Contact:
Bill Brady, (952) 742-6608, bill_brady@cargill.com
Cargill Wahpeton earns “Best Plant” honor from IndustryWeek
WAHPETON, N.D. -- Cargill’s corn milling operation in Wahpeton is the first Cargill-operated facility ever to be named one of the Top 10 “Best Plants in North America” by IndustryWeek. The magazine announced its 2007 selections today on its Web site, http://www.industryweek.com/. The print version of the story will appear in its January issue, expected to hit corporate mailboxes in the last week of December.
“We believe this plant demonstrates excellence in operational strategy, production practices and performance,” IndustryWeek’s Jill Jusko told plant managers. “You had very good metrics in everything we look at, and it was clear you were focused on improving the plant as a whole, versus focusing on a single area. That became more apparent, not less, once we came for a plant visit. You have an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and very engaged workforce, and you have tremendous metrics to show for all the hard work.”
The Wahpeton Corn Milling Plant was built by local Red River Valley corn farmers, who formed ProGold, L.L.C., in the mid-1990s. The plant’s 1996 start-up coincided with a major slump in corn sweetener prices, prompting ProGold to look for alternative operating options. Cargill took over operations under a lease agreement in November 1997. The lease has since been extended through 2017.
“Since we signed our first lease with ProGold 10 years ago, Wahpeton has been a solid contributor to Cargill,” said Cargill Corn Milling North America President Pat Bowe. “It has set many standards for our corn wet mills in safety, environmental stewardship, energy efficiency and production costs. Its customer service is second to none. I am thrilled that such a respected publication as IndustryWeek saw fit to recognize Wahpeton as one of the best plants in North America.”
A fixture in the U.S. manufacturing sector, IndustryWeek is a trade publication focused on trends and research in global manufacturing. It has been published under the IndustryWeek name since 1970, though its roots reach back more than 125 years. Current circulation is 125,000. Past IndustryWeek Best Plant honorees include operations of AK Steel, Bridgestone/Firestone, Boeing, Boston Scientific, Lockheed, Maytag and TRW.
“I was proud –but not surprised--to hear the judges say that our employees were among the most engaged they’ve seen,” said Richard “Red” Geurts, general manager of the Wahpeton plant since its inception. “What sets this team apart is the enthusiasm they bring to match their considerable expertise. We continue to attract and develop talented and engaged employees, driving our performance to greater levels --a big reason we won the award from IndustryWeek.”
Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 158,000 employees in 66 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed. For more information, visit http://www.cargill.com.
Additional Resources