Grain Department

The Hull Cooperative "Speed and Space" Journey

                At a planning session on March 8, 2007, your Board of Directors looked at the strategic direction of all of the departments in the cooperative.  In the Grain department, one of the highest priorities was to improve receiving and storage capacity for the members.  It was identified that yields were increasing, as well as the members' size of harvest equipment (combines, grain carts, semis or larger wagons).  The coop needed to be faster at harvest. 

                Your coop had recently completed a bin addition 2 years prior in 2005, and was looking to add an additional bin in 2007 due to increasing volumes of grain receipts.  It was at that time the Board commissioned an engineering study of our electrical system.  That study showed in order to continue expanding services the coop would need to do a major upgrade of their existing electrical system that would need to include capacity for future expansion.  This prompted a comprehensive plan for future growth and set in motion, prompted by excellent earnings, the upgrades you are currently witnessing.

                This year your coop has reached several major milestones on that quest to better serve our members, we should review the grain department upgrades over the past 35 years.

                1975------Concrete grain elevator completed (240,000 bu)

                1980------Concrete annex built (650,000 bu)

                1986------Butler flat storage constructed (196,000 bu)

                1995------3000 bph grain dryer, new outside pit, and 10,000 bu / hr receiving leg

                1999------340,000 bu steel GSI grain bin, transfer tower and conveyors

                2005------340,000 bu steel GSI grain bin

                2007------540,000 bu steel GSI grain bin 

                2009------New electrical room and transformer, complete rewiring of the existing facilities including computer  controls,  new 12,500 per hour dry corn leg (from the corn dryer) releasing a concrete leg increasing total dumping capacity by 31%,  new 20,000 bu / hr top fill conveyors.

                2010------340,000 bu steel GSI grain bin, 7,000 bu / hr Brock tower grain dryer, and new outbound scale

                2011------340,000 bu steel GSI grain bin

                2014------Electronic distributor, sped up inside receiving legs

                2015------575,000 bu steel GSI grain bin, additional receiving pit, 20,000 bu per hour capacity

                2018------575,000 bu steel GSI grain bin added for corn storage west of Cenex

                2020------575,000 bu steel GSI grain bin added for corn storage west of Cenex

                2020------Conveyor system added above Milwaukee St. to connect bins west of Cenex to previously existing storage & drying equipment

                Grain volumes have increased 75% since 2003.  With the solid foundation (scaling, electrical, drying, and conveying equipment) now completed, any additional receiving and storage capacity can be easily added.    We look forward to serving you this fall and throughout the year.   Have a safe harvest!

2010 Brock grain dryer capable of drying 7,000 bushels of corn per hour

View of steel grain bins, concrete silos, and main office

2010 Installation of "outbound" second truck scale

View of completed scale just north of the Cenex Service Station

Three of the GSI bins and the outside grain dump pit

Mark checks grain temperatures weekly.  Don't forget to check your grain quality at home!