Blue Diamond Growers, an almond marketer and processor, recently unveiled its new state-of-the-art bulk storage warehouse in Salida,Calif. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, September 19 to debut the 48,000-square-foot Warehouse 7. The event was attended by Blue Diamond’s board of directors, key leadership and operational staff, as well as local representatives.

At 100 feet wide, 480 feet long, 60 feet tall and extending 32 feet into the ground, the bulk receiving warehouse was engineered to store up to 60 million pounds of almond meats, increasing Blue Diamond’s receiving capacity by 33 percent. Though it currently stores only nonpareil almonds, Warehouse 7 contains three separate storage areas for storing different varieties of almonds.

In addition to its increased capacity, the new facility was touted for its innovative design and features. Its advanced design will reduce wait time for trucks bringing in almonds after harvest. The warehouse can accept both bulk and box deliveries at the same time, allowing for more efficient delivery methods.

All Blue Diamond almonds go through the best processing systems, utilizing the latest electronic sorting technology. The new warehouse was specifically engineered to improve almond handling and efficiency, dedicated exclusively to gentle, hands-free processing from time of delivery to finished package. A 26-degree sloped floor allows the almonds to free-flow out the bottom to conveyors controlled by computers. Conveyor belts carry delivered almonds to the top of the warehouse, where they undergo a quality check and feed directly to the main plant for further processing.

As Blue Diamond’s director of major projects, Darrel Nelson, noted at the ribbon cutting, “this warehouse is state-of-the-art in design, providing gentle handling, food safety and added flexibility in order to meet the needs of our grower-owners as well as customers.”

For more information, visit: http://bluediamondgrowers.com.