Southern FS, Marion, Ill., a part of the Growmark System, Bloomington, Ill., plans to both upgrade and extend its position at the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority, where it has had a position for the past 15 years. The company has reached a 10-year lease agreement with the Port Authority, including an additional 10-year extension option, to construct a state-of-the-art fertilizer handling facility in its bulk terminal complex on the Ohio River.
Southern FS General Manager Alan Kirby said the facility will replace the one currently leased at the Riverport. “A Southern FS-owned facility will allow us to operate at a higher capacity and ensure continued supply of fertilizer products to local customers and others throughout the region,” he said.
Kirby noted that the new terminal is adjacent to a fertilizer solution terminal owned by Growmark. “This project is in a strategic location for us and supports our efforts to maintain reliable access to fertilizer for our customers. Proximity to a Growmark solution terminal provides synergies for our customers, as well,” he added.
Kirby said the current facility will remain operational until the new facility is complete, which is scheduled to be May 2019. New handling and blending equipment by Doyle Manufacturing, Palmyra, Mo., is expected to be added.
Southern FS, a full-service agriculture and energy supplier, operates in 34 counties across the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri. While the Southern FS core business has been in southern Illinois, the new facility is expected to enhance its reach into the other states.
“The signing of the agreement will continue to offer our region’s agricultural partners a well-established supply chain with Southern FS for our four-state region,” said Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority Executive Director Bill Miller. “We are excited to continue the relationship with Southern FS through this hybrid public-private venture.”