A site at Ryder was being prepared for construction of a new shuttle grain terminal, shown in this Sept. 11 photo. TriGen Ag Partners LLC and Agrex Inc. are building the shuttle grain terminal that will include a loop track. Eloise Ogden/MDN

RYDER – A shuttle grain terminal with loop track is being built at Ryder in southwest Ward County by TriGen Ag Partners LLC.

Plaza-Makoti Equity Elevator merged with Max Farmers Elevator officially on July 1. Tri-Gen Ag Partners LLC, a newly formed LLC, consists of Agrex Inc. of Minneapolis and the cooperative.

“Tri” represents the three counties the elevators serve, according to TriGen Ag Partners information. “It also has significance with the three existing elevators at Max, Plaza and Makoti as well as the three companies that have combined assets and capital to form TriGen and what will be the new shuttle terminal in Ryder.” The “Gen” in the company’s name “represents not only our heritage but what we know will be a success for many generations to come,”

TriGen Ag Partners is building the shuttle grain terminal with 1.050 million storage capacity and slightly more than 10,000 feet of track, according to Rick Talbott, general manager of the Max elevator.

The train loader will be capable of loading 140 rail cars.

About 320 acres were purchased for the new facility on the west side of N.D. Highway 28 and north side of Ward County Road 22 at Ryder.

Farden Construction of Maxbass is the company for the dirt work at the site and general contractor is Vigen Construction Inc. of East Grand Forks, Minn. The loop track will be built by Northern Plains Rail Co. of Fordville. Canadian Pacific Railway serves the area.

Four or five people are expected to be employed at the facility when it is completed.

“We’re hoping to be up and running for harvest for next year,” Talbott said.