When a grain bin collapse halted operations at The Equity’s Westfield, Illinois location in December 2024, the cooperative faced a challenge few facilities ever anticipate: rebuilding an entire grain handling system on an aggressive timeline before the next harvest season.
For APEX Industrial, the project became an opportunity to support two trusted partners—Valley View Agri-Systems and The Equity—with the structural infrastructure needed to bring the new facility online quickly, safely, and with the long-term demands of modern agriculture in mind.
Rebuilding for the Future of Agriculture
Founded in 1919, The Equity serves farmers across southeastern Illinois with a full range of agronomy, grain, feed, energy, and retail services. Grain has become a significant growth area for the cooperative, with more than 40 million bushels handled annually.
When a cascading bin collapse spilled more than 1 million bushels of grain and damaged the Westfield facility, the cooperative made a decisive choice: rebuild the location entirely to better serve local producers.
Rather than reconstructing aging infrastructure, the new facility would be designed to support modern harvest speeds, improved traffic flow, and long-term operational efficiency.
Engineering the Structural Backbone
As the tower and catwalk supplier on the project, APEX Industrial supplied a comprehensive package of structural systems to support the Westfield rebuild, anchored by a 170-foot freestanding main support tower designed to carry dual bucket elevators, a swingset distributor, and multiple catwalk connections at varying elevations.
The scope also included a drive-thru superstructure with integrated hopper bin support, multiple catwalk systems for drag conveyors, and several freestanding and bin-tied support towers to ensure proper load distribution across the site.
Access and serviceability were prioritized through the inclusion of multi-level service platforms, switchback stair systems, ladder and cage assemblies, and observation decks, all engineered to meet safety standards while allowing efficient maintenance of critical equipment.
The result is a facility capable of moving trucks across the receiving pits approximately every three minutes during peak harvest conditions.
Delivering Under a Non-Negotiable Timeline
From the date of the collapse to the first truck unloading at the new facility, the entire project was completed in 272 days.
Achieving that timeline required constant coordination between The Equity, Valley View Agri-Systems, equipment suppliers, and structural manufacturers. Demolition, foundation work, and construction progressed simultaneously while geotechnical challenges—including the need for rock pier ground improvements—were addressed along the way.
APEX’s prefabricated structural components and clear fabrication labeling helped streamline installation in the field, ensuring erection crews could assemble the tower and catwalk systems efficiently once materials arrived on site.
Designed for the Future
One of the guiding principles of the rebuild was designing the facility not just for today’s harvest, but for future agricultural production needs.
Upgrades included:
- Dual scale configuration for improved truck traffic flow
- Reworked site layout to reduce bottlenecks
- RFID ticketing to streamline outbound scale processing
- Storage and handling systems sized for long-term capacity growth
These improvements allow producers to move grain through the facility faster while minimizing wait times during the most critical harvest windows.
Supporting the Industry’s Strongest Partnerships
For APEX Industrial, the Westfield rebuild reflects the strength of collaboration within the grain industry.
Projects of this scale depend on experienced partners who understand both the engineering and operational realities of modern grain handling facilities. Working alongside Valley View Agri-Systems and The Equity, the project team delivered a facility designed to serve Clark County farmers for decades to come.
Today, the rebuilt Westfield location stands as a testament to resilience, engineering, and partnership ensuring local producers have the infrastructure they need when harvest arrives.
