Ag Retailer's Buyers Guide: 33 Products Every Facility Needs at the Plant

Last week we featured more than 50 products that ag retailers will be using in the field this fall and beyond. This week we highlight the equipment and products found at the plant that are making facilities operate more efficiently and keeping customers happy.

Adams Fertilizer EquipmentThe Decline-N-Weight can function at four to five minutes per load, making it one of the fastest blenders on the market, says the company. Coupled with LEC's PLC Control System (smart panel) and an easy-to-use touch screen interface, the Adams Decline-N-Weight System can be controlled by anyone — even with only a little computer experience. If you can run a smartphone, you can run the Adams Decline-N-Weight Blend system with LEC technology.

Adams Fertilizer EquipmentBacked and installed by the best service fleet/engineering team on the market, each Adams inloading system is custom built to each customer's specific needs. Inloading options include: Screw conveyor, drag conveyor, belt conveyor, bucket elevator, and portable conveyor.

Adams Fertilizer EquipmentWith sizes from 10-, 13-, and 16-ton, the Adams Direct Drive Rotary Blender series is likely to have an option to fit your needs, says the company. Standard features include: Stainless steel internal blending auger, heavy-duty planetary gearbox, TEFC motor, stainless steel four point load cells, and matching weigh hopper with large digital readout.

Adams Fertilizer EquipmentAdams manufactures two types of vertical blenders — standard vertical and low-profile vertical blenders. Standard vertical blenders come in sizes such as 5-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 13-ton. Low-profile vertical blenders come in sizes such as 10-, 13-, and 16-ton. Each blender in the vertical blender series is built with a tapered auger, allowing for a smooth, gentle, and accurate blend within minutes, says the company.

AGI Fertilizer SystemsAGI's Precision Weigh System is the most accurate blending system in the industry and the only system that continuously compensates for changing densities, says the company. AGI Fertilizer Systems equipment is NTEP-Certified, and instead of maintaining and monitoring meters for every product in the mix, AGI Precision Weigh Tank does it with just one measuring system. It is available in different sizes and different valve configurations to make sure each system can fit your needs, for your custom facility.

AGI Fertilizer SystemsAGI Fertilizer System continues to advance the automation capabilities to improve the customer experience. As the only manufacturer of fertilizer equipment with a full in-house automation department, AGI Fertilizer Systems designs and installs software designed to improve efficiencies and safety in and around the plant. From maintenance reminders, inventory control to track products in real time, and customized integration to create a seamless interface with agronomy and ERP software, AGI has all of your fertilizer automation needs covered.

AgraLinersAgraLiners will design, develop, and manufacture a complete lining system for a user's containment needs. The target is to provide fast and immediate turnkey solutions with little downtime for customers. We understand and appreciate the many challenges to providing a liner system while regarding deadlines. AgraLiners is a valuable tool to the end-user while manufacturing and providing a PVC lining system. AgraLiners is one of many important steps that must take place in order to bring a project to a successful completion. AgraLiners prides itself, with more than 60 years of combined experience in manufacturing and installing PVC lining systems.

CadyThere's no getting around the advantages of Nutristore liquid fertilizer tanks, says the company. With porcelain glass-fused-to-steel coating, Nutristore can be sized to fit a user's needs, be built fast, and provide a long-life cycle with little to no maintenance. Built from the ground up, there's simply no better liquid fertilizer storage tank than Nutristore.

CalhounCalhoun's Versatile Product (VP) profile allows users to customize their fertilizer production and storage building, says the company. With widths from 50- to 250-feet wide, its distinctive look features optional 24-inch eaves finished in wood or steel, leaving users to wonder if it is even a fabric building, says the company. In addition, its rounded shoulder option, finished in fabric, offers a more practical and economical alternative.

DAKKHas it been a busy year? Does your tank need cleaned? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, our team of committed professionals can help you with this. We provide a quality hot wash and cold rinse.

DAKKLiner leaking? We have solutions. Our team is trained and committed to spot the tiniest of leaks! DAKK will send a qualified team of professionals who have a heart for excellence and will thoroughly inspect your liner.

Doyle Equipment ManufacturingImprove inventory control by capturing the actual weight of each product in the blend or with straight product-direct loadout, says the company. The system reduces operator fatigue by allowing them to operate the system from the loader with an iPad. By utilizing 36-inch product conveyors, this is one of the fastest systems available for blending large volumes of fertilizer, according to the company. The blend drum also can be bypassed to provide for loading unblended product directly to trucks. Doyle's AutoBatch Blend System will integrate with most agronomy and accounting software programs.

