AIRMATIC distinguishes itself among silo cleaning companies serving the New England and Mid-Atlantic States by offering a full complement of products, and installation & maintenance services to eliminate problems with the flow of powders and bulk solid materials held in bins, silos, hoppers, tanks, and railcars.

Through our Service Group, our crews not only install and maintain Air Cannons and Vibrator Flow-Aid Systems to prompt and maintain product flow, but also provide mechanical and acoustic silo cleaning services to remotely, and safely, clear build-up and blockage in silos, bins, bunkers, stacks, industrial chimneys, railcars, pipes, and tanks.

In addition, AIRMATIC offers Silo Power Washing to sanitize storage vessels, prevent cross-contamination and remove mold. Power washing with either hot or cold water can reduce maintenance and increase efficiency. Our vessel cleaning services, generally referred to as Silo Cleaning, are used in manufacturing, mining, construction, and agricultural facilities on a wide range of bulk materials.

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Industries We’ve Served

Customer Testimonials

"AIRMATIC’s team cleared our cement silo blockage fast – restored flow, minimized downtime, and saved us major costs." - CEMENT SILO CUSTOMER

"Their Bin Whip service cleared compacted feed buildup we thought was impossible. Excellent crew – safe, fast, and effective." - FEED SILO CUSTOMER

"We trust AIRMATIC to clean our lime silos annually. They keep us running – no more flow issues or bridging." - LIME SILO CUSTOMER

Types of Silos

Our team is experienced in cleaning and restoring flow in a wide range of silo construction material and design configurations, including:

Concrete Silos, Steel Silos  Tower Silos, Stave Silos Funnel-Flow Silos, Mass-Flow Silos, Expanded-Flow Silos Flat-Bottom Silos, Conical or Hopper-Bottom Silos, Inverted Cone Silos

​​​​No matter the material, structure, or storage purpose, we have the tools and training to get your system running at full capacity.

Bulk Solids We’ve Cleaned Out

When Silo Cleaning Services Are Needed

Silo Solutions Advantages

• Cleans with an Environment-Friendly Dry Process
• Cleans from Outside the Vessel
• Uses Clean, Safe, Compressed Air, and Utilizes Non-Sparking Flails, Cables, and Hardware

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How do you document the job?

We can provide before-and-after photos, a written job summary, and make flow-aid recommendations for preventing future blockages or capacity loss.

How do you manage safety and certifications?

AIRMATIC follows strict OSHA and MSHA standards, including confined-space protocols if needed, lockout/tagout, air quality testing, and fall protection. Our technicians are fully trained and certified in the safe use of our equipment.

Whether the flow obstruction is caused by materials that cling, arch, bridge, or tunnel in silo, bin, and hopper applications, or build-up / blockage in pipe and stack applications, AIRMATIC’s Silo Cleaning Services are increasingly chosen because we can select from an arsenal of clean-out technologies, our SILO SOLUTIONS Tool Kit.

Our Silo Cleaning Tools:

• Prevent hazardous confined space entry by enabling our trained Technicians to remotely operate the controls.
• Reduce the risk of damage to vessel linings, walls, and bottoms – a problem prevalent with other clean-out methodologies.
• Eliminate environmental waste issues because no water or chemicals are used.
• Eliminate potential contamination by burst or leaking hoses from hydraulic-driven equipment – our mechanical and acoustic vessel cleaning technologies are compressed-air driven.
• Allow the vessel to stay “on-line” during clean-out (based on plant policy) which can be especially important during production periods.
• Preclude the risk of fire through the use of non-sparking equipment.

Choosing the Right Silo Cleaning Equipment

Using the right equipment is essential for a safe, effective, and efficient silo cleaning service. Silo construction, dimensions, internal structure, and the type of material stored, in addition to the type of flow problem, all impact which tools are best suited for the job.

As a full-service silo cleaning company, AIRMATIC utilizes a range of specialized tools including BinWhip Systems, BinDrill Units, and Cardox CO₂ Blasters, each designed to handle specific material flow issues and buildup scenarios:

• BinWhip breaks up hardened material without damaging silo walls.
• BinDrill restores flow channel when material is completely bridged and the outlet is blocked.
• Cardox System uses controlled CO₂ expansion to safely dislodge tough blockages.
• Sonic Horn Acoustic Cleaner uses low-frequency, high-energy sound waves to fluidize stored material.

