The Equity, one of Illinois’ largest independent agricultural cooperatives, announced that it has purchased Kohlbrecher Truck Service Inc., a family-owned-and-operated agricultural retailer offering agronomy, feed and farm supplies, and commercial trucking operations from its location in St. Rose, Ill.
“The Kohlbrecher business and location is very complementary to our expansion in Greenville, Ill.,” said Bruce Vernon, CEO of The Equity. “The addition of Kohlbrecher’s will enable us to offer a wider range of products and services for this upcoming spring application season.”
The Equity reported on Feb. 10 that it had entered into a Letter of Intent to purchase Kohlbrecher, with the transaction expected to close in early March. “Our team is excited to join the ranks of an organization such as The Equity,” said Butch Kohlbrecher, owner of Kohlbrecher. “We share core values and are aligned in our vision of providing excellent customer service.”
The Equity is headquartered in Effingham, Ill., and operates from 19 locations offering agronomy, grain, energy, feed and livestock, and hardware products and services to Illinois growers. The company’s market area covers approximately 10,000 square miles, with locations at Effingham, Stewardson, Lovington, Altamont, Marshall, Galton, Farina, Alma, West Liberty, Dieterich, Montrose, Strasburg, Pana, Robinson, and Greenville.
The company has announced a number of expansions in the last year, including the launch of its new Greenville branch last September and the construction of additional grain storage at its Strasburg location. The Equity also constructed a new crop care center in Pana in 2015, and purchased additional ground in Marshall to expand its agronomic services at that location.
“It’s important for us to always be aware of how to best serve our member-owners,” Vernon said. “Our new Greenville location, facility enhancements, and service expansions not only help us meet the demands of area farmers, they also add value for our member-owners.”