Expansion in soybean crush capacity has been accelerating across the Upper Midwest, and the High Plains Processing facility south of Mitchell, S.D. is one of the projects driving that momentum. With an on-site crush plant planned, the grain handling and storage system needed to operate as a continuous, integrated link between inbound soybeans and outbound meal. The design required efficient truck and rail receiving, long-term whole bean storage, high-cycle meal storage, and dependable loading systems for both finished meal and whole beans returning to the process stream.
Engineering work on the terminal layout already begun when Younglove Construction was invited to bid the project as a design-build contractor. Preliminary drawings identified general structure placement and equipment routing, but there were opportunities to streamline the flow path and reduce complexity. Younglove reviewed the developing plans and began refining the configuration to eliminate unnecessary conveying runs, avoid redundant structural elements, and create a cleaner and more direct material handling sequence.
The system needed to support construction sequencing, commissioning, and long-term operation with minimal interruption once processing began. Storage type, tunnel configuration, building design, equipment selection, and loadout strategy were evaluated with that requirement in mind, with reliability and throughput prioritized alongside construction efficiency.
With preliminary engineering already underway, Younglove streamlined the design to remove unnecessary structures and simplify material handling. “We reviewed their drawings and deleted conveyors, bridges, and towers to make the design more efficient,” said Younglove Construction Executive Vice President Kenny Gubbels. “Operating horsepower went down along with the cost to build.”
Integrated Receiving and Loadout
Rather than constructing separate structures for intake and shipment, one building was designed with a fully enclosed tunnel beneath it connecting the drive-over receiving pits.
The original plan specified a metal building, but Younglove proposed a precast tilt-up concrete structure. According to Gubbels, the change improved dust control, increased structural strength, and allowed the building to support heavier equipment loads including conveyors, elevated catwalks, and future modifications. “It is cleaner, structurally stronger, offers more flexibility for equipment installation now and in the future, and has a longer life expectancy,” said Gubbels.
The truck loadout shuttle conveyors inside the building were engineered specifically for this facility. The shuttles consist of a reversing 20-inch screw conveyor with Sioux Steel dust suppression spouts at each discharge. Each discharge is aspirated by two 2,500-cfm Coperion spot filters that ride on the shuttle conveyor (ductless system). The truck system operates on a track and loads while moving, reducing repositioning and improving turnaround time. “The whole system moves back and forth 120 feet and loads as it moves,” said Gubbels. “There is nothing else like it that we are aware of.”
Rail loadout uses a lowering drag conveyor positioned directly over the railcar. Two 10-ton Harrington winches move the conveyor up and down on the car, a telescoping spout from Midwest funnels material to a Warrior drag conveyor mounted on a custom air gate frame from IFS, and a Pneumat hydraulic spreader system ensures even car fill. By distributing along the full length of the car, operators can maximize weight capacity and improve freight efficiency. “With the Pneumat spreader system they are able to load meal cars to the max weight,” said Gubbels. “That is a huge freight advantage.”
Storage Capacity
Storage includes both long-term capacity and high-cycle structures. Six Chief steel storage bins provide whole bean storage at approximately 500,000 bushels each. “These are not standard bins,” said Gubbels. “They were increased in design because the cycling rate was high. Frequent emptying stresses a steel structure, so the design category was adjusted.”
Slipform concrete storage was used for the soybean day and hulls bin combined into one concrete structure a four-pack of 35-foot-diameter silos standing 140 feet tall with steel cone-bottom discharge hoppers. The pelleted hulls bin incorporates a Laidig cone-bottom reclaim system. Slipform concrete was the preferred method for soybean meal bulk storage, as well. Meal storage consists of three 55-foot-diameter silos standing 100 feet tall with overhead concrete slabs and Laidig unloaders.
“Concrete handles higher cycling and throughput with less fatigue,” said Gubbels. “The interior surface is smooth and reduces project build up. It also offers more flexibility for supporting equipment and structures than steel silos.”
Temperature monitoring is provided by Grain X, and bin level detection is supplied by BinMaster. Tapco buckets and Warrior bucket elevators serve the receiving and reclaim systems. Additional monitoring, including 4B Components sensors, supports equipment protection and automation controls.
Flooding Forces a Rebuild
By June 2024, work was ahead of schedule. The tunnel beneath the receiving and loadout building had been constructed and was nearly fully backfilled. Then, a once-in-every-500-year rainfall hit southeast South Dakota. More than 13 inches fell in fewer than 24 hours flooding the jobsite and tunnel area, and the hydrostatic pressure lifted the 8-million-pound structure floating it up 3 feet from its original position. The intense water pressure and structural forces cracked the 27-inch-thick mat slab and 18-inch-thick walls of the tunnel, resulting in a total loss to the structure.
“We had the tunnel constructed once and would have had it completed by the end of July. Instead, we tore it out in early August and rebuilt the entire structure again,” said Gubbels.
“We were about two months ahead when the tunnel lifted,” he added. The setback pushed the schedule back roughly four months, but the goal of the construction team was to keep the original schedule. Construction crews worked six days a week and long hours to accomplish this goal. “Timely, common-sense decisions aided the rebuild and that’s what we got from High Plains Processing during the rebuild.” said Gubbels.
Results and Impact
The flood and tunnel rebuild added time and complexity, but the original plan remained intact, and the facility was fully operational for fall 2025 harvest. “It was important because the receiving and loadout building was on top of the tunnel; therefore, no beans could come in, and no soymeal could come out of the facility. A delay would have meant significant operational and financial impact,” said Gubbels.