Cooperative investing $10.1M in new plant

Cooperative investing $10.1M in new plant

North Central Co-op is a producer-owned cooperative that provides energy, agronomic and feed products and services. Photo via fb.com

A cooperative of farmers is building a $10.1-million plant in the region.

The North Central Co-op, or NCC, is constructing the feed mill in the White Cloud Industrial Park, near the airport and Pere Marquette Railroad in White Cloud, according to The Right Place yesterday.

NCC broke ground on the project last month, and the plant is expected to be fully operational in late 2017.

NCC had opportunities to expand elsewhere, but it chose White Cloud Industrial Park as the site for a new mill, due to the location’s pre-existing roadway and utilities, as well as its rail service capacity and wooded surroundings.

The Right Place said the project will create three jobs and keep 12 jobs in the region.

The plant

The new facility will open for bulk and bag product manufacturing, as well as receiving clean, dry corn.

The White Cloud mill will allow NCC to meet expected demand, while improving operational efficiencies, including increased quality control and enhanced on-site biosecurity.

“After researching feed delivery and manufacturing constraints for all customers, we found that we can service the majority of our customers with greater efficiency, and this new mill will allow us to do just that,” said Martin Hall, manager, NCC Michigan Region.

NCC in Michigan

Wabash, Indiana-based North Central Co-op has operated a feed manufacturing and distribution facility in nearby Fremont for more than 100 years.

NCC also operates three Michigan fueling locations, in Eau Claire, Constantine and Coldwater.

Incentive

NCC’s expansion project is supported by a tax abatement from the City of White Cloud.

The Right Place, an economic development nonprofit based in Grand Rapids, and the Newaygo County Economic Development Office assisted NCC in securing the abatement, which was approved at the city’s Oct. 16 meeting