b'BRETTYOUNGS NEW TURF PROCESSING FACILITY CATERS TO A GLOBAL MARKETThe $20-million, 60,000 square-foot NorthCore will process turf seed faster and in greater quantities than Canadas biggest independent seed company has managed to before.Marc ZienkiewiczWHEN YOUR BUSINESS is growing, you need to grow with it. Over the past 15 years, Manitoba-based BrettYoung has experienced steady and continuous growth in sales and volume. Theyve consistently operated at near maximum capacity for much of this time. That capacity crunch has led to the opening of BrettYoungs new NorthCore facility located at its headquarters just outside of Winnipeg, a 60,000 square-foot, $20-million investment that allows BrettYoung to process turf seed faster and in bigger quantities than ever before.As our business has expanded, our customers have expressed a growing demand for our services. They appreciate the wide range of products we offer across all our categories, as well as the quality of service we provide, says Cory Baseraba, chief operating officer for BrettYoung.This new facility has been a resounding success for us and our customers. It was time.Wide Open Spaces BrettYoung Chief Operating Officer Cory Baseraba (left) andBrettYoung specializes in both forage and turf species, with theCEO Eric Dyck show off the new NorthCore facility.latter side of its business catering to numerous clients including golf courses, consumer turf brands, and distributors worldwide,Strategic Decisionswith a strong focus on regions like the United States, ChinaThe inception of the NorthCore project dates back five years, and Europe. Customers want more high-quality, proprietarywith construction commencing on the 60,000-square-foot grass seed products, and Canada is an important supplier. facility in 2020. It had a soft opening in March 2023.In areas such as the southern and eastern parts of the U.S.,As BrettYoungs new NorthCore facility leaps into action where warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass tend to goprocessing turf seed, BrettYoung CEO Erik Dyck says the com-dormant in colder months, BrettYoungs cool-season grasses,pany has made a strategic decision to refocus its legacy cleaning particularly perennial ryegrass, offer a solution.facilities primarily on processing its forage products. But consistency is key in catering to this market. GolfThis deliberate move separates BrettYoungs operations course owners seek specific genetic varieties year after year tointo distinct areas, allowing it to streamline processes, reduce maintain uniform playing conditions, he adds.changeovers and better meet the specific needs of customers, he We strive to meet this demand by supplying our growerssays.with identity-preserved seed varieties, ensuring that the qualityIts all made possible by a dedicated staff of around 250 and performance remain consistent for our customers courses. employees and a committedboard with a bold vision for the Enter NorthCore, which features one cleaning linewithfuture of Canadas largest independent seed company, Dyck space for three more as supply growsand features a pneu- adds. matic conveying system, which is a network of pipelines thatBrettYoungs shareholders have been fully supportive of our move seed with air and transfers seed around the facility. It alsogrowth initiatives. Theyve consistently reinvested in the com-features blending and packaging lines that process seed threepany; theyre driven by a desire to capitalize on the opportunity times more quickly than BrettYoungs older equipment, all runto better serve our seed grower and end use customers. digitally through centralized monitoring and control systems.36 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA JULY 2024'