Viterra is spending $20 million to upgrade four grain terminals in Saskatchewan.
Facility upgrades at White Star, Humboldt, Waldron and Ituna will result in increased rail capacity at all four locations, the company said today in a news release.
The upgrades will also see on-site storage capacity tripled at White Star, about 15 kilometres north of Prince Albert, Sask., and doubled at Humboldt, about 100 kilometres east of Saskatoon.
“This significant reinvestment in our grain handling network demonstrates our ongoing commitment to operational excellence and leadership in our industry,” said Kyle Jeworski, Viterra’s president and chief executive officer for North America.
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“By improving our rail and storage capacities in targeted areas, we are creating further value for our farm customers at the local level, as well as our suppliers and end use customers across North America and beyond.”
The company said facility upgrades are consistent with Glencore’s commitment to increase Viterra’s projected capital expenditures in Canada.
As part of its $6.1 billion deal to acquire Viterra, Glencore pledged to increase Viterra’s projected capital expenditures by more than $100 million over five years.
Among other things, Glencore also pledged to:
• maintain Viterra’s head office in Regina and make it the headquarters for Glencore’s North American operations
• invest an additional $8 million in research and development initiatives, over and above Viterra’s projected expenditures
• contribute toward unspecified grain industry initiatives in Manitoba
• work with the government of Saskatchewan toward the development of a Global Institute for Food Security and contribute to the project should the province initiate it.
Corporate restructuring is continuing throughout Viterra’s North American operations.
Relocation of staff and positions from the Calgary office to Regina is expected to continue in the coming months.
