Fire safety in bulk storage: from experience to structural prevention

Wijnne Barends Logistics, part of the Spliethoff Group, is an international logistics company with a strong background in shipping. Founded in 1855, this family-owned business focuses, among other things, on the storage and transshipment of bulk goods. From its locations in the north of the Netherlands, the company provides road and water transport, warehousing, and complete logistics solutions for clients in sectors including energy, construction, raw materials, and offshore.

An important part of its services is the storage and handling of bulk goods such as alternative fuels, biomass, and other organic materials. These involve large volumes stored in bulk warehouses or outdoor facilities. According to Daphne, Director Logistics at Wijnne Barends, this scale brings a clear responsibility. “We work daily with enormous quantities of goods. That means safety must not only be properly arranged on paper, but especially in practice.”

The sector is well aware of the risks of bulk storage. Fire incidents have shown how quickly temperature development can escalate if not detected in time. For Wijnne Barends as well, this was reason to further professionalize and structurally strengthen fire prevention.

Bulk goods: seemingly calm, internally in constant motion

Bulk storage often appears stable. Large quantities of loose materials, such as wood pellets, biomass, or other organic raw materials, seem calmly stored in warehouses or outdoor areas. On the outside, little appears to be happening. But inside such a bulk mass, a different process may be taking place.

Many of these materials are combustible and susceptible to self-heating: a natural process in which heat gradually develops under the influence of moisture, pressure, and oxygen. This temperature build-up begins deep within the core of the storage and is barely visible from the outside. Without monitoring, the temperature can rise unnoticed to a critical point.

Harry Kooistra, safety advisor at Kooi, regularly encounters this mechanism. According to him, the risk lies precisely in the invisible nature of self-heating.

“It starts small, often in one spot in the core of a bulk pile. Without measurement, you don’t know the temperature is rising. And by the time you see smoke, you’re actually already too late.”

The risks: when a hotspot goes unnoticed

In bulk goods, temperature development often occurs gradually. A small hotspot deep within the core of the storage can expand unnoticed. If self-heating is not detected in time, the temperature can rise to the point of ignition. In large bulk piles, fire then spreads quickly. Fire sources are difficult to access and challenging to extinguish completely. The consequences are significant:

• Operational downtime
• Complex and prolonged firefighting operations
• High material damage
• Potential environmental impact
• Reputational and insurance impact

For a logistics organization with multiple locations and continuous goods flows, this scenario has major consequences. Daphne emphasizes that experiences within the sector have further increased awareness. “We have seen how quickly things can escalate. That’s when you realize you need to look beyond periodic inspections. You need to know earlier what is happening.” There was a growing need for a solution that does not rely on spot checks but provides continuous insight.

The step toward structural prevention: Kooi’s RED

By deploying the RED system, Wijnne Barends moved from local measurements to 24/7 thermal monitoring. RED continuously scans the entire storage area using thermal imaging technology. Temperature deviations are immediately detected and automatically forwarded to the Kooi Alarm Center. There, specialists assess the alert and, if necessary, initiate immediate follow-up action.

According to Harry Kooistra, the difference lies in scale and timing. “Where a lance measures one point, we continuously monitor the entire surface. We detect deviations at an early stage, even before there is smoke or visible development.” This shifts the approach from sample-based inspection to integral monitoring.

For Wijnne Barends, this primarily means certainty. Daphne notes that the biggest difference lies in continuity. “We are no longer dependent on measurement moments. We have 24-hour insight into temperature developments and can rely on the Kooi Alarm Center. That provides peace of mind and control.”

Data as the foundation for safety

In addition to immediate detection, RED provides structural data. Temperature trends are recorded, making patterns visible and allowing processes to be optimized in a targeted way.

Harry sees this as an important development in fire prevention. “You make safety measurable. Instead of assumptions or snapshots, you work with data. That helps organizations make well-founded decisions.” For Wijnne Barends, this aligns with their broader vision of risk management: safety must be demonstrable, structural, and future-proof.

From local measurement to integral control

With the transition from manual measurements to continuous thermal monitoring, temperature development in bulk storage is no longer a snapshot but a continuously monitored process. Where previously specific spots were measured with a lance, the entire storage area is now thermally monitored 24/7. Deviations are automatically detected and assessed by specialists at the Kooi Alarm Center. This means someone is always watching, even outside working hours.

For Daphne, this is where the greatest value lies. RED not only provides insight, but above all peace of mind. The confidence to close a location and go home knowing that temperature developments are continuously monitored. “I can close the site and go home with the confidence that someone is always watching. That gives a completely different sense of control.”

Harry emphasizes that this is precisely the purpose of early detection. “Safety should not create tension, but trust. By continuously monitoring and immediately verifying deviations, we ensure that organizations do not have to wait for an incident before taking action.”

For Wijnne Barends, this means that fire safety is no longer dependent on spot checks or physical presence. It is structurally secured, 24/7, day and night. The risk will never disappear completely. But with 24/7 monitoring, it is manageable. And that is exactly what provides peace of mind.