North Dakota Mill and Elevator celebrates a century of milling

GRAND FORKS — Jeff Bertsch, longtime worker of the North Dakota Mill and Elevator, remembers beginning work on the facility when he was 18.

He rose by means of the ranks, taking up completely different roles and duties. By the point he retired in June 2020 as vice chairman of buying, he had labored his total profession there, practically 43 years — virtually half of the mill’s 100-year historical past.

Through the years, Bertsch has seen outstanding adjustments within the Mill’s operations. Among the many most memorable developments was the constructing of 4 250,000-bushel bins, he mentioned.

Chris Lemoine, who retired as vice chairman of manufacturing in December 2021, additionally has seen extraordinary advances on the Mill. He retired after a 31-year profession there.

The modernization of the plant, because it affected manufacturing and packaging, in addition to the introduction of state-of-the-art expertise, stands out as a very powerful adjustments, he mentioned.

The North Dakota Mill and Elevator, the one state-owned mill in the US, will mark its a centesimal anniversary with a celebration Thursday, Oct. 20. The occasion might be held for invited company solely; about 350 are anticipated to attend.

The most important mill within the western hemisphere, the North Dakota Mill has a internet financial influence of $800 million yearly, utilizing an NDSU multiplier formulation, mentioned Vance Taylor, president and CEO.

“We’ve got about $400 million in gross sales per 12 months,” mentioned Taylor, who has headed the Mill since 2000.

The Mill’s success has been spurred by elevated capability, capital enhancements and effectivity, Taylor mentioned. “Our effectivity — that we measure by product shipped per man-hour — has doubled since 2000, which might not be attainable with out the capital enhancements that we’ve finished.”

The Mill grinds 140,000 bushels of grain per day, and operates 24 hours a day, from 330 to 350 days a 12 months. It supplies a profit to the farmers, “offering extra demand for producers — we’re grinding about 40 million bushels a 12 months now — which places upward strain on grain costs,” Taylor mentioned.

Not solely does the ability infuse thousands and thousands into the native economic system, it contributes half of its income yearly to the state’s normal fund. That quantity has averaged about $7 million per 12 months over the previous 5 years, Taylor mentioned.

The rest of the income is plowed again into the ability for capital initiatives, to modernize and automate its operations and to broaden, he mentioned. The Mill receives no state funds.

The important thing to the Mill’s success is primarily attributable to its workers, Taylor mentioned. The retired vice presidents Bertsch and Lemoine “are crucial to the place – and clearly others who’ve come by means of the place.”

Bertsch, who was born and raised in Grand Forks, started working on the Mill in November 1977, at age 18.

“My dad mentioned, ‘You may both go to UND or go work on the Mill — I heard they’re hiring,’” he recalled. “I took a left on the driveway as a substitute of a proper, and all of it turned out actual nicely for me,” he mentioned with amusing.

Bertsch remembered beginning out in Native 2, a separate wood elevator that stood a bit farther north on Mill Highway; Native 1 was on the Freeway 81 facet. “That was barley. And, in Native 2, we had corn, wheat, sunflowers, durum, oats, soybeans — just about each different crop.”

All through his employment, Bertsch held a number of positions. His profession “made for a terrific life for a household,” he mentioned. And it supplied “respectable cash, nice advantages and retirement.”

Earlier than transferring to Grand Forks, Lemoine labored within the milling business in Kansas. In 1989, he moved right here along with his household to simply accept a job with one other entity, and joined the Mill in January 1991.

“This can be a good spot to come back to. Definitely, Grand Forks supplied extra alternatives than Atchison, Kansas, the place I used to be at,” he mentioned. “All three of my children went to UND.”   

Lemoine first labored as manufacturing provide supervisor and was promoted to manufacturing supervisor a 12 months or two later.

“In the event you’re within the milling enterprise in any respect, coming to the North Dakota Mill is kind of a revelation, as a result of it’s such a pleasant facility, nicely run, financially sound,” Lemoine mentioned.

“We make one of the best product, one of the best flour on the market.

“And the best way we strategy customer support and the best way we cope with folks and clients, clear all the way down to the farmers and suppliers, is one thing you may be proud to be related to,” he mentioned.

That wasn’t all the time the case at different locations he labored, he mentioned. On the Mill, “every thing is above board. To be concerned right here is completely different than elsewhere; it’s a special scenario being state-owned.”

