Editorial Contacts
Jim Austin - 715-323-3588
Managing Director, Targeted Content Inc.
Mike Schweiss - 507-426-8273
Owner, Schweiss Doors
Images (from top left): CRC1.jpg; CRC2.jpg; CRC3.jpg; CRC4.jpg; CRC5.jpg; CRC6.jpg; CRC7.jpg; CRC8.jpg; CRC9.jpg (PHOTO CAPTIONS at bottom of page.)
Central Region Coop has four bifold doors at new bulk fertilizer plant
HECTOR, Minn., Feb. 4, 2025 – Central Region Cooperative has 10 locations, including a newly constructed plant in Fairfax, Minn., serving the agricultural community with fertilizer, feed, seed and energy products, including numerous marketing options to assist farmers in running a productive operation.
The new Fairfax CRC plant consists of three buildings that have four Schweiss Doors bifold liftstrap doors, all measuring 16 feet by 18 feet, large enough for a semi to drive in, load or unload and then drive out the opposite side at the fertilizer receiving and load-out bays. The bifold doors are equipped with the new liftstrap autolatch system, dustproof motors and electrical compliance with National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standards.
Fertilizer is trucked in by CRC employees and contracted drivers to the fertilizer receiving building bay at the southwest corner of the plant and then transferred by towers from the receiving bay building to the fertilizer load-out building, where it can be blended, impregnated and loaded into farmer’s or company-owned tenders. Plans are in place for the possible addition of a rail spur and rail bay to be connected to the receiving building at some point.
Located on the east side of the campus, apart from these two fertilizer processing and blending buildings, is a larger package and bulk liquid chemical storage building. The north end of this building houses a seed warehouse with another 20-foot by 50-foot addition for seed treatment and bulk seed handling. The anhydrous and liquefied petroleum (LP) site, located about a mile west of Fairfax, will eventually be moved to the new site to keep everything in one location.
“This site will handle all facets of agronomy needs, dry fertilizer, micros, macros, liquid fertilizer, chemicals, various brands and varieties of bagged and bulk seed, pretty much everything you can get from an agronomy center,” says Nate Gieseke, Chief Executive Officer of Central Region Coop. “The new plant will mean much improved and faster service with better quality product and an investment into the community.”
The Fairfax facility employs 40 people in its office, at the plant and out in the field, depending upon the time of year.
“Our dry fertilizer warehouse is capable of holding 17,015 tons of bulk fertilizer and has a 250-ton tower with a 4-ton HIM mixer that is five times faster than our standard towers,” Gieseke says. “The chemical and seed warehouse is approximately 36,000 square feet. The two drive-thru bays have 16-foot by 18-foot doors, where customers can get loaded with bulk or packaged chemicals, with the ability to mix hot loads or liquid fertilizer and any chemical needs the customer may have.”
The load-out area features two of the 16-foot by 18-foot bifold doors that allow tenders to drive through with ease while loading fertilizer.
CRC has an additional branch location in Buffalo Lake that serves about 1,500 patrons or 8,000 customers.
Stueve Construction Company of Algona, Iowa, the general contractor for the Fairfax fertilizer plant, has been a great customer and promotor of Schweiss Doors through the years. Stueve has ordered more than 150 bifold doors ranging in size from 14 feet by 14 feet to 45 feet by 10 feet. The Schweiss bifold doors have been installed not only throughout the agricultural heartland, but from coast-to-coast.
Stueve Construction has earned a reputation as a trusted partner in building solutions for dry fertilizer storage technology since 1958.
“CRC hired our construction department at CHS, Inc., to manage the project and coordinate all the contractors,” says Mike Heinen, project leader. “We are the largest farmer-owned coop, similar to CRC, but on a larger scale. CHS, which previously stood for Cenex Harvest States, does so many projects that they formed a construction department to handle new construction projects, expansions and upgrades. We are six people in a construction department among about 10,000 employees.”
About Schweiss Doors
Schweiss Doors is the premier manufacturer of hydraulic and bifold liftstrap doors. Doors are custom made to any size for any type of new or existing building for architects and builders determined to do amazing things with their buildings, including the doors. Schweiss also offers a cable to liftstrap conversion package. For more information, visit www.bifold.com.
Photo Captions:
CRC1: A 250-foot tower sits above the load-out bay where Schweiss Doors 16-foot by 18-foot bifold doors allow farmers and tenders to drive through with ease while loading dry fertilizer.
CRC2: The Fairfax CRC plant consists of three buildings, two of which have four Schweiss Doors bifold doors. The drive-out segments of the fertilizer receiving bay are shown at the southwest corner of the plant and the loading bay can be seen at the far right.
CRC3: Chief Executive Officer Nate Gieseke has been employed with CRC for over three years and with the cooperative system for 14 years. He is standing in front of the entrance to the load-out bay.
CRC4: A 16-foot by 18-foot bifold door is located at the entrance to the receiving bay where fertilizer is trucked in by CRC employees and contracted drivers and then transferred by towers to the load-out bay.
CRC5: Located at the east side of the campus, apart from the two fertilizer processing and blending buildings, is the package and bulk liquid chemical storage building. The north end of this building houses a seed warehouse and another 20-foot by 50-foot addition for seed treatment and bulk seed handling.
CRC6: This bifold liftstrap door is located at the exit end of the receiving bay building. The bifold doors are equipped with automatic latch systems and have dustproof motors and electrical.
CRC7: Nate Gieseke operates the control switch that opens, closes and locks the load-out bay door with the new liftstrap auto latch system where farmers exit after receiving their orders of blended fertilizer. The 250-foot tower with 4-ton HIM mixer is five times faster than standard towers.
CRC8: This photo shows the opposite side of the fertilizer plant shown in photo CRC2. This is where drivers enter the receiving and load-out bays.
CRC9: An aerial photo shows the entire CRC fertilizer campus east of Fairfax. This site handles all facets of agronomy needs from dry and liquid fertilizer to chemicals and bulk seeds. The anhydrous and LP site located about a mile west of Fairfax will eventually be moved to the new location. (Photos courtesy of CRC)
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