At Port of Wilma: McGregor Company to build complex

The McGregor Company of Colfax signed a lease with the Port of Whitman County on Jan. 3 to build a fertilizer storage and distribution complex at the Port of Wilma.

The complex will sit on 15 acres at the Port of Wilma, across from Clarkston, in southern Whitman County along the Snake River. Construction will begin this spring, and project manager Fred Morschek said the project will be complete in six to nine months.

“The biggest reason we’ve been looking for a place is that supply lines are longer and sources are further away,” Morschek said. “For the last four years, our major focus has been looking for an appropriate place because our customers are using our products faster every year. They have larger machines and larger farms, so we need to increase our storage capability.”

McGregor’s will build a dry fertilizer storage building with blend plant. Plans also call for new liquid fertilizer storage tanks, but Morschek said no decision has been made about how many storage tanks the site will have. Plans also include office and shop buildings, liquid fertilizer truck load out, dry fertilizer truck blending and load out. McGregor’s also will build new rail spurs and new paved access roads including a new truck scale.

During peak operation, the site will be able to handle up to 60 trucks daily, Morschek said. During the remainder of the season, traffic will drop to zero trucks per day with some small vehicle traffic possible.

Five full-time employees will work at the site when completed.

“We’re very excited about the project,” said Joe Poire, Port of Whitman County director. “The commissioners developed this ground in 1999 to 2000. We’ve had requests for temporary things before, but the commissioners wanted to save it for living wage jobs. Thirteen years later, here we are.”

“We’re glad we had the spot and the infrastructure for the project,” he said.

The Snake River is located about 200 feet to the south of the proposed project. Morschek said no construction will take place within 200 feet of the river.

Dry fertilizer storage building will be about 48 feet high and made of wood.

Morschek said McGregor’s long-range plans include new rail spurs and possible barge transportation in the future. Future plans also include one additional dry fertilizer storage building with a blend plant. Storage tanks may be added depending on demand and market conditions.

“What Alex (McGregor) wants people to know is that he’s investing in agriculture in this region,” Morschek said. “We believe in it and we know we need to keep pace with customer changes.”