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Company Name: Farmers Cooperative
Location: Dorchester, Nebraska
Upgrade: Automated grain loadout system for rail operations
“It used to take us about 14 hours to load a train… now we can do it in about 8 to 8½ hours.”
— Larry Chapman, Project Manager, Farmers Cooperative
Key Results
- Reduced train load times from ~14 hours to ~8–8.5 hours
- Improved overall loading efficiency and throughput
- Reduced labor requirements by approximately 6 employees
- Reliable remote support for quick issue resolution
The Challenge
Farmers Cooperative needed to improve efficiency in its grain loadout operations, particularly when loading trains.
The previous process was time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring long hours and significant staffing to complete each train load. This limited overall productivity and increased operational demands.
To improve performance and reduce labor requirements, the team needed a solution that could accelerate load times while streamlining operations.
Why Kahler Automation
Farmers Cooperative selected Kahler Automation based on prior experience and proven performance across multiple facilities.
The organization had successfully implemented Kahler systems at other agronomy and grain locations, and feedback from operators was consistently positive. In addition, Kahler offered a competitive price point compared to other solutions.
This combination of performance, familiarity, and value made Kahler Automation a strong fit for the project.
The Results
With Kahler Automation in place, Farmers Cooperative has significantly improved both speed and efficiency in its rail loadout operations.
Train load times have been reduced from approximately 14 hours to around 8 to 8½ hours, allowing the team to complete loading operations much faster. Even with switching time included, total loading time has decreased substantially.
In addition to time savings, the operation has reduced labor requirements by approximately six employees, improving overall efficiency and lowering operational demands.
Training and Support
Kahler Automation provides responsive and effective support to keep operations running smoothly.
When issues arise, the team can quickly connect with Kahler support, often resolving problems remotely while working directly with technicians. This minimizes downtime and ensures the system continues operating efficiently.
