A new rail line in northern Illinois could extend the market area of grain company DeLong Co. Inc., according to a report from Beloit Daily News.
“A new Union Pacific rail extension in Boone County in northern Illinois proposed by Clinton-based DeLong Co. Inc. could extend operations to new markets in the southern United States and beyond, according to company vice president Bo DeLong,” the report said.
Headquartered in Clinton, Wisconsin, The DeLong Co. Inc. operates 28 locations across the U.S. and includes six integrated divisions of agricultural sales and service: agronomy, grain, exports, seed, wholesale distribution and transportation.
The new railroad would cross over 122 acres and access five grain bins and a grain elevator. The elevator currently moves its grain with trucks; however, lack of available drivers is a driving force behind the need for the new railroad.
At the time of the Beloit Daily News report, the company’s application with the county had been delayed by the county’s zoning committee because property owners hadn’t been notified of the proposed project.
Delong explained in the report that the plan could go through the zoning board within the next two months and construction could take up to six months.
If the plan is approved, it could extend the company’s business to livestock markets in Arkansas and Texas.
DeLong said in the Beloit Daily report that "studies conducted by Union Pacific showed no new noise would be created from the expanded operations, but conceded that truck traffic could increase from its current grain site to the new facility, proposed for near U.S. 20."
Delong Co. Inc. recent growth
The DeLong Co. Inc. announced in September that it purchased the agronomy assets of Helena Agri-Enterprises L.L.C. in Avalon and Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
“We are a long-standing customer of Helena and we are pleased to add these operations to our group of agronomy facilities,” said David DeLong, president of The DeLong Co. Inc. “We will continue to offer the Helena product line from all DeLong agronomy locations and look forward to working with the new employees and customers in Avalon and Elkhorn.”