By matching the right equipment to each situation, we’re able to minimize downtime, maintain structural integrity, and complete the job without requiring personnel to enter confined spaces.

Our Silo Solutions Tool Kit includes…

HD Bin Whip Tool

A compressed-air driven (plant air 85-100 PSI), remotely-controlled, heavy-duty, reversing motor equipped with specially designed flails and cutting edges (the Whip Head) mounted to a modular, articulating boom which is used to dislodge stubborn materials without damaging the vessel's lining, walls, or bottom. Read more » The Whip Head is lowered from the vessel's topside access port / inspection hatch opening, and precisely positioned based on the type of flow obstruction. With the Whip Head in place, our trained Technicians remotely control, from outside the vessel, the operating speed, 360° boom movement, and draw rate based on material characteristics and equipment load-out capabilities. As the agglomerated material (wet or dry) is undercut, it falls from its own weight. The process continues safely and efficiently until the vessel is empty or meets Customer expectations / requirements. The HD Bin Whip's easy-to-assemble components are compact and lightweight, so the highly mobile Whip is easily transported, set-up, and operated by one man. Suitable for explosive environments, the HD Bin Whip cleans up to a 30' radius from each 18" topside opening, to a depth of 225'. Close

Bin Drill Tool

A hydraulic-driven, remotely-controlled drilling rig used to bore a flow channel through a ridged, arched, or completely blocked vessel so that bulk material dislodged by the HD Bin Drill, the Sonic Horn, or the combined use of these Tools during the silo cleaning process has a pathway to the discharge. Read more » The Bin Drill's platform is clamped over the vessel's topside access port / inspection hatch opening, and, using multiple lengths of bolt-connected drill shaft, application specific, graduated drill bits are rapidly and efficiently fed into the flow obstruction until a sufficient flow channel has been opened. The components of the highly mobile Bin Drill are constructed of compact, lightweight, spark-proof materials, and are easily transported, set-up, and operated by one man. The highly efficient power unit includes portable controls that enable our trained Technicians to precisely manage the drilling operation from outside the vessel. Suitable for explosive environments, the Bin Drill has been used on vessels up to 200' deep. Close

Chunkbuster Cartridge Tool

A specially-designed, high-strength steel tube filled with liquid carbon dioxide (CO2 as used in fire extinguishers) which, when remotely energized, converts the liquid to expanding gas which creates an instantaneous pushing force (the CARDOX System). Read more » One or more tubes with discharge nozzles are mounted to the vessel at point specific build-up locations. The tube, which houses a replaceable chemical heater and rupture disc, is filled with liquid carbon dioxide. When energized by a small electrical charge, the chemical heater converts the liquid carbon dioxide to gas, causing it to expand in volume by 600%. Pressure builds up and then pops the disc, releasing a heaving mass of CO2 gas which generates an instantaneous pushing force of up to 40,000 PSI through the discharge nozzle to rapidly dislodge the most rock-solid blockages. The CARDOX Tubes can be reused by replacing the heater and disc, and also recharging the CO2. The System is certified as a non-explosive device, making it suitable for virtually any type of vessel. Close

Acoustic Cleaner Tool

A compressed-air driven (plant air: 85-100 PSI) Sonic Horn that produces deep penetrating, low-frequency, high-energy sound waves. The sound waves are produced by the compressed air flexing a titanium diaphragm in the Horn's sound generator. Read more » The sound waves are then magnified as they are emitted through the Horn's bell, and travel at > 1100 ft/sec in a 360° radial pattern. The Sonic Horn is mounted to or suspended in the vessel at strategic locations, and then air pressure and volume are controlled remotely from outside the vessel. Alternating sound waves, repeating 60-420 times per second, produce a range of fundamental frequencies that cause dry particulate deposits to resonate and become fluidized. Once fluidized, gravity causes the material to flow freely to the discharge. Because Sonic Horns operate at frequencies higher than the resonance frequency of steel, ceramic linings, concrete, etc, they do not cause vibrational damage to the vessel or surrounding structure. Suitable for explosive environments, Sonic Horns have not only been used for silo cleaning, but also for maintaining air preheaters, precipitators, SCR reactors, heat exchangers, filters, boiler tubes, baghouses, draft fans, and ductwork. Close

Is there any risk to the silo?

Our tooling is designed to remove material—not abrade the shell. We use controlled cutting speeds and impact chains/whips appropriate to your liner or wall construction. When required, we do use non-sparking tooling. We’ll report any damaged internals we find during cleaning.

Skilled Silo Cleaning Services Provider

With our 40 years of providing quality silo cleaning services in the Northeastern states, we understand the need for professional service that meets your need for prompt response (even when it’s not an emergency), and productive, trained service crews that not only recognize the importance of health safety procedures and compliance with plant policies, but also the need to meet or exceed your expectations. Every crew member is trained in safety and held responsible and accountable for a safe work environment. AIRMATIC adheres to contract standards set by federal and state governing authorities, and as a member of ISNETWORLD and AVETTA, we meet the safety, procurement, sustainability, quality, and regulatory guidelines set by review and verification processes.

Our Application Specialists are experienced professionals who know your industry and appreciate the importance of helping you find ways to reduce operating costs and increase productivity within your budget and time frame. They’ll walk you through the information gathering process, prepare a quotation for the service, schedule the work to meet your requirements, and manage your project to its successful completion.

Allow AIRMATIC to help you gain increased productivity, decreased downtime, and a safer, cleaner work environment. Put our Silo Cleaning Services to work keeping your bulk solids storage and processing vessels free flowing and operating at design capacity. Whether you have an EMERGENCY silo cleaning need or want to discuss a PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM tailored to your plant’s needs, we’re ready to help. Contact us today or simply complete our Application Data Sheet and let us know when we should contact you.

Comprehensive Silo Cleaning Solutions

General Capabilities

The purpose of Silo Cleaning is to remove material build-up or eliminate blockage in vessels:

• Decommission Vessels at Conversion or Shut-Down
• Eliminate Combustion-Generating “Hot Spots”
• Eliminate Dangerous “In Vessel” Clean-Out by Plant Personnel
• Recover Design Capacity

Types of Vessels Cleaned

What vessel sizes and heights can you handle?

We routinely service silos, bins, and hoppers of varying diameters and heights—including structures over 150 ft (45 m). We’ll need to confirm roof load ratings, access, and internal appurtenances (aeration pads, filters, probes, etc.) to choose the right tooling and rigging.

Common Obstruction Problems

• Arching – Material forms a curved obstruction above the discharge outlet, cutting off flow entirely.
• Bridging – A hardened mass of material spans the vessel, often higher up, creating a false surface and trapping product underneath.
• Blockage – A general term for any obstruction that restricts or prevents material flow within the silo.
• Build-Up – Gradual accumulation of material along the silo walls or internal structures, reducing capacity and flow efficiency over time.
• Clinging – Residual material sticks to the sides of the silo, often caused by moisture, fines, or static electricity.
• Tunneling or “Ratholing” – Material flows only through a narrow vertical channel above the outlet, leaving product to stagnate around the perimeter.

Territory Served

• New England and Middle Atlantic States

Silo Cleaning Technicians

Our Silo Cleaning Crews have the tools, training, and experience required for safe, productive cleaning of any storage vessel. Each Technician is trained in safety and each Technician is held responsible and accountable for a safe work environment. In addition to our 35-point safety, operation, and maintenance checklist, our Service Work meets standards set by:

• Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
• Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)
• OSHA Confined Space Trained
• ISNETWORLD – A Contractor Safety Compliance Verification Organization
• Joseph A Homes Safety Association – A Mining Industry Health & Safety Organization
• Pennsylvania Governor’s Occupational Safety & Health Association
• AVETTA – A Contractor Safety Compliance Verification Organization
• Equipment Manufacturers Annual Certification Training

When Cleaning is Needed

• Change-Out in Vessel’s Stored Materials

• “Live” Capacity Diminished – Vessel Needs Filling Frequently and/or Time to Fill Decreases
• Material Discharges in Lumps or Chunks
• Material Discharges Off-Center
• Outlet/Discharge Regularly Plugs

What materials can you remove?
We service silos storing powders, granules, and bulk solids including cement, lime, fly ash, plastic pellets, flour, sugar, salt, grain, and more. If you are unsure whether your material can be handled, provide details on our Application Data Sheet and our team will confirm.