United Sugars Corporation (USC) announced the ground breaking on a new bulk sugar storage and transfer facility in Montgomery, Illinois, 45 miles west of Chicago. Built and financed by American Crystal Sugar Company, the $40 million facility will be operated by USC, who will manage the sales and distribution to customers in the area.

“This facility will help meet the growing needs of our customers and affords us plenty of space to expand,” said Matt Wineinger, USC President.

The benefits to customers include local access to sugar for efficient distribution; proximity to food and beverage customers’ manufacturing facilities and the flexibility to meet customer needs as production plans change.

The 20-acre facility consists of a 26,000 square-foot bulk storage dome, a 17,000 square foot transfer facility and 5,500 feet of track space. The dome itself will stand 134 feet high and 183 feet wide. There is also room for a second dome, if needed.

The dome will hold over 60,000 metric tons or 1.3 million hundredweights of sugar and enables the transfer of nearly twice that amount to many of the largest sugar users in the U.S. The facility is not attached to a producing sugar factory, making it the largest freestanding sugar storage facility of its kind in the country.

“Customer requirements change frequently and this facility will allow us to quickly and easily respond to their needs and avoid interruptions in supply,” said Dirk Swart, Executive Vice President, Industrial Sales and Marketing.

United Sugars’ Montgomery facility will be the largest single sugar storage asset in the U.S. and will add to its existing and vast distribution coverage. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in late 2016.

For more information about USC, visit www.unitedsugars.com.