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Grain exporters acquire new facility, expand into Ontario

(The Enterprise/File)

VALE – A Washington based grain export company announced that it has acquired a grain storage and shipping operation in Ontario.

United Grain Corp. of Vancouver on Saturday took ownership of the Ontario facility and one in Idaho that belonged to the Scoular Company, the corporation said in a press release. 

Scoular, headquartered in Nebraska, buys, stores and transports a variety of grain products. The Ontario facility is located at 2000 S.W. Fourth St. 

Stephanie McClintock, public relations manager for the United Grain, said that while the corporation is acquiring the new facilities from Scoular, it is not hiring its employees. 

McClintock said that Scoular announced the acquisition to its employees today. 

The Ontario facility will primarily deal with wheat, McClintock said, but United Grain will work with Scoular over the next year on the company’s corn program. 

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“We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to take these facilities over from a company that has developed strong relationships with growers. We intend to continue investing to bring reliable service that UGC has become known for. Additionally, we hope to bring markets for more crops in this area, just as we have after the purchase of PGG facilities in the McNary, Oregon region,” said Gary Williams, the vice president of marketing and business development for United Grain. 

The company operates a terminal in Umatilla, on the Columbia River, and has a presence in Union County. The company decided to seize on an opportunity to acquire the facility in Ontario, McClintock said.   

McClintock said that most of the wheat from the area is loaded onto barges at the McNary terminal and transported down the Columbia River to the export facility. Rail is also utilized, and the product is then shipped to Asia. 

“As our mission states, by bridging producers and suppliers with end users, we help them thrive. UGC continues to make strategic investments in wheat origination and looks forward to promoting our mission to help producers in the Treasure Valley thrive,” Jason Middleton, Pacific Northwest regional manager said. 

News tip? Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 541-473-3377.

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