Doyle Equipment ManufacturingThe Doyle Declining Weight Blend System uses a high-capacity, stainless steel, flat-wire chain-metering system. The system reduces operator fatigue by allowing them to operate the system from the loader with an iPad, or the system can be operated from a control room desktop computer. For a full list of declining weight bins and micronutrient hoppers features, visit dolyemfg.com.

EnviropacFiberglass tanks are an excellent choice for storing fertilizer products, according to the company. With the changes in the products being stored at dealerships, fiberglass is maintenance free and competitively priced with mild and stainless steel. For dealerships adding tanks, fiberglass provides cost-effective, long-term storage options, says the company.

Heartland Tank CompaniesWith long lifespans and low repair rate, Heartland field-erected steel-welded tanks are the best solution to liquid storage needs. Heartland creates a quality tank by insisting on using genuine mill-certified U.S. steel and creating precision welds with its double-girth welding system. Heartland knowledgeably guides each customer through every tank project big or small to ensure it is completed with quality, integrity, and dedication to our customers’ needs.

Heartland Tank CompaniesRegular API-653 inspections are crucial for tank longevity and state regulatory requirements. Let our certified inspec-tors help complete this task in a timely and professional manner. In conducting these specific inspections, Heartland Tank Services’ API-certified inspectors have the priority of ensuring that tanks are safe, reliable, and fit for continued service.

Heartland Tank CompaniesHeartland's internal flexible PVC tank liners provide cost-effective primary containment and corrosion protection for large liquid storage tanks. Our free-hanging system provides easy access to the internal tank walls for inspection or repair of the tank. Heartland only uses the highest-quality virgin material and minimal seams in the liner configuration to ensure the strongest and highest quality product available.

International Tank ServiceInternational Tank Service is a leader in the construction of small and large API 650 above-ground storage tanks. The company offers a complete turnkey project that includes concept, design, permitting, fabrication, erection, and commissioning. International Tank Service has crews readily available for API 653 tank repairs and modifications that specialize in tank bottom replacements, shell rings, cone roofs, ladders, manways, nozzles, insulation, foundations, jacking, leveling, and secondary containment.

J.C. Ramsdell Enviro ServicesA single rail car containment should be able to contain up to 35,000 gallons, says the company. After one customer experienced a catastrophic rail car failure, and their drip pans didn't contain the spill, the company designed a solution. The Rail Containment system is designed to capture an entire rail car, alleviating costly clean-up and giving customers the opportunity to reclaim their product. Each rail containment system is designed per site-specific requirements, with flow rates up to 2,000 gallons per minute (gpm), says the company.

Kahler AutomationGrain Flow Control features include: source/destination control for on-the-go gate blending via touchscreen from anywhere on the network; bin level monitoring, which allows users to set high-level marks or use sensors for continuous level displays; fan and temperature control, which can be set manually via the touchscreen or set for timed start/stops; truck traffic control, which allows for control site access, vehicle management, and traffic fl ow with a single integrated system; and hazard monitoring for conveyor bearing and belt travel rub temperatures, plugs, and slack chains.

Kahler AutomationThe Tote Filler features fast and accurate filling of 275- and 330-gallon totes in a very compact footprint. It can fill a 275-gallon tote in under two minutes, is accurate and repeatable to within 2 pounds, and is NTEP-approved. The unit is designed with a touchscreen interface that offers easy set-up and control. A drip tray extends upon completion of the order to keep tote and surrounding equipment clean. Optional Container Tracking Software offers traceability and in-depth reporting to meet government requirements.

Murray EquipmentICS Control Pro is a powerful, flexible software tool designed to streamline fertilizer manufacturing, blending, wholesale, and resale. It can operate stand-alone or in conjunction with multiple third-party software. Programmed to accommodate a wide variety of real-life complex operational scenarios, ICS ControlPro bridges the gap between a user's office(s) and the plant, says the company.

Murray EquipmentNeed a pump, meter, hose, or fitting? Murray Equipment, while known for its chemical and fertilizer plants, stocks thousands of parts for customers and projects. Thanks to the company's high volume, it is able to offer exceptional pricing, it says. Murray Equipment's parts catalog with pricing can be found online at MurrayEquipment.com.

