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They poured concrete floors under
the larger building, which covers 5,000 square
feet, and re-roofed it. Then they invested about
$500,000 in equipment.
The custom fertilizer plant went
on line in March. According to Ken Wessels,
assistant manager of OVS' Ag Supplies Division,
it's one of only two in the northern Willamette
Valley that converts dry fertilizer into liquid
form.
The partners are using the
4,000-square-foot building next door for
storage. That ensures all company supplies and
equipment will be weather-protected, Wessels
said.
The fertilizer plant mixes
products for specialty crops like grapes,
blueberries and hazelnuts. It is certified for
use by organic and biodynamic farmers, Wessels
said.
After taking samples from a farm,
OVS creates a custom blend to solve a pest,
disease or nutrient problem, all the while
striving to reduce the input of fertilizer and
save the farmer money.
A massive hot water heater pumps
liquid into two 7,000-gallon tanks holding the
dry chemicals. It takes two hours and 3 million
BTUs to heat the mixture to between 140 and 150
degrees, at which point it's ready for storage
or shipment.
The tanks sit on computerized
load cells, or scales, that indicate exactly how
much raw ingredients from nine different storage
tanks go into the mix. They can turn out batches
of five to 275 gallons.
Some of the materials arrive by
rail from Washington and Canada, Wessels said. A
nearby rail drop allows the company to save $60
per ton in shipping costs.
Eventually, the company hopes to
secure its own rail drop on site, he said
Right now, OVS and other members
of the industry worldwide, are dealing with an
extremely short supply of sulfur. That has sent
prices soaring.
Sulfur products are particularly
vital to organic and biodynamic farmers, Wessels
said.
Chambers said he recently met
with the president of Indian Sulfur Mills at the
Portland airport. He was told the global demand
for sulfur has reached 35 million tons, but
production capacity runs only about 31 millions
tons.
The increase in demand stems
largely from the growing use of sulfur in
fertilizer blends and a boom in agricultural
production in China, he said.
Chambers said the industry is
responding, and the supply of micronized sulfur
should be back in balance in a few months.
Until then, he said, very little
can be had in the United States. And when it can
be had - four containers are due into Portland
around June 20, for example - it is commanding a
pretty price.
Elemental sulfur from refineries
has historically run about $70 a ton. Chambers
said it now is going for $770 a ton, and another
price hike may be in the offing.
Wessels said OVS has been working
with farmers to develop alternatives.
OVS evolved from Oregon Vineyard
Supply, launched by the late Mark Benoit in
Lafayette in 1995.
Chambers, a schoolmate of
Benoit's, came on board to help him out. He
assumed growing responsibility when Benoit fell
ill.
Chambers and Forseth subsequently
bought the business in partnership with their
employees. And they have swelled revenues from
$3 million a year to $30 million.
OVS also sells and services
tractors, farm implements, ATVs and power
equipment. |
