By DOUG SCHMITZ Iowa Correspondent
TIPTON, Ind. – Nutrien Ag Solutions opened its newly upgraded Tipton retail facility Sept. 9 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to company officials. Rob Clayton, Nutrien’s North American Retail senior vice president, said the facility is a showcase of innovation, built with one goal in mind: supporting farmer success. “Our capital improvement initiative reflects Nutrien’s unwavering commitment to delivering industry-leading products, proprietary solutions, and services that maximize yield, profitability and sustainability,” he said. According to company officials, the Tipton location is one of 2,000 Nutrien Ag Solutions retail facilities across North America – with the majority of these operating as farm centers and smaller satellite locations – included in the company’s capital improvement initiative, designed to modernize operations and enhance service in regions experiencing rapid agricultural growth. Company officials added the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a milestone for Tipton, bringing together Nutrien employees, local farmers, suppliers, and community leaders to celebrate this new era for the site, with guests touring the upgraded facility. “The mission of this new facility is to support the success of farmers in central Indiana,” company officials told Farm World in a Sept. 17 statement. “This facility meets our team’s goals of safety – improved facilities with a focus on operational flow and safety processes, and proven accuracy in crop protection and nutrition products, and speed, convenience, value and increased serviceable acres.” Once a location like Tipton is chosen, company officials said there is a thorough due diligence that is completed with project development and approvals, permitting, and construction execution, which takes 12-18 months. “Identifying locations for our capital improvement initiative is a major collaborative effort between our region, division and branch management teams, as well as our corporate development and retail construction teams,” they said. The key benefits from this facility for farmers, company officials said, are strengthened service in central Indiana, such as improved accessibility to products because of an on-site 5,000-ton dry fertilizer storage system with rail access and 250-ton-per-hour receiving; and blending capabilities for precise macro- and micronutrient blends with liquid impregnation (the process of treating a material with a special substance to protect its surface from water, oil, dirt and other substances). “We also have a liquid storage and blending facility with 2 million gallons of UAN (a liquid fertilizer with urea, ammonium and nitrate) storage; 240,000 gallons of nutritional storage; and 110,000 gallons of chemistry storage, plus interior and exterior load pads for custom blends,” they said. The facility has an enhanced anhydrous ammonia (nitrogen fertilizer) system, including four riser platforms; 120,000 gallons of NH3 (ammonia) storage; and stabilizer injection capabilities. In addition, the facility has a modernized office designed with digital and operational efficiencies to further improve customer service and support, company officials said. “For our team, it’s not just new infrastructure; it’s a commitment to our farmers that Nutrien will be here, season after season,” Clayton said.
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