Precision TankPrecision Tank supplies innovative liquid storage solutions with a full range of tanks, and construction services, including fiberglass tanks. Precision Tank is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass tanks, now producing its fiberglass tanks in two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Ligonier, IN, and Humboldt, IA. Both plants produce fiberglass tanks with Precision's helical (criss-cross) pattern for superior strength and durability. Ranging in size from 12,000 to 30,000 gallons, Precision Tank is now shipping fiberglass tanks to customers throughout the Midwest and the Great Plains.

Precision TankPrecision Tank provides innovative piping solutions for overhead structures, load-ins/load-outs, semi-truck hook-ups, railcar hook-ups, barge hook-ups, mixers, blenders, and various automation applications. Designs are customized to a user's requirements and are installed by the company's piping and plumbing crews. Precision Tank can also assist with repair or renovation of existing installations.

Precision TankPrecision Tank supplies innovative liquid storage solutions with a full range of tanks and construction services, including stainless and mild steel tanks. Stainless steel tanks — from nurse tanks to Bulk N-Serve Tanks — are constructed to withstand the rigors of daily use with a range of optional equipment for custom configurations, says the company. Mild steel tanks are fabricated from low carbon, mild steel, and produced in either flat- or cone-bottom configurations.

Ranco FertiserviceRanco's latest innovation is true industrial wireless technology for precise fertilizer blending for the Ranco Declining Weigh dry fertilizer blending system. With MeshDCS, or "Distributed Controls System," each blender bin connects directly to and cooperates with other blender bins to ensure full and active communication, and the 900mhz industrial wireless technology provides significant savings on in-plant wiring. This same technology is utilized in railway applications and high importance grain pile monitoring systems.

Ranco FertiserviceRanco U-Trough Augers can be utilized in many different applications and have been a cornerstone of our equipment offering for nearly 60 years. U-Trough Augers are available in sizes from 10-inch diameter up to 24-inch diameter, with a capacity range from 50 up to 600 tons per hour. Our customers use our reliable augers for receiving, transfer-ring, blending, or building fill. Options for auger sticks include standard helicoid sections, heavy mild steel, or even stainless steel.

Sackett-WaconiaSackett-Waconia Orbital Blenders are an ideal solution for high-quality blending and bagging operations. The orbital's blending action, via unique internal baffling, provides a fast, thorough mix of ingredients and is ideal for coating and impregnation. Orbitals come in a range of capacities, and all units feature high-quality drive components and stainless-steel construction. The orbital blender's design is reliable and simple to operate. Options can include conditioning and impregnation, upon request.

Sackett-WaconiaSackett-Waconia PFB Towers feature the HIM mixer — the most efficient mixer for blending and coating available in the industry today, the company says. Its superior design allows for rapid blending and equal distribution of advanced liquid and dry additives. PFB technology uses NTEP-certified weigh systems and a garner-style design to provide high quality and high speed without sacrifices to either one, the company says.

Stueve ConstructionThe Stueve experience features a full-service, knowledgeable, in-house engineering team that creates innovative designs for permanent dry fertilizer storage. Several bins under one roof provide flexibility for storing various products inside one building. Our building design accommodates vertical and rotary blender systems, towers, or declining weight blend systems of your choice. Affordable and cost effective, the durable facilities are built to last and expand for a future phase, says the company.

Stueve ConstructionStueve's exclusive in-house engineering continues to develop a state-of-the-art storage approach that features a rodless bin technology and environmentally-conscious design. Buildings can accommodate high-capacity receiving, tower systems, or declining weigh blend systems. They are permanent, durable, low-maintenance, cost-effective storage solutions and expandable for future growth, says the company.

Stueve ConstructionYour customers’ needs are changing and so is your business. Whether it's one building or an entire complex, Stueve has the best solution for you when it comes to dry fertilizer storage, chemical warehouses, liquid fertilizer storage, or seed buildings needs, according to the company.

To help in your buying decisions, view 33 products in the slideshow above — from fertilizer blenders and material handling systems, to liquid storage tanks and construction services — to gain valuable information on product features and benefits. You can also jump to the supplier of your choice by clicking on the links below:

CropLife IRON® digs deep into product features, news, and specifications – about sprayers, tenders and trailers, nozzles and valves, and fertilizer blenders, and more – that plant and application managers crave. See all author stories here.