WINNIPEG, MAN. — Richardson International Ltd. has unveiled plans to build a new high throughput grain elevator to replace its current facility in Dauphin, Man.

“The Dauphin area is an important market for us, and we have a solid, loyal customer base there,” said Darwin Sobkow, executive vice-president of agribusiness operations and processing. “This shows our long-term commitment to the area and ensures our ability to continue to serve our customers.”

The new facility will have grain storage capacity of 25,000 tonnes, including 15,000 tonnes of existing steel bin storage and 10,000 tonnes of storage in the new elevator to replace the 5,750-tonne wooden crib elevator currently on the site. The facility also will include a high capacity grain dryer, cleaner and 104-car spot.

Construction of the new elevator will begin in April 2015, and the project is expected to take about 16 months to complete.

Richardson said it plans to build a temporary receiving and shipping system at the Dauphin site to provide customers with a continued delivery option over the 16-month construction period. Richardson acquired the Dauphin elevator in 2007 from Agricore United.

“Richardson has an ongoing, aggressive commitment to furthering our investment in agriculture in Western Canada,” Mr. Sobkow said. “We will continue to enhance our business and look for new opportunities to grow to meet the needs of our customers at home and in world markets.”