BCS opens McLean location

Andrew Harper of BCS displays new automated equipment at the company's McLean location / CIFN photo.

McLEAN – The newest location for BCS Soil Fertility and Pest Management is open in McLean.

The full chemical retail facility also supplies growers with liquid or dry fertilizer.

“When we purchased this property, we knew exactly what we wanted to do with it,” explained Andrew Harper, the company’s Arrowsmith plant manager who also oversees building and new site development.

A building formerly used for seed treatment was completely gutted and transformed into a liquid load-out system. BCS also remodeled the office area to stay updated and meet customer needs in the new territory.

“The setup is very similar to what we have at all of our other locations,” Harper noted.

This location stands out since it is more automated which helps with inventory management and is much quicker for trucks to get into and out of the bays. It will also be convenient for customers hauling loads out of the facility.

McLean plant manager Ron Richard has been in the business for 17 years and with BCS for almost seven now.

“I’m looking forward to the new role of managing the McLean facility,” Richard said.

Richard looks forward to the challenge of running the location for BCS as his job is to make sure things run smoothly. He will direct the spraying, deciding which fields get done when and ensuring everything is completed in a timely fashion. This will be crucial as the growing season is often short along with the planting and spraying windows.

“We had a fair amount of business down in this area before we purchased this land,” added Harper. “All of those loads either came out of Weston or Arrowsmith.”

Other current BCS locations include Arrowsmith, Chenoa and Gibson City. Arrowsmith is considered the corporate headquarters where the billing is handled along with seed treatment. The Chenoa plant, located at Weston, offers liquid and all of the dry fertilizer comes out of the location while Gibson City is a full liquid facility.

“As our needs grow from our customers, we can grow with them,” said Harper.

More information on BCS can be found online at www.soilbalance.com. The new McLean location can be reached at 309-874-2221.