AUSTRALIA – Renowned commodity trader Viterra is investing A$35 (approximately US$27.6) million in its Wolseley grain facility to enhance safety, expand capacity, and improve customer efficiencies, making it the largest single investment in Viterra’s upcountry network to date.
The Wolseley site will transition to fast-rail loading, a move expected to reduce freight costs and expedite grain movement to Viterra’s Adelaide ports for export. This change will facilitate more effectively meeting buyers’ needs and help growers achieve premium prices for their grain.
Strategically located on the Melbourne-to-Adelaide freight rail line, the Wolseley site supports grain growers in the southeast region of South Australia and western Victoria, providing crucial connections to both domestic and international markets.
Viterra’s investment is aimed at making the South Australian supply chain more competitive with interstate and international markets, including the Black Sea region, Canada, the United States, and South America.
This project is part of Viterra’s broader strategy to strengthen its network, which will benefit growers, buyers, and the wider community.
Stage one of the upgrade includes creating a larger marshaling area to improve access during peak harvest periods, preventing truck queues on external roads, and improving existing roadways while adding new ones.
Automated grain samplers and two classification centers will be introduced to speed up turnaround times on-site.
Additionally, two automatic weighbridges—one new and one upgraded—will be installed to accommodate larger truck sizes. Storage capacity will be increased to 400,000 tonnes through the extension and construction of new bunkers, and the existing stormwater system will be upgraded.
Stage two will introduce two new rail bins capable of filling a 50-wagon train in under two hours, significantly faster than the current eight-hour timeframe at Wolseley.
An inload shed will enable trucks to fill the bins regardless of weather conditions, preventing delays in moving grain to port. The construction of a rail loop, managed by rail freight provider Aurizon, will allow continuous loading as trains loop around the bunker site.
Pending development approvals and contract awards, work is expected to commence in September and will take approximately a year to complete.
Viterra plans for new facility in Texas
In related news, Viterra is also planning to build a grain facility in Dalhart, Texas, including a grain handling system and a loop track served by Union Pacific Railroad’s 32,000-mile network.
This facility aims to meet the increasing local demand for grain, providing efficient marketing and transportation solutions for customers in the West Texas area.
Viterra’s ongoing investments demonstrate its commitment to serving growers and customers while adapting to an ever-changing agricultural landscape.
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