Chippewa Valley Grain began business in 1990. At this time Ken Custer was serving as president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association during which, he became aware of a unique heat processed soybean product manufactured in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This process was being introduced as a practice to improve the bypass protein content of soybeans. It was test marketed though a local feed dealer and was found to be an excellent feed product in the dairy nation. Because of its benefits, we decided to bring this process to Wisconsin. The equipment was manufactured by a Mill Rite in Pennsylvania and installed in the original dairy barn owned by Custer Farms. By recognizing an opportunity and a need for this product in the Chippewa Valley and adjoining states, a successful business was created.
As time went on there was a need for reliable transportation of our product to our feed dealers. Often times, the trucks we hired to deliver our product would arrive late or not show up at all. Because we were limited on inventory space and the feed dealer needed the product on time, we were forced to buy our own truck. The experience we had of unreliable transportation service led us to another opportunity. We began using the truck we purchased to transport other commodities for surrounding businesses who were having similar trouble. Because we simply did what we said we were going to do, “deliver on time”, we had all the business we could handle.
We continue to practice this philosophy, while dispatching over thirty trucks daily, hauling bulk commodities in a multi-state area. We have been fortunate to find a wonderful group of employees including our management team, qualified drivers, and administrative staff who believe the customer is important and deserves on time transportation of the commodity that they have hired us to haul. We do whatever it takes to get the job done on time.
The value of diversification within our business has led to the desire to look for more opportunities to develop business that we can succeed at. In 2013 a new intermodal facility was opened in Chippewa Falls by the CN Rail Line. This has opened up sales opportunities to international markets whose countries are growing in size and economic prosperity. We have begun to transload various Agricultural commodities, helping to meet the needs of these growing economies. These sales are providing better markets for the producers of the Chippewa Valley as well as creating jobs. We can feel good about the fact that we are bringing income and opportunity to our local area.