Richardson to expand its western operations

June 17, Winnipeg – Richardson International is investing $40 million to further enhance its Richardson Pioneer network of grain handling and crop input centres across western Canada.

This investment includes increased grain storage, high-speed fertilizer blenders, a fertilizer distribution centre and the creation of four new crop input locations.
This is the latest in a series of significant investments Richardson has made to expand its operations across the country.

On May 1, the company acquired 19 grain elevators, 13 crop input centres, an export terminal in Thunder Bay and Viterra’s oat and wheat milling business. In April, Richardson also invested $120 million to expand its grain terminal in Vancouver. Currently, the company is increasing capacity at its canola processing facility in Yorkton by 25 per cent and also recently announced plans to expand its canola processing facility in Lethbridge.

"We are always looking for opportunities to expand and diversify our business," says Curt Vossen, President and CEO of Richardson International. "We are proud to be celebrating a century of growth with the 100th anniversary of Richardson Pioneer in 2013 and we will continue to grow into the future to meet the needs of our customers at home and around the world."

In 2013, Richardson plans to add 14,000 MT of storage capacity to each of its elevators in Carseland, Alta., Crooked River, Sask. and Shoal Lake, Man., increasing capacity at these facilities between 54 and 68 per cent.

Since 2007, Richardson has been focused on increasing storage capacity at its Richardson Pioneer grain facilities and 18 have been completed since that time.
Richardson is also further investing in its crop inputs business. Four former Viterra grain elevators – Stony Mountain and Letellier, Man., Kindersley, Sask. and Lacombe, Alta. – will each receive high-speed blenders, fertilizer storage and a 6,000-square-foot chemical and seed warehouse to become full-service crop input centres. Richardson is building a 35,000-tonne fertilizer distribution centre at Carlton Crossing, Sask. The company is also adding six high-speed fertilizer blenders at its Richardson Pioneer locations in Oyen and Magrath, Alta., Kamsack, and Shellbrook, Sask. and Shoal Lake, Man.