BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, US — Total Grain Marketing (TGM), a venture of GROWMARK, Inc., Illini FS, South Central FS, and Wabash Valley Service Co., has acquired the Champaign, Illinois, US-based grain assets of The Andersons, Inc., including the largest grain elevator by upright storage in Illinois.

“The Andersons facility and assets in Champaign complements Total Grain Marketing’s existing portfolio,” said Matt Lurkins, executive director of the GROWMARK Grain Division. “Our goal is to deliver an unsurpassed customer experience through local grain market expertise along with merchandising flexibility to help deliver increased profitability for customers.”

TGM said the Champaign location has more than 16 million bushels of storage capacity. It also offers access to a new rail market for the company and will expand access to poultry markets across the United States. The bulk fertilizer business located in the Champaign complex was not included in the transaction, the companies said.

“We opened the grain elevator at Champaign in 1968 and grew a loyal customer base by concentrating on strong relationships and providing extraordinary service,” said Bill Krueger, president of The Andersons Trade and Processing. “We value the relationships that have been built and are pleased that these customers will continue to be served by Total Grain Marketing. This sale represents a step in optimizing our portfolio in support of our ongoing strategy to be the most nimble and innovative North American supply chain company in the ag industry.”

Kory Kraus, general manager of Illini FS, said the new location “is right in the heart of our territory. Total Grain Marketing will give great opportunities to the shareholders of Illini FS. This will be a welcome addition to our trade territory.”

Established in 2006 as a venture between Effingham-Clay Service Co. (now South Central FS), GROWMARK, Inc. and Wabash Valley Service Co., TGM operates 41 elevators, nine of which are MID-CO Commodities branch offices with a total of 11 licensed brokers, to provide service and recommendations in the futures markets. Eight of the 41 locations operate on the CN, CSX, WATCO, INRD, and UP railroads. Combined, these locations have the capability to hold 375 rail cars and load out over 1.3 million bushels per day, TGM said. These facilities ship grain to the southern poultry market, Gulf region, and to the US states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.