Otter Co-op and Mainland Machinery: Decades of Effective Collaboration
Animal Feed Mill in Aldergrove, BC
The Client
The Otter Co-op has been selling animal feed to farmers in the Fraser Valley since 1922. They currently operate two mills in BC: one in Armstrong and the other in Aldergrove. Since 1979, the original feed mill in Aldergrove became a part of a larger co-operative that includes a diverse range of businesses across BC. As a locally owned and community-minded organization, Otter Co-op is known for its core values of integrity, community, and excellence. The Aldergrove feed mill specializes in feed for poultry, dairy, equine and much more.
The Challenge
According to Tom Talbot, the Feed Operations Manager in Aldergrove, the current mill was built in the 1950s, so it has an intricate mixture of old and new technology. “When we need to do an upgrade to any particular part of the mill,” Tom explained, “we need to bring in people who have the expertise and experience to effectively integrate the new with the old in a way that makes sense.”
“The key is communication,” explained Tom. “Our maintenance team works very closely with Mainland. They’ll come back and work on different things to iron out the issues and finetune the machinery. They’ve always been good at service.”
The Collaboration
When there’s any kind of mechanical or operational issue at the feed mill, Tom calls Mainland Machinery because he knows they come with a wealth of experience and knowledge. In fact, Mainland Machinery has been working at the Otter Co-op feed mill for over fifty years. “They’ve been our go-to for decades,” said Tom. “And they’ve done everything from design, engineering, construction, fabrication, and repairs. It’s been a great partnership.”
Most recently, the feed mill called in Mainland to upgrade their entire roof system, including new screw augers, new drag augers, and new bucket elevators. The project will be completed next month with the installation of new mixing turn-heads and swing heads.
“Basically, Mainland helps us move the feed around the mill,” said Tom. “Their team has had a hand with anything that conveys bulk material around here.”
Although Tom has only been with Otter Co-op for several years, he was quick to comment about the man behind Mainland, Henry Hiebert, who has been around the feed mill for decades. “Everyone knows Henry here,” said Tom, “and Henry knows this mill like the back of his hand. He’s a veteran in the industry, and he’s very sharp.”
The level of trust that exists between Otter Co-op and Mainland informs their collaborative approach to industrial solutions, especially when challenges arise. And they always do.
According to Tom, performance issues are inevitable with new conveying systems. He calls them “teething problems.” They are all the little things that can go wrong when a new system is being started up.
“The key is communication,” explained Tom. “Our maintenance team works very closely with Mainland. They’ll come back and work on different things to iron out the issues and finetune the machinery. They’ve always been good at service.”
A few years ago, after the Mainland team had installed the new dairy line at the feed mill, they immediately scheduled meetings and discussions with the mill’s maintenance department to ensure that all the necessary finetuning was performed to optimize the upgrades. According to the maintenance team, those conversations were always positive and thorough, which made a lasting impact at the mill.
Another example that Tom brought up was more related to personnel. “Just recently, when our senior millwright was on vacation,” he shared, “we only had our apprentices onsite at the mill, so Mainland supplied us with a senior engineer to help out when necessary.”
“Mainland has always been there for us,” Tom affirmed. “It’s a solid relationship.”
Mainland’s Technical Sales Representative, Brian Dyck, summed it up like this: “Our relationship with Otter Co-op isn’t just about one product or focus, it’s about taking the time to understand their needs and working with them to provide long lasting solutions, whether it’s for big projects like the bulk storage expansion or smaller tasks like providing backup personnel support.”
“Mainland has always been there for us,” Tom affirmed. “It’s a solid relationship.”
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