Rising from the Ashes
Hastings, Neb., farming co-op rebuilds its with the strength of Gerhold Concrete.
By BRADY JONES | Lyman-Richey Corporation
Photos by HENRY CAMEY | Gerhold Concrete Co.
Before reaching its first year of operation, Cooperative Producers, Inc.’s new, state-of-the-art dry fertilizer plant went down in flames — literally.
A lightning strike ignited the Hastings, Neb., facility on an evening in late May. The blaze engulfed the building, and the Hastings Rural Fire Department and Hastings Fire and Rescue had to call for help from three other neighboring community departments to put it out.
“That evening standing there in the fire you could see the hurt in our employees’ eyes, all the work they put into it went up in smoke,” CPI’s Vice President of Agronomy Laremy Seelow told local news.
But just as CEO Allan Zumpfe promised immediately after the fire, CPI began the rebuilding process right away.
“That evening standing there in the fire you could see the hurt in our employees’ eyes, all the work they put into it went up in smoke.”
CPI, a farmer-owned cooperative that began as an association of six other co-ops in 1978 and merged into one in 2007, has locations in more than 30 south central Nebraska communities. As global agriculture markets become increasingly competitive, CPI wanted to provide its members with greater access to supply and streamline the processes.
“This facility serviced farmers in about a 100-mile radius. Once it went down, we realized the impact it had not only for CPI’s growers, but other growers. This was a wholesale facility with other growers and when that went down, it sure put a lot of stress on our local farmers,” Seelow said.
The rebuilt plant is following the same blueprint and location as the destroyed one, which had a total capacity of 44,000 tons — including a 400-ton capacity tower — and updated equipment and flow that could fill semis in minutes, according to the cooperative.
But one thing is different this go around: Gerhold Concrete’s new Hastings location meant the company could bid on the rebuild.
“It is actually the largest one of its kind in North America,” said Hastings Plant Manager Brett Peterson. “To date we have hauled just over 6,900 cu. yds., and we’re very near completion. A project of this size is obviously very good for the company and also the community.”