Agricultural cooperative Conserv FS on April 15 announced a large expansion of its Waterman, Ill., facility, with a recent groundbreaking event held for a new 7,500-ton dry fertilizer building equipped with a 24-ton blender and a NTEP certified Auto-Batch blending system. The new dry building will have the capacity to load eight semi-trucks per hour, the company said.
The project will also include 1.3 million gallons of liquid fertilizer storage integrated with a crop protection mixing facility and warehouse. The new liquid facility will be equipped with three load bays providing both top and bottom load options with “hot-load” capabilities, with each bay capable of filling six semi-loads per hour. Also included will be a 24/7 unattended bay for after-hours availability of nitrogen solution loads with nitrogen stabilizers.
“The loading speed of this updated facility will be up to five times faster than the existing facility, allowing us to service our customers at an increased pace while lowering our daily operating expenses through improved efficiencies,” said Adam Day, Agronomy Marketing and Sales Manager at Conserv FS. “Storage capacities will allow for us to effectively handle customers in-season needs and keep them moving efficiently.”
Both the dry fertilizer and the liquid facility will contain automated systems integrated with ordering, operations, and accounting software, providing a streamlined process and improved flow of information to the customer. In addition, the expansion will include 72,000 gallons of bulk crop protection product storage at the facility, along with ample mini-bulk and packaged good storage. All inbound and outbound loading will be indoors for ease of operation and environmental stewardship.
“These state-of-the-art facilities are built with safety and the environment being foremost in our thoughts, while at the same time providing an outstanding customer experience to our patrons, gaining them valuable time during peak-season operations,” said Jeff Kimmel, Facility Projects Manager at Conserv FS.
Greystone Construction is serving as contractor for the expansion, which is predicted to be completed before the end of the year. “This large project at our Waterman facility demonstrates our commitment to the future of agriculture in our territory,” said Dave Swigart, General Manager of Conserv FS. “We’ve been serving agriculture for nearly 100 years, and this project is an example of our commitment to serve the farmer of the future.”
Conserv FS was incorporated in 1928 and is a member of the Growmark System. The company offers agronomy, grain marketing, energy, and turf services and products from nearly 20 locations in Illinois and Wisconsin.