Wilbur-Ellis Hosts Open House to Showcase New and Upgraded Fertilizer Facility Just 16 Months After Fire
Aurora, Colorado — On October 23, 2022, a fire severely damaged the Wilbur-Ellis fertilizer facility in Moses Lake, Washington, leading to the complete destruction of the plant. Despite this setback, the facility has been rebuilt and reopened in an impressive 16-month timeframe, marking a significant achievement for the company. To celebrate the completion of this monumental project, Wilbur-Ellis held an open house on June 18, 2024, attended by nearly 50 local growers and guests.
A Testament to Resilience and Teamwork
The fire that ravaged the Moses Lake facility was a major challenge for Wilbur-Ellis, but the company’s ability to rebound from this disaster speaks to the resilience and dedication of their team. Dave Byrne, Process Engineering Manager at Wilbur-Ellis, highlighted the collective effort required to maintain customer support during the reconstruction phase: “We are very proud of the incredible team effort it took to continue to serve and support local row crop and specialty crop farmers while rebuilding the fertilizer handling, storage, and blending facility.”
State-of-the-Art Facility with Enhanced Capabilities
The newly reconstructed facility features state-of-the-art blending and mixing technologies that enhance both efficiency and capacity. The new plant includes advanced equipment and infrastructure improvements designed to support local growers better than ever before. The new features of the Moses Lake facility include:
- Advanced Blending Technologies: The new facility incorporates modern blending technologies that increase efficiency and capacity, supporting a high-throughput fertilizer operation for local growers.
- Expanded Storage and Rail Access: The plant now includes expanded storage capabilities and improved rail access, facilitating better logistics and distribution for fertilizer products.
- Liquid Micronutrient Impregnating Stations: The addition of new liquid micronutrient impregnating stations enhances the facility’s ability to meet diverse crop nutrition needs.
- Enhanced Safety Features: The new facility incorporates updated safety features to ensure a secure working environment for staff and efficient operations.
Byrne also noted, “Rebuilding allowed us to incorporate new blending technologies, increase mixing capacity, and add several liquid micronutrient impregnating stations. We were able to make safety modifications as well.”
Overcoming Operational Challenges During Rebuild
Throughout the rebuild, Wilbur-Ellis maintained their commitment to their customers despite significant challenges. Without a functioning facility, the team had to devise creative solutions to ensure fertilizer supply continued uninterrupted. Anita Paulsson, Distribution Manager at Wilbur-Ellis, described the logistical efforts involved: “Supplying customers without equipment and infrastructure called for creative solutions. Much of the fertilizer was trucked directly to fields from railcars. We also routed some of the supply through our Basin West facility in Quincy and through our Pasco plant.”
The temporary shift in operations was managed by introducing small batch blending systems and adapting logistics to maintain service levels. “The tenacity of the operations team was key to keeping our customers supplied with fertilizer,” said Byrne. “Their work ethic and dedication were what made the difference.”
A Successful Reopening and a Bright Future
On March 7, 2024, just over a year after the fire, the rebuilt Wilbur-Ellis facility was officially reopened, ready to support the 2024 growing season. The successful completion of the new facility underscores Wilbur-Ellis’ commitment to their customers and their ability to overcome adversity.
Byrne expressed gratitude for the support received throughout the process: “Our success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our partners and the determination of our team. We are excited to continue serving our customers with enhanced capabilities and look forward to future successes.”
Aurora, Colorado — On October 23, 2022, a fire severely damaged the Wilbur-Ellis fertilizer facility in Moses Lake, Washington, leading to the complete destruction of the plant. Despite this setback, the facility has been rebuilt and reopened in an impressive 16-month timeframe, marking a significant achievement for the company. To celebrate the completion of this monumental project, Wilbur-Ellis held an open house on June 18, 2024, attended by nearly 50 local growers and guests.
A Testament to Resilience and Teamwork
The fire that ravaged the Moses Lake facility was a major challenge for Wilbur-Ellis, but the company’s ability to rebound from this disaster speaks to the resilience and dedication of their team. Dave Byrne, Process Engineering Manager at Wilbur-Ellis, highlighted the collective effort required to maintain customer support during the reconstruction phase: “We are very proud of the incredible team effort it took to continue to serve and support local row crop and specialty crop farmers while rebuilding the fertilizer handling, storage, and blending facility.”
State-of-the-Art Facility with Enhanced Capabilities
The newly reconstructed facility features state-of-the-art blending and mixing technologies that enhance both efficiency and capacity. The new plant includes advanced equipment and infrastructure improvements designed to support local growers better than ever before. The new features of the Moses Lake facility include:
- Advanced Blending Technologies: The new facility incorporates modern blending technologies that increase efficiency and capacity, supporting a high-throughput fertilizer operation for local growers.
- Expanded Storage and Rail Access: The plant now includes expanded storage capabilities and improved rail access, facilitating better logistics and distribution for fertilizer products.
- Liquid Micronutrient Impregnating Stations: The addition of new liquid micronutrient impregnating stations enhances the facility’s ability to meet diverse crop nutrition needs.
- Enhanced Safety Features: The new facility incorporates updated safety features to ensure a secure working environment for staff and efficient operations.
Byrne also noted, “Rebuilding allowed us to incorporate new blending technologies, increase mixing capacity, and add several liquid micronutrient impregnating stations. We were able to make safety modifications as well.”
Overcoming Operational Challenges During Rebuild
Throughout the rebuild, Wilbur-Ellis maintained their commitment to their customers despite significant challenges. Without a functioning facility, the team had to devise creative solutions to ensure fertilizer supply continued uninterrupted. Anita Paulsson, Distribution Manager at Wilbur-Ellis, described the logistical efforts involved: “Supplying customers without equipment and infrastructure called for creative solutions. Much of the fertilizer was trucked directly to fields from railcars. We also routed some of the supply through our Basin West facility in Quincy and through our Pasco plant.”
The temporary shift in operations was managed by introducing small batch blending systems and adapting logistics to maintain service levels. “The tenacity of the operations team was key to keeping our customers supplied with fertilizer,” said Byrne. “Their work ethic and dedication were what made the difference.”
A Successful Reopening and a Bright Future
On March 7, 2024, just over a year after the fire, the rebuilt Wilbur-Ellis facility was officially reopened, ready to support the 2024 growing season. The successful completion of the new facility underscores Wilbur-Ellis’ commitment to their customers and their ability to overcome adversity.
Byrne expressed gratitude for the support received throughout the process: “Our success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our partners and the determination of our team. We are excited to continue serving our customers with enhanced capabilities and look forward to future successes.”
