September 22, 2008

The Scoular Co. on Sept. 18 said it has acquired the assets of McAlister Grain Co., Friars Point, Mississippi, US.

The acquisition includes grain-handling facilities in Friars Point and Clarksdale in Mississippi and Helena and Old Town in Arkansas.

Scoular said the four facilities, with truck and barge capabilities, will be integrated into the company's North American grain marketing network.

Scoular also said it is in the process of improving its existing Helena barge-loading operation. The project, to be completed in early 2009, includes adding 610,000 bushels of grain storage and increasing truck unloading capacity.

The facility handles corn, soy, wheat, sorghum and rice.

Scoular is an US agri-business with head office in Nebraska but grain operations throughout the country. The company owns 46 grain facilities. According to its website, Scoular handles 202 million bushels of grain annually and had annual sales of US$4.3 billion.