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Ag Provision announces purchase of spec building
Herald-Tribune
Nevada, Mo. -- Nevada and Vernon County are starting the new year with good news -- an 11-year-old spec building on the northern outskirts of Nevada now has an occupant.
A distribution company has purchased the structure and plans to move in as soon as possible -- they're hoping to begin operations within the next few months.
North-Carolina based Ag Provision, LLC, a wholesale farm supply distributor and logistics management firm, has purchased the 60,000-square-foot structure, and Michael Brown of Ag Provision said Thursday, "It's a good, strategic location for us and we're very pleased to be here."
"We closed on it yesterday, knocked a big hole in the wall (to accommodate a large loading area)" and hope to begin some remodeling by Monday, said Bill Gregory. Gregory is Murphy-Brown's director of purchasing for western operations, and was instrumental in bringing the distribution facility to town. Doing so was a task that required many in the community to work together, something Nevada has learned to do well, said Nevada/Vernon County Area Chamber of Commerce director Kathi Wysong.
Although the building has been vacant for a long time, the effort started long ago has finally come to fruition, with a tenant in place. Wysong noted that good things often take time to develop, and praised those who had a part in bringing the company to town for their perseverance and assistance, in a formal announcement about the company's arrival before a crowd of about 70 local business leaders at the chamber's monthly luncheon, conducted Friday at the Bowman Building in Nevada.
Local lenders, Aquila, Murphy Brown, city of Nevada development staffers including Ron Clow, Joe Charles and city manager Harlan Moore, along with the chamber's management and staff all worked together to make the project happen, said a press release distributed Friday.
Randy Mapes, CEO of Ag Provision, said, "The central location, efforts of the owners of the building (Aquila, Bank of American, First National Bank of Nevada and US Bank), and the commitment shown by business leaders in the community have created not only a winning business opportunity for Ag Provision but exemplify true leadership and vision for future economic growth for this region. We are proud to be a part of the Nevada business community."
Gregory added that "employment levels are still being analyzed but we plan to be operational by early spring 2007. A grand opening event where the community will be invited to tour our facility and learn more about the company, is scheduled for this summer, after necessary renovations are complete."
Ag Provision is owned by several leading food production companies with combined annual revenues of more than $25 billion.
Established in 1990, the company is a distributor of farm and agricultural supplies to merchant wholesalers throughout the United States as well as to some international customers.