SASKATOON – Saskatchewan Wheat Pool unveiled plans last week to build a new high throughput elevator and farm service complex in Kindersley, about 200 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon.
Two days later, there was a day of festivities to mark the official opening of United Grain Growers Ltd.’s big new elevator and service centre, situated just down the tracks from the site of the new pool facility.
This is the second time in the last couple of years that the two grain handling rivals have built new elevators in the same town. Two years ago it was in Davidson, about 115 km south of Saskatoon.
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“Competition is good,” said Steve Danderfer, manager of the UGG elevator at Kindersley. “It keeps everybody on their toes.”
Kindersley is also home to a recently expanded 12,000-tonne elevator operated by Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd.
The UGG elevator, which was to begin buying grain this week, has 25,000 tonnes of storage, including 9,000 tonnes of condominium space, while the Sask Pool project will include a 19,700-tonne elevator and up to 16,300 tonnes of farmer-owned condominium storage.
Both also plan to offer a wide variety of other services, including bulk fertilizer blending, farm supply sales, custom application services and agronomic information.
The pool’s $10 to $12 million complex, slated to open in September 1996, is the second such “marketing centre” to be announced by the company in recent months. The other is slated for Tisdale, in northeastern Saskatchewan.
Larry Parrott of the pool’s country services division said that even with all the competition, he’s confident the new facility will be well received by area farmers.
Small elevators closing
The opening of the new terminal will necessitate the closure of some older, smaller elevators. Parrott said pool officials are meeting with local committees and members to talk about the company’s plans for the area.
“I think pretty well everybody, for the most part, has been pushing for a new facility and knew that when it came on stream they’d be closing the older ones. Now they’re talking about the details like the timing.”
Danderfer said UGG has no plans at present to close any elevators in the Kindersley area. It operates about eight facilities within 50 km of Kindersley.
Farmers delivered an average of just under 80,000 tonnes of grain annually to Kindersley during the 10-year period ending in 1993. There were an average of 290 permit holders. Kindersley is on a main CN Rail line running from Saskatoon to Calgary.
