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Welcome to Fasco Mills Company
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Fasco Mills, Rt. 34 110 E. 12th St. Mendota, IL.
About 1940, the Ella Berry farm on the east edge of Mendota was purchased. When enough capital had accumulated, the Fasco Feed Mill was built and began operation in March of 1961. Art’s son, Richard Zimmerman, designed electrical systems to tie in with automated feed mixing. He then built the necessary control panels for conveyors, elevators, and feed processing. Later, in 1965, the decision was made to build a grain handling facility adjacent to the feed mill. This project consisted of a completely modern grain processing and handling unit.
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Fasco Mills Mendota, Illinois
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Email: fascomills@cin.net
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There soon became a growing demand of farmers wanting to know how they could get maximum dollar for their grain and/or livestock. To meet this demand, Fasco also became a commodities brokerage firm in 1981. This service offered farmers a place to hedge their grain production.
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From a mobile rolling and hulling operation emerged a multi-elevator business devoted to productivity and service to the community. Fasco Mills has continued to grow successfully throughout the years. Fasco has facilities in Mendota Corp. Office, Rt. 30, Compton, Clarion, Seward, Creston, Steward, Ashton and German Valley, and we still keep it a priority to remain dedicated to our customers needs.
From one generation to the next, we will continue to grow with the Agricultural Industry and do our best to serve the changing needs of the modern farmer.
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In recent years, however, the company had begun utilizing rail transportation to ship grain to end users. Fasco operates a 25-car loader on the Canadian National/Illinois Central at Seward, IL. With the BNSF looking to establish a stronger presence in the Illinois grain industry, the timing was right for the construction of a new rail terminal along a BNSF main line at Mendota.
The Zimmerman's had a vision of a train shuttle for many years and took that vision and implemented the construction of the rail facility.
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This 950,000-bushel slipform concrete terminal which was constructed for approximately $6.5 million, is located at a site northeast of the interchange between Interstate 39 and U.S. Highway 34, about four miles east of Mendota. It features a 7,500-foot loop track.
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The Mendota terminal, which is owned by Fasco Mills, is operated by Northern Crossing LLC, a joint venture between Fasco Mills and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM), Decatur, IL. The venture also operates ADM’s Illinois River terminal at LaSalle, IL.
According to Fasco Mills President Curt Zimmerman, the venture offers advantages to both Fasco Mills and ADM. Fasco gains improved economies of scale, better access to rail freight, the potential for new rail markets in the United States and Mexico, and a physical presence on the Illinois River. ADM, in turn, preserves a relationship with one of its largest Illinois grain customers and gains participaciton in a well-situated rail terminal.
Fasco Mills selected the construction firm Todd & Sargent Inc., Ames, IA as the general contractor on the Northern Crossing terminal. Zimmerman noted that his company believed that based on past projects, Todd & Sargent could build a high-volume, concrete facility competitively.
In particular, Fasco Mills was impressed with a slipform concrete rail-loading terminal Todd & Sargent had built in Evansville, WI. The main difference between that project and the new terminal in Mendota is that the Evansville annex is perpendicular to the rail siding, while the Mendota annex is parallel. This modification allows Northern Crossing to load nearly 80 cars out of a 110-car train without starting up an elevator leg.
In addition to Todd & Sargent, Fasco Mills hired two Mendota-area contractors – Lee Excavating and Otterbach Excavating – to perform site preparation work and construct the rail bed. Trackmasters Inc., Silvis, IL, constructed the loop track. Fasco Mills Chairman Rich Zimmerman designed the loop track and its layout.
Groundbreaking on the project took place in March 2003, with construction of the elevator beginning in May and of the loop track in September. The facility was complete by January 2004.
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