FS Partners, a retail division of Growmark Inc. with headquarters in Guelph, Ont., celebrated the official grand opening of a new high-efficiency, large capacity fertilizer plant at its agronomy and grain marketing site in Ayr, Ont., on March 23.
The state-of-the-art, 36,000 sq. ft. facility has 15,000 mt of storage capacity and is equipped with eight bulk bins that allow for a variety of blending capabilities, mixing up to 2,000 mt of crop nutrients per day, more than doubling the old capacity of 800 mt/day. FS said it is the first plant in Ontario to utilize an HIM high-performance mixer, cutting production times significantly.
“We are very pleased with how the project took shape and was completed, as planned, on time for spring,” said Frank Barron, FS Partners Division Manager. “Construction began in October 2017 and involved expertise from more than a dozen skilled trades, nearly 200 outside workers, and our extraordinary team of employees to bring it to fruition.”
More than 300 local residents, FS Partners employees, directors, and industry leaders were on hand for the grand opening and facility tour. The new plant operates as a shared asset between Growmark and FS Partners, and has the ability to receive products by both truck and rail, thanks to a 20-car rail siding located on the property.
“We saw the need for Growmark to invest the $7.2 million into this facility to provide greater efficiencies in distribution for FS Partners’ locations and for other FS area cooperatives,” said Brent Ericson, Growmark Vice President of Member Business.
FS Partners offers agronomy, energy, and grain marketing products and services from 16 branch locations in southwestern and central Ontario.
“The FS Partners board sees this as an excellent investment for our farmer-owners, our customers, and for retailers in the province,” said Bert Perriman FS Partners Board President. “It provides increased capabilities in all aspects, from faster turn-around production times to greater flexibility in product offerings.”