Glacial Plains Cooperative De Graff Expansion
About Gales Design & Consulting
Gales Design & Consulting is a full-service design and construction management firm specializing in agricultural facilities. We start with an in-depth needs analysis that delivers accurate cost estimates early in the process so you can evaluate your ROI before making significant engineering investments. Our collaborative approach brings together industry experts to design optimal solutions while identifying bottlenecks and maximizing operational efficiency. From competitive bidding and budget management to construction oversight and lien waivers, we handle every detail to transform your vision into reality: on schedule, within budget, and hassle-free. Contact us today to learn how Gales Design & Consulting can make your next project a success.
Project Spotlight: Featured in The Grain Journal
Congratulations to Glacial Plains Cooperative and the whole project team—The Grain Journal showcased this expansion in the January/ February 2025 print issue, recognizing both the scale of the project and the co-op’s commitment to supporting local farming communities.
Glacial Plains Cooperative Completes Major Feed Mill Expansion in De Graff
When Glacial Plains Cooperative set out to expand their feed mill capabilities at their De Graff, Minnesota location in 2023, they knew that success would depend on finding a partner that could bring together every piece of a complex project. The cooperative, a cornerstone of Minnesota’s agricultural community that processes 20 to 25 million bushels of grain and 35,000 to 40,000 tons of fertilizer annually, needed more than just construction expertise: they required a collaborative approach that could balance ambitious growth goals with real practical know-how. The facility houses dual operations, including a specialized bird food processing mill that serves regional and national markets, making the expansion both complex and critical to the co-op’s future.
Project’s Highlights:
- Rapid Redesign Capability.
- More Than Doubled Mixing Capacity, increased throughput from 16 tons to 37.5 tons per hour.
- Strategic equipment upgrades targeting identified bottlenecks.
- Innovative Weigh Hopper Solution.
- Twelve-Times Tote-Filling Improvement.
- Enhanced Product Customization – new precision grinding equipment allows exact texture control from coarse to fine powder.
- Comprehensive Capacity Improvements – doubled bagging capacity through automated systems and streamlined manual processes.
- Community Economic Impact – $20 million investment creates new opportunities, and demonstrates Glacial Plains Cooperative’s commitment to the De Graff community.
General Manager Mark Greicar recognized early that this project would need thorough upfront planning. Glacial Plains decided to work with Gales Design and Consulting, whose unique methodology begins with an intensive needs analysis. This approach examines every detail—from output requirements and sanitation needs to equipment effectiveness and operational bottlenecks—creating a comprehensive understanding of what the facility must accomplish. Critically, this deep-dive process builds the flexibility to adapt when circumstances change. By thoroughly understanding the cooperative’s operational requirements and constraints from the outset, the team established a knowledge foundation that would prove invaluable when the project later required rapid redesign.
The Planning Process Proves Its Value
Market conditions shifted dramatically just as construction was set to begin. A long-time customer, a farm and ranch retail chain, announced expansion plans that would double their bird food production orders. This presented both an exciting opportunity and a significant challenge: the existing bird food mill was already running at maximum capacity due to sustained demand increases that began during the pandemic. Rather than delaying the project, the team made a bold decision to expand their focus to include greatly expanding bird food production capabilities.
Working quickly, the project team executed a comprehensive redesign in just three weeks. Despite the compressed timeline, the redesign maintained rigorous quality standards and underwent multiple revisions to ensure optimal performance. This rapid adaptation demonstrated the advantage of the thorough needs analysis conducted at the project’s outset—the team understood the facility’s requirements well enough to pivot quickly without compromising quality or feasibility.
The construction phase brought together skilled contractors including SMA Design Build, Freetly Electric Inc., Marcus Construction, Inc., and Crow River Construction, all working under coordinated project management that emphasized quality control and schedule adherence. Regular site visits, specification verification, and ongoing communication meetings kept all stakeholders aligned and addressed concerns before they could become real problems. The result was an on-time completion in September 2024, delivering a facility that transformed Glacial Plains’ operational capabilities.
A Deep Knowledge Base Helps Turn a Challenge Into an Opportunity
The finished expansion delivers remarkable performance improvements that exceed initial expectations. Strategic bottleneck elimination in the mixing process more than doubled production capacity, increasing throughput from 16 tons to 37.5 tons per hour—effectively enabling the facility to process two semi-loads of product hourly. The installation of two four-ton weigh hoppers above the mixer eliminated downtime between batches by allowing the next load to be prepared while mixing continued. Additional upgrades to bagging operations doubled that capacity, while tote-filling improvements multiplied efficiency by twelve times.
More Than an Expansion: A Commitment to Farmers and the Community
Beyond pure capacity gains, the expansion enhances product quality in ways that directly benefit Glacial Plains’ farmers. New grinding equipment provides precise control over texture, allowing customization from coarse to fine powder based on individual producer preferences and livestock requirements. Feed Division Manager Randy Simmonds emphasized how these capabilities strengthen the cooperative’s competitive position and service quality..
For the De Graff community, the $20 million investment represents more than facility improvements: it signals Glacial Plains’ long-term commitment to the area. The expansion creates new employment opportunities, increases demand for locally-grown crops, and reinforces the cooperative’s role as an economic anchor. As General Manager Mark Greicar noted, the project shows that Glacial Plains is invested in De Graff’s future and is here to stay. With enhanced capacity, cutting-edge technology, and scalable infrastructure that can accommodate future growth, the facility positions Glacial Plains Cooperative to serve its members and community for decades to come.
At Glacial Plains Cooperative, the agronomy, grain, energy, feed and retail divisions help keep rural farming communities running strong, day-in and day-out in West Central Minnesota.
Whether you’re looking for customized agronomic expertise and support, experienced assistance in marketing your crop, a dependable provider of fuels and feeds, or a hot meal and a tank of gas at the local C-Store in Benson, they always aim to exceed your expectations. With roots that stretch back to 1907, Glacial Plains Cooperative maintains a legacy of dependable service and thoughtful growth in their communities.
Gales Design & Consulting simplifies agricultural construction from start to finish. With accurate early cost estimates and a collaborative design process, we help you make confident decisions before committing major resources. Our team handles bidding, coordination, budgets, schedules, and site oversight to keep your project running smoothly and on budget.
Contact us today to start planning your next project with confidence.