Mennco Moves Forward with Nevada Plans

Mennco Grain is proceeding with the first phase of a project that will increase capacity and efficiency at its facility in the Village of Nevada after village council approved the remaining needed permits at its recent meeting. Mennco will replace old equipment that will increase its receiving and shipping speeds. The current total space at the location also requires Mennco to turn the facility 3.5 times during the harvest months, which places great wear on the existing equipment. According to Jack Heim, General Manager of Mennco Grain, the large investment shows, “a commitment to the community that we’re here and staying here.”

New Overhead Layout of the Nevada Mennco Grain Facility
New Overhead Layout of the Nevada Mennco Grain Facility

Heim explained that due to a fire at the facility’s grain dryer on February 10th, 2014, the timeline for the project was moved forward. The old drier could handle 2,500 bushels per hour and the new drier will be able to process 3,000 bushels per our. Due to the enhanced drying capacity, Mennco will replace a wet storage bin to one of a capacity of 50,000 bushels, which will double their old amount of wet space.

A new pit and new receiving leg also now allows the facility to have a dump rate of 14,000 bu./hr, which also doubles the old equipment rate. In addition, Mennco is adding two unloading bins that hold 5,500 bushels each. The structure to hold these two bins is now located at the south end of their property. The new shipping area and bins will allow Mennco to load grain out without interfering with customers dumping grain whereas currently both of these functions are done in the same area.

New bins and equipment installed in 2013 at Mennco's C&O facility in Upper Sandusky
New bins and equipment installed in 2013 at Mennco’s C&O facility in Upper Sandusky

The completion date for the project is September 30th, 2014. The second phase of the company’s plans at Nevada are to add a 90 foot diameter bin which will hold 500,000 bushels. This will aid the operation in not turning its space so often. The number of Mennco Grain employees will remain at five for the Nevada facility, which handles soybeans, corn, soft red wheat and a specialty hard wheat variety. By the end of August 2014, the Crop Production Service equipment and employees will be relocated to the North Plant in Upper Sandusky. Since the sale from Walton’s to Mennel Milling, these individuals have been renting space to service farmers on fertilizer, chemicals and custom spreading/spraying.
The Village of Nevada expansion follows Mennco Grain’s expansion of its C&O location on in Upper Sandusky. In 2013 Mennco demolished three existing flat storage buildings along with a grain dryer and other equipment. The company installed a new 105’ diameter bin, two 36’ diameter hopper-bottom wet tanks, a new dryer, a new receiving pit and receiving leg. The C&O location project also increased efficiently and capacity at the Upper Sandusky location, and the facility’s ability to load train cars much faster.

Sources: McMillan, L. (2014, April 15). Mennco Grain GM announces plan to add two tanks at Nevada site. Daily Chief-Union. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from website: http://www.dailychiefunion.com/recentheadlines/mennco-grain-gm-announces-plan-to-add-two-tanks-at-nevada-site/
Mennco Grain. (2014). C&O Expansion Project 2013 Complete. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from website: http://www.menncograin.com/pages/custom.php?id=41516