wheatbelt with CBH terminal and port facilities in Albany, Geraldton and Kwinana.
Tonnages
In 1999/2000 season CBH received a record amount of grain, 12,150,000 tonnes in all, made up of 11 different grain types.[6]
CBH received a new record harvest of 14.7 million tonnes from grain growers in Western Australia during the 2003/2004 season.[7]
Harvest management
See also CBH grain receival points
Historically the CBH system had up to 300 receival points[8] - in most cases tied into the Western Australian Government Railways railway network, as the railway lines were the prime grain transport method.
By the 2000s, the number of receival points had been reduced to less than 200[1] and the locations of the receival points[9] became part of a system of management zones:
Each zone is further broken down into areas.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Key Facts & Figures". CBH Group. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
- ↑ "Co-operative Bulk Handling Website- History". 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
- ↑ See also the history of Western Australian Farmers Federation that shows the relationship between the WAFF, CBH and Wesfarmers
- ↑ "ABC News Online - Farmers' group welcomes merger legislation". 2002. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
- ↑ Garnett, Olivia (24 August 2012). "CBH proudly launches its new rail fleet". ABC website. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ↑ "LANSA - CBH uses LANSA to collect harvest estimates from 10,000 growers". 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ↑ "ABC Rural - Sparks fly at Co-operative Bulk Handling AGM". 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
- ↑ In 1965 the maximum was reached of 305 sites, page 236 - Goldfinch, Richenda; Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited (2003), Legends of the grain game : stories of the people who built Co-operative Bulk Handling, Co-operative Bulk Handling, ISBN 978-0-9592858-1-9
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Our Locations". CBH Group. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
Further reading
- Ayris, Cyril; Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd (1999), A Heritage ingrained : a history of Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd. 1933-2000, Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd, ISBN 978-0-646-38283-8
- Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited (1965), A co-operative enterprise (New edition] ed.), Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited