Bulk Material Handling Equipment
Hoppers & Surge BinsCustom-engineered bulk material storage and discharge solutions
Orthman hoppers and surge bins receive and temporarily store bulk materials from trucks, conveyors, and process equipment. Each hopper is engineered around the material characteristics, required storage capacity, discharge configuration, and downstream equipment.
Available with integrated screw feeders, slide gates, and other material handling equipment for controlled discharge and seamless process integration. Designed and built in Cleburne, Texas.
What does a hopper do?
A hopper receives and temporarily stores bulk material before directing it into downstream conveying or processing equipment. When designed as a surge bin, it provides buffer capacity between incoming material and downstream demand, helping maintain a consistent supply during fluctuations in material flow.
- Screw Feeder Integration – Provides controlled, metered discharge from the hopper.
- Slide Gate Options – Allow material flow to be shut off for maintenance or process isolation.
Custom Engineered
Built around your application
Every hopper or surge bin is configured around the material, storage requirements, and downstream equipment.
Custom-designed for required holding volume, usable surge capacity, and operating conditions.
Wall angles, outlet dimensions, and internal surfaces selected for material flow characteristics.
Carbon steel (CS), 304SS, or 316SS, with optional AR steel liners and abrasion protection.
Designed with the feeder, gate or conveyor it discharges into.
Questions
Hopper FAQ
What is the difference between a hopper and a surge bin?
A hopper receives bulk material and directs it toward a discharge opening. A surge bin provides temporary storage capacity between upstream and downstream equipment, helping accommodate fluctuations in material supply and process demand.
Can Orthman build a hopper to fit our existing equipment?
Yes. Every hopper is manufactured to order. Send drawings or field dimensions for the space, the inlet and the equipment it discharges into, and the hopper is designed to fit them.
Can a hopper be paired with a screw feeder or a gate?
Yes. Hoppers are commonly built with a screw feeder underneath to meter material out at a controlled rate, or with a slide gate to shut off flow for maintenance. Orthman builds both, so the hopper, feeder and gate are designed together.
What information does Orthman need to quote a hopper?
Provide the material being handled, bulk density, moisture content, particle or lump size, required storage capacity, inlet and discharge rates, available space, and the equipment being fed. Material flow characteristics, temperature, abrasion, and installation drawings may also be required.
Tell us what you need to hold, and what it feeds
Send your material, volume and the equipment downstream, and we will size a hopper around them. Need the feeder or conveyor too? We build those as well.