GROWMARK has made several changes since purchasing the Fort Dodge Fuel Terminal in Duncombe, Iowa two years ago – and the cooperative company continues to grow the facility which was originally built more than 40 years ago.

“GROWMARK has made a lot of improvements to get a good quality system where customers can depend on it to come and get fuel 24 hours a day,” said terminal manager Bill Fandel, who has been at the facility for nearly 40 years himself. “We’ve been in a constant state of construction.” Capacity has increased to over nine million gallons for fuel oil and about 3.5 million gallons for gasoline.

GROWMARK also added 76,000 gallon storage capacity for ethanol and 30,000 gallons for biodiesel. “We’re blessed with about eight ethanol plants in a 40 mile radius,” Fandel said, and at least two biodiesel plants within 40 miles. “It is all soy, no animal fat,” he added.

Listen to my interview with Bill here: Bill Fandel, Ft. Dodge Terminal

Demand for both ethanol and biodiesel are good at the Fort Dodge Terminal. “The majority of the gas going out of here has ethanol in it and a lot of our member companies are using the bio,” said Fandel. Customers select their blend at the terminal for both ethanol and diesel.

Facility operations manager Greg Eckhart says the Fort Dodge facility has been a great investment for GROWMARK. “It was a great asset sitting right in the middle of our territory already, it was a terminal we did use before and we saw potential and growth,” said Eckhart, who added that they have nearly doubled volume in two years.

Adding ethanol and biodiesel was good for them. “We’ve increased the gas loading here tremendously because of that,” Eckhart said.

Listen to my interview with Greg here: Greg Eckhart, GROWMARK