OMAHA, NE (March 18, 2014) – The Scoular Company announced today it has signed an agreement with the Port of Walla Walla to lease an over-the-bank barge loading facility in Burbank, Wash.
Scoular is excited to offer a new competitive market for area farmers’ grain, says Todd McQueen, Scoular Senior Vice President. “While the Scoular name may not be familiar to all farmers in the area, the company has a long and deep history in the grain business.”
“We’ve been around for more than 120 years, trading in this geography and operating grain elevators in the Intermountain region for more than 25 years,” says McQueen. “With the lease of this facility, we can expand our service to area farmers and grain dealers, putting our trading know-how and operations expertise to work in Burbank.”
The company plans to open its doors in July ahead of the start of the 2014 grain harvest. McQueen says Scoular plans to make substantial capital improvements to the facility before opening for business. “This facility hasn’t been operated for some time, so we’ll be investing in repairs and upgrades to make sure we can operate safely and efficiently.”
The Burbank facility is located on the Snake River, just one mile from the Columbia River. Grain trucked to the facility will be loaded onto barges headed to Portland for export. In addition to operations personnel, Scoular plans to staff a grain merchandiser on-site as well.
Port of Walla Walla Commissioner Ron Dunning said, “The Scoular Company has a proven track record in the grain business and a real focus on expanding their lines of business. This is exactly the type of business we like to attract to our community.”
A 120-year old company with more than $6 billion in sales, The Scoular Company operates 90 independent business units that provide diverse supply chain solutions for end-users and suppliers of grain, feed ingredients, and food ingredients around the globe. From more than 70 offices and facilities in North and South America, our 700+ employees are engaged in the business of buying, selling, storing, and handling grain and ingredients as well as managing transportation and logistics worldwide. In 2013, Scoular ranked 54th on the Forbes list of America’s Largest Private Companies. For more information, visit www.scoular.com.
The Port of Walla Walla was founded in 1952 and is the lead economic development agency in Walla Walla County. The Port works to create new jobs and facilitate new private investment. The Port owns a host of business parks throughout Walla Walla County and is a recognized leader throughout the state of Washington for enhancing the economic vitality of southeastern Washington.
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