Frontier Cooperative’s Mynard, NE branch is ready for this year’s harvest thanks to a recent expansion. Image courtesy of CL Construction
With a total storage capacity of 87 million bushels and annual sales of $850 million, the cooperative recently expanded its Mynard facility near Plattsmouth, NE to further enhance its capabilities.
Frontier Cooperative traces its origins back to February 18, 1915, when a meeting was held to organize the Farmers Elevator Company. That same year, a 35,000-bushel elevator was built for $9,000.
Over time, both Frontier and Midwest’s predecessor organizations underwent numerous mergers and acquisitions, expanding their presence across southern and central Nebraska. The name Frontier was adopted in 1990 following the merger of Farmers Cooperative Co. of Brainard with Farmers Union Cooperative of Mead, solidifying the company’s footprint in the region.
Project Evolution
The Mynard facility handles corn, soybeans, and wheat, and with 27 acres of land, the site had ample room for expansion. The project, managed by CL Construction, Lincoln, NE, began in September 2022 to continue meeting the increasing demands of the grain industry.
Managed by CL Construction, Lincoln, NE, the project, which began in September 2022, includes the construction of a new 105-foot-diameter GSI steel bin. The 85-foot-tall bin is capable of holding 691,000 bushels and is equipped with new 20,000-bph fill equipment, a 1,000-bushel grain receiving pit, and 10,000-bph reclaim equipment, significantly boosting the facility’s efficiency and capacity.
Prior to the expansion, the Mynard facility featured four 72-foot-diameter, 67-foot eave, outside-stiffened storage tanks, each with a capacity of 250,000 bushels, as well as one 105-foot-x-85-foot eave outside-stiffened tank with a capacity of 691,000 bushels. The site also includes a 20,000-bph leg and fill equipment, a 10,000-bph reclaim system, a 3,000-bushel overhead bin, a 12-foot-x-24-foot dump pit with a 1,500-bushel capacity, and a 450,000-bushel bunker. This brought the total upright storage capacity to 1.7 million bushels, supplemented by the 450,000-bushel ground pile.
Despite a tight schedule, the millwright work was completed by August 2023, with final automation finishing in March 2024.
The Mynard facility now features:
• Total capacity of 2.8 million bushels of storage capacity: A 691,000-bushel significant increase to meet growing demands
• A second Rice Lake 14-foot-x-80-foot above-grade truck scale and new grain probe with scale automation for efficient inbound and outbound truck traffic
• OPI grain monitoring temperature and moisture sensors: Automated aeration system quickly detects hot spots and tracks drying/cooling zones for efficient aeration management
• 40% more upright storage capacity: Allows for better handling of large quantities
• A second dump pit at a rate of 20,000 bph: Vastly improves efficiency when dumping corn and soybeans
• Additional GSI equipment with hazard monitoring equipment: Enhances safety with full automation
provided by Northwind Technical Services
Strategic Expansion & Automation
CEO of Frontier Cooperative, Craig Schultz, highlights the strategic need for additional storage and dumping capacity at the site. “Due to increasing yields with improved seed varieties, speed and space at harvest continue to drive the need for additional capacity,” he explains. “This project allows us to handle increased volumes of corn and soybeans efficiently, ensuring we meet our members’ needs.”
Key Partnerships
The expansion project was made possible through partnerships with several key suppliers. Progressive Electric, Lincoln, handled the electrical work, while NorthWind Technical Services, Sabetha, KS, provided comprehensive facility automation. Additional enhancements included a second Rice Lake truck scale supplied by Scale Sales and Service and a new grain probe by CR Manufacturing.
Looking Ahead
The recent enhancements at the Mynard facility mark a significant milestone in Frontier Cooperative’s long history of growth and innovation. The cooperative remains committed to supporting local agriculture through ongoing investments in infrastructure and technology. As Schultz puts it, “These expansions are like none other, and we depend on our longstanding partnerships to get the job done efficiently and successfully.”
With these new capabilities, Frontier Cooperative Company is well positioned to continue its leadership in the grain storage and handling industry, ensuring reliable and efficient service for its members and clients.
Frontier Cooperative Company
Home office: Lincoln, NE
Total grain storage capacity: 87 million bushels
Annual grain volume: 70 million bushels of corn, 25 million bushels of soybeans
Annual sales: $850 million
Number of members: 5,500
Crops handled: Corn, soybeans, wheat
Key Personnel:
Jeremy Wilhelm, CEO
Craig Schultz, COO
Frontier Cooperative, Mynard Branch
Location: Plattsmouth, NE
Grain storage capacity: 2.3 million bushels plus 400,000-bushel temporary storage pile
Key Personnel:
Dale Uhe, branch manager
Brad Harms, operations
Bill Moates, regional operations manager
Frontier Supplier List
Contractor: CL Construction, LLC.
Aeration fans: GSI
Aeration system: GSI
Bearing sensors: 4B Components
Bin sweeps: GSI
Bucket elevators: GSI
Catwalk: AGI - Brownie
Control system: NorthWind Technical Services
Conveyors: GSI
Conveyor belting: GSI
Consulting engineer: GSI & Lammers Engineering
Distributor: Custom Metal Fabricators
Electric Contractor: Progressive Electric
Elevator buckets: Maxi-Lift
Grain probe: CR Manufacturing
Grain temperature system: OPI
Millwright: CL Construction, LLC.
Motion sensors: 4B Components
Speed reducers: Dodge Industries, Inc.
Steel storage: GSI
Steel tank erection: CL Construction
Truck scale: Rice Lake Weighing Systems
In This Issue
Grain Journal May June 2024
View this review and more in the Grain Journal May June 2024 magazine.