Lemoine stayed on employees for greater than three a long time as a result of “it’s a high quality job; the advantages and every thing are wonderful,” he mentioned.

Bertsch’s employment has included work in grain inspection and as a supervisor for 10 years earlier than his promotion to grain purchaser in 2005. Promotions — and being “a hard-headed German” — saved him on employees for greater than 4 a long time, he mentioned.

As a grain purchaser, Bertsch handled greater than 800 farmers towards the tip of his profession, he mentioned. “It appeared like my telephone by no means stop ringing, so it was fairly busy.”

That determine has grown to greater than 1,000 now, Taylor mentioned.

Bertsch often bought grain in 5,000-bushel increments, and a few purchases may rise to 100,000 bushels, he mentioned.

The Mill additionally purchases grain from elevators throughout North Dakota; these purchases may run from 200,000 to 300,000 bushels at a time, however that relies on the climate in any given 12 months, which impacts the standard of the grain, Bertsch mentioned.

North Dakota is the first provider of grain to the Mill, Taylor mentioned. “Relying on the 12 months, we purchase some from Minnesota, somewhat bit from South Dakota and, on a uncommon event, we’ll stretch out to Montana.”

All of the grain milled right here is home; none comes from Canada, Taylor mentioned. 

The Mill doesn’t ship out grain, Lemoine mentioned. “All of the grain we purchase is milled into flour. There’s a giant emphasis on high quality — from the uncooked materials to the completed product.”

The Mill’s success is constructed on a dedication to high quality, an idea that was oft-repeated by the three milling leaders as they described the mission of the distinctive facility — whether or not when it comes to product, personnel or customer support.

“Vance has put some huge cash again into the plant,” Lemoine mentioned. “We’ve got a really fashionable facility; we have now state-of-the-art tools right here. It’s as fashionable as any plant there may be out right here. And that’s saying lots for a enterprise that’s 100 years outdated.”

The corporate has constructed a repute for offering a high quality product that’s extensively examined in its labs, in all probability extra so than another flour mill within the business, “from when the grain is available in to when the flour goes out, it’s a variety of testing applications,” Lemoine mentioned. Such testing protocols result in certification that assures clients of the merchandise’ high quality.

“The concentrate on superior certification has helped us lots,” Taylor mentioned.

Additionally, the workforce within the Higher Midwest “is great,” Lemoine mentioned. “Individuals work arduous and do what’s wanted to get the job finished. That’s a variety of why the corporate is so successful as nicely.”

“Vance has all the time had a coverage of selling from inside,” Lemoine added, “so there’s been fairly quite a few folks which were promoted when Jeff and I have been right here, from all areas of the plant. There are alternatives for folks right here past the administration degree.”

North Dakota is the most important producer of spring wheat and durum — in addition to 19 different grains — within the nation, Taylor mentioned.

Delivering the product to clients is a crucial ingredient in constructing the Mill’s repute for excellence.

The Mill relies on rail and truck transportation to maneuver its flour merchandise to clients, most of that are on the jap seaboard from New York to factors south, Taylor mentioned. “Solely 10% stays within the native space.”

“We’re near the uncooked materials and a good distance from the client,” Lemoine mentioned.

Though provide chain points have troubled different industries lately, the Mill has overcome these challenges, Taylor mentioned.

“We’ve been in a position to work by means of these points, and sustain with demand, all through the pandemic. We’re fairly pleased with that.”

The Mill is overseen by the North Dakota Industrial Fee, consisting of the governor, agriculture commissioner and legal professional normal, which meets annually on the Mill. The three function the Mill’s board of administrators.

Taylor mentioned he and his co-workers are excited to welcome the Fee members — who will maintain their common annual assembly right here — in addition to clients, suppliers and producers, for a a centesimal anniversary occasion Thursday.

Trying again on the Mill’s historical past, the primary 20 years have been “fairly tumultuous,” Taylor mentioned, “however for a protracted, very long time, we’ve been fairly regular in offering constant income for the state, constant demand for the farmers, constant high-quality flour and customer support for our clients. You must have all three to proceed to achieve success.

“And the good workers right here on the Mill are our primary power. The work ethic is robust on this space.”

“We’re distinctive,” Taylor mentioned. “The Mill was constructed for the advantage of North Dakota producers. It served the mission again in 1922 and nonetheless continues to serve that mission at the moment.”