By Wes Bloom聽聽
If you鈥檙e travelling west on Highway #43, headed towards the town of Gravelbourg, pay close attention. On the north-east corner of town, you鈥檒l see an impressive array of brand new buildings - three, to be exact. This is the future home of Crop Production Services Inc., a 6,000 tonne fertilizer 鈥榖lending鈥� plant, and it will be open very soon.
What exactly is Crop Production Services you ask? If you鈥檙e a farmer you will already know the answer to that question. But 鈥� if you鈥檙e not a farmer, and you google 鈥楥rop Production Services鈥�, this is what you鈥檒l find: Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. is the leading provider of agricultural products and services for western Canadian growers.
It鈥檚 a subsidiary of Nutriun Ltd., which is a Canadian fertilizer company based out of Saskatoon. It鈥檚 the largest producer of potash, and the second largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer, in the world. It has 1,500 retail stores and more than 20,000 employees. Pretty impressive.
Also impressive, is the new $9 million Crop Production Services plant in Gravelbourg. Construction there, got under way last September, and is progressing nicely. 鈥淚t will be a state-of-the-art facility, designed to supply chemical fertilizers and equipment to our many rural customers,鈥� said local branch manager, Kelly Hornung, (inset photo).
CPS presently employs seven people in Gravelbourg, but Hornung believes that number could increase once the plant is up and running. He said the plant could be operational as early as April 1, and the chemical storage shed could be open by May 1. The new plant boasts a 9,500 sq. foot heated chemical storage shed; a 6,000 tonne fertilizer 鈥榖lending鈥� plant; and a 4,500 sq. foot shop and office complex.
Here鈥檚 the 鈥榮coop鈥�: Crop Production Services in Gravelbourg will efficiently blend many different kinds of fertilizers to suit individual farmer鈥檚 needs, helping to enhance and enrich existing soil conditions in the area.
According to branch manager Horning, Gravelbourg is an excellent place to build this facility. 鈥淭he market here is strong鈥�, he said, 鈥渁nd accessibility is good. Some of our raw materials are hauled directly from mines to Gravelbourg by truck, and some are shipped by rail to Lafleche, then trucked here to our plant鈥�.
The official 鈥榞rand opening鈥� for the new plant will take place later this spring. Watch for it.
