Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Oct. 12 that Bartlett, a Savage Co., plans to invest $325 million in a large soybean crushing facility project in Montgomery County. When operational, the plant will create 50 new jobs in southeast Kansas.

“Agriculture-based and renewable energy businesses are major economic drivers in Kansas, and I am extremely pleased to see Bartlett recognize just how ideal this location is for the future of their operations,” Kelly says. “‘Powered by Kansas’ outstanding infrastructure and talented workforce, I’m confident Bartlett’s new project will be a tremendous success and have a significant economic impact on the region and our state as a whole.”

Facility

This plant will be one of nine Bartlett grain facilities in Kansas. Soybean-crushing facilities produce refined soybean oil and byproducts, which are used to make renewable fuels, food products and animal feeds.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2022, and the plant is expected to be operational in 2024.

The new operation will be capable of handling approximately 38.5 million bushels of soybeans annually, which is about 110,000 bushels every day. Other than the 50 full-time jobs planned with the Bartlett facility in Montgomery County, additional jobs will be supported during construction of this facility and the supporting infrastructure.

The South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad plans to provide rail services for the new facility, connecting it to a network of Class 1 carriers. This investment will also encourage rail improvements benefiting southeast Kansas as well as the logistics, renewable energy and agriculture industries in the state.

“With our strategic location in the middle of the country and our strong agricultural roots, I’m absolutely thrilled that Bartlett chose Kansas as the place to locate this impressive new facility,” says David Toland, the state’s lieutenant governor and commerce secretary. “We know they had other states in the region to choose from, so I am proud but not surprised that they selected Kansas as the winning location for this project. It’s proof of their visionary approach, and of the strong assets in Kansas we have to offer ag-based and renewable energy companies.”

Bartlett

Bartlett is Savage’s growth-oriented agribusiness focusing on grain merchandising, flour milling and feed manufacturing, and it has been family-owned and -operated for more than 100 years.

Savage, a global provider of industrial infrastructure and supply chain services, is working with partners across the agriculture and energy sectors to lead the development of renewable energy assets and services across the United States.

“This is an important milestone for our project, enabling infrastructure investment in Kansas that accelerates the nation’s transition to a cleaner, greener and more sustainable transportation system,” Bartlett President Bob Knief says. “We appreciate the county commissioners’ recognition of the long-term benefits this plant will provide by expanding markets for area producers and agribusiness and driving economic growth in Montgomery County and southeast Kansas. With strong demand for soybean products, we look forward to our crushing facility supporting farming families in the Midwest and playing a vital role in multiple supply chains, including renewable diesel production.”

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