Five Washington State Grain Co-ops Merge
Five grain companies located in Eastern Washington State plan to merge in the spring of this year.
Central Washington Grain Growers, Davenport Union Warehouse Co., Odessa Union Warehouse Co-Op, and Reardan Grain Growers Inc. plan to purchase Almira Farmers Warehouse Co. and then merge into one entity named HighLine Grain Growers Inc. on April 1.
Moving forward, Paul Katovich, general manager of Central Washington Grain Growers, will assume the role of CEO of HighLine Grain Growers, which once combined will have a membership of more than 3,700.
The five companies have been working together since 2012 on a $30 million grain loading facility that can handle 110-car trains, and this merger is being recognized as the “next natural step”, and something that will enable the companies involved better access up the value chain while keeping costs to a minimum.
Expected benefits of the merger include more efficiency in managing space and timelines, streamlining of operations and compartmentalizing tasks, increased buying and selling power, and a greater capacity for research initiatives and testing programs.
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