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| 5/27/2008 11:01:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Progress is being made at the South Dakota Oilseed Processors Crush Facility. The above picture was taken May 21 at the work site. The artists’ rendition of the finished facility is shown at right. |
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Oilseed facility construction is on track for fall operation
Construction on the South Dakota Oilseed Processors Crush Facility is back on track after some delays due to the spring snowstorms of the last few weeks.
Site work is nearing the end of phase 1, where roads and drainage have been established. Later in the construction, phase 2 will take place with the final sculpting of the site.
Concrete is being poured for the walls of the first floor of the processing building, as well as for the scale and the grain handling system.
Equipment for the actual processing of the soybeans is on schedule to arrive in early July from all over the United States and Europe.
What started out as an idea to bring investment opportunity to South Dakotans and to provide an economic shot in the arm to Hand County is becoming a reality. Air permits are in place and environmental issues have been addressed.
Mike Trosen, CEO, stated, "We have said all along that our board has been adamant that we build the plant right so that we are a steward of the environment and a welcome neighbor to the surrounding farm and ranch families, as well as to give us a firm business base to build our success from. We haven't built the plant just to build it, but rather to create a successful business platform that will be part of the South Dakota ag environment for years to come. Our goal is to also minimize the impact to the current local infrastructure once we are in operation. To that end, we will have a separate entrance and exit to the plant to minimize traffic congestion."
Trosen said he wanted to public express appreciation to the S.D. Department of Transportation for giving a variance to allow the Processors to properly design their road infrastructure to meet their safety goals. "I would also like to thank the members of the St. Lawrence Township for working with us on our entrance road. Their willingness to make our plant safer and easier to enter was very much appreciated."
Trosen says one of the questions that comes up most is the drainage at the site as well as what the final plant will look like. An artist's rendition of the finished plant is shown to give the public an idea of what to expect at the site.
"As for the drainage, we have designed the site with drainage in place to add additional units to the business as it grows, and to allow us to manage all the runoff from the site," Trosen explained. "While we don't anticipate any issues, we will have the ability to address drainage problems should they ever arise in the future. Again, it is our commitment to the environment in which we operate that is driving those decisions."
South Dakota Oilseed Processors currently has over 300 investors representing 73 South Dakota communities.
Trosen concluded, "We continue to accept investment into this great opportunity and have contacts from new investors every day. We are extremely excited and thankful for the confidence investors have shown in us and look forward to rolling up our sleeves next fall and making South Dakota Oilseed Processors, LLC a success." That success he says, is not only for the investors, but for South Dakota soybean producers and livestock feeders by providing a competitive market for the soybeans, as well as quality meal and oil products that will contain no chemical residual in the finished product.
While Trosen expects the meal to be used locally, he stated the soybean oil will be directed to the market that provides the best return, with a focus on the consumer food market.
For questions or more information, Trosen can be contacted at 605-893-2326 or at mtrosen2@sdoilseedprocessors.com.
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