Federated Co-Operatives Limited (FCL) is a major player in many different industries and commodities throughout Canada. This facility, situated on 200 acres near Grassy Lake in southeast Alberta, is the latest addition to their extensive operations. The large storage complex for bulk fertilizer consists of five buildings and industrial processing equipment such as multiple conveyors, two 100-foot grain elevators and large hoppers that move, store and mix materials. 

A 2.5-kilometer rail loop connects the plant to the main Canadian Pacific rail line running east of the town of Taber. The rail loop hosts a 110-car train which, along with 42-ton Super B trucks, brings in material and distributes processed fertilizer to surrounding areas. The increased number of Super B trucks, which are up to 85 feet long, meant upgrades to the local highway and range road were a necessary part of the project. 

PCL’s civil construction team partnered with Sackett Waconia, one of the fertilizer industry’s most highly regarded progress-equipment providers. Sackett Waconia’s design exceeded FCL’s performance requirements and eliminated the need to build a rail track through a wetland, leaving the wetland undisturbed and potentially saving months of permit approvals. 

The storage and blending facility will be a main hub for fertilizer distribution and will benefit all Co-op members in the region. This is the third fertilizer terminal for FCL, which in the past few years has opened facilities in Hanley, Saskatchewan and Brandon, Manitoba.