Blue Diamond stated that the expansions are completed or are nearing completion this month
The new processing facility expansion in Turlock, California. (Credit: Blue Diamond Growers/ PR Newswire.)
Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative, had announced two major expansions of its facilities in the almond growing region of Central Valley, California.
The announcement was made at the cooperative’s 110-year anniversary. Blue Diamond stated that the expansions are completed or are nearing completion this month.
The first expansion includes the addition of a 52,000ft² facility to the existing 200,000ft² Turlock manufacturing plant that first opened in 2013, sitting on 88 acres of land.
Construction has been completed on the new building last week, expanding Blue Diamond’s almond processing capabilities with the addition of an automated factory featuring latest handling processing and packaging equipment being installed.
The second expansion is the addition of the new Bulk 8 Warehouse at the Salida facility that opened originally in 1969. The facility acted as an almond receiving station. The 675,000ft² facility sits on 44 acres of land and includes a retail Nut & Gift Shop.
The new storage facility is getting ready for this year’s almond harvest
Scheduled to be completed by the end of this month, the new 58,000ft² expansion includes bulk storage facility will provide an additional 50 million pounds of in-house bulk almond storage capacity. The storage facility is also claimed to be in time to receive this year’s almond harvest.
The 65ft-tall building includes an advanced design featuring an automated gravity-fed spiral conveyance system for improved grower delivery efficiency and to reduce damage to the almonds.
Blue Diamond Growers president and CEO Mark Jansen said: “It is particularly meaningful for Blue Diamond to be able to commemorate our Founders Day today by not only recognising our humble beginnings 110 years ago, but also celebrating two key growth milestones that help secure our future.
“I couldn’t be more proud that, despite the unprecedented challenges businesses around the world have faced over the past two months, our incredible team has been able to sustain operations as an essential food supplier, while completing these critical expansion projects ahead of schedule to meet customer needs.”
Established in 1910, Blue Diamond Growers was originally known as the California Almond Growers Exchange. The grower-owned cooperative had quickly grown into a leading organisation that grows, processes and sells almonds and almond ingredients.