FAC Cooperative on Monday started the demolition of its No. 2 elevator at its main processing site in Arcadia, Iowa.
FAC's No. 2 grain elevator which stands 140 ft (43m) high, is being removed along with 3 adjoining storage tanks. The elevator is being removed due to it experiencing several structural problems and generally "outliving its usefulness". The structure was built in 1966, by Iberson Construction for a cost of $100,000. Being so old it was not built for the high demands now needed for operating with a modern day feed mill.
Grains nowadays are delivered in large wagons and semis, and the pit of elevator No. 2 was just not cablable of unloading quick enough for the demands of the feed mill.
David Leiting, general manager of FAC said "It served us well, and we got our money's worth". He continued saying, that "it will take a crew about 10 days to demolish it and clean up the site."
FAC will lose storage capacity of 230,000 bushels with the removal of the tanks and elevators, however the company has already proactively built an extension onto the large hoop structure at the site during the summer which will increase overall capacity.
The large hoop is capable of holding up to 1.6 million bushels of grain, allowing farmers to unload their grain 10 times quicker than previously with the old elevator.
There were no immediate plans for the site, after the demolition, but it could be used in any further expansions at the site.
FAC Cooperative has been steadily growing its business, with a USD$1.6 million upgrade to its Arcadia feed mill nearing completition. The main part of the upgrade includ the replacement of the previous 3 tonne feed mixer, with a new 4 tonne feed mixer.
FAC coop's core business is manufacturing feed for poultry, cattle and hogs. FAC mixes close to 300,000 tonnes of feed per annum, being the major feed producer and supplier in west central Iowa.
