Sept. 18 2017 11:28 AM

Feed mill expansion underway to serve Northwest Iowa customers

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Kent Nutrition Group broke ground on a new expansion project for their Deluxe Feeds Sheldon location on Thursday, September 14, 2017. The new northwest Iowa plant will increase volume and the flexibility of the operation while providing more products and service to area swine, dairy and beef customers.

The expansion project demonstrates KNG’s commitment to service for its livestock customers in the four-state area with the addition of five new pellets mills, high-efficiency packaging equipment, grain cleaning and packaging innovations, two separate processing lines, and a 50,000-square-foot warehouse.

“At Kent Nutrition Group, we recognize the importance of animal agriculture to the economy in this area of the country,” said Dan Paca, general manager, Deluxe Feeds. “With the groundbreaking of our new facility, we are sharing our vision for growth and providing our customers with the quality products and service they need to help be successful.”

Projected completion for the feed mill expansion is early winter 2019.

“We have been making continuous improvements in our various facilities in order to deliver the quality products and services that our customers expect from our Kent brand,” said Mike Gauss, KNG’s vice president of operations. “This new state-of-the-art feed mill with its extended capabilities will increase capacity and versatility, so we can continue to produce our quality animal nutrition products, something that is a top-priority at each of our KNG plants.”

“As we move forward with this project, we greatly appreciate the support of the local community,” Paca continued. “We are excited and pleased to break ground on our new facility which will help us provide the high quality products that our customers expect.”

The kickoff for the 20-month project was celebrated with KNG senior management and employees as well as City of Sheldon officials and Sheldon Community Development committee members and state representatives.

Since 1972, Deluxe Feeds has produced quality feed products for swine, dairy and beef operations in northwest Iowa, southeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota. In 2016, Deluxe Feeds was acquired by Kent Nutrition Group.

KNG delivers the highest quality animal nutrition based on a long-standing tradition of progressive innovation and dedication to livestock, equine and pet owners. KNG is a division of Kent Corporation, a family-owned, American company founded in 1927. KNG was formed to bring out the best in two highly successful regional feed brands – Kent in the Midwest and Blue Seal in the East. The Kent and Blue Seal brands are dedicated to providing quality animal nutrition that you can trust – guaranteed.