Leadership Williston was developed and implemented by the Chamber of Commerce's Partners in Education and Leadership Committee "To Train and Empower Williston's Future Leaders."
As a Leadership Williston participant, I have found myself in a few places I would consider to be outside my area of expertise. My most recent, "Leadership Adventure" (This is what I have dubbed my Leadership Williston meeting days.) was to the Sidney Sugar plant in Sidney, MT.
At first glance the large, ominous building looks like a fight between two super heroes might break out at any moment. The steam vents are roaring, the air temp is well below zero and the parking lot is desolate. Did I mention the long gravel road and guard you pass to gain entry?
Obviously, I was immediately intrigued. After settling into a seat in the front of the conference room I began to further survey my surroundings. Plain white walls are covered with signs promoting their clients; Kraft, Nestle, Hershey, Wal-Mart and a few other giants I never knew would utilize a facility out of Sidney, MT. Turns out, they would be crazy not to.
The building has been completely refurbished, 80% of the plant is automated and utilizes some of the most sophisticated software I have seen. Operators have a full view of every instrument, mechanism and product flow in their area. They can stop and start any of the processes within the blink of an eye, by pressing a few buttons.
Are you wondering what this process entails? Let me provide you with a VERY brief synopsis. The beets enter the facility in large trucks. The trucks then open up their "bellies" and let the beets tumble out into a wet hopper. This system separates out any rocks or debris that may have floated to the bottom of the wash. Tons, literally tons, of beets are then channeled into a beet washer. Next, the beets are shredded into cossettes. This is a sliced form of the beet that looks like a wavy potato chip. After one tower diffuser, a pulp drier, a pulp press, a carbonation station and a few other complicated processes we are left with a fine grain of pristine white sugar.
130 employees run the facility and in 2012 they processed 2.4 + million/cwt of sugar. They hauled in a total of 32,839 acres of sugar beets. 2012 was a record breaking year for our sweet neighbor to the west. They had ZERO complaints from clients, auditors or employees. They also produced more sugar than they ever have before. For those of you who have worked in a manufacturing facility or any business involving the sale of goods, you know this never happens. It's near impossible.
I will never look at sugar the same again. The man hours, machinery and chemistry involved to produce a product that seems so simplistic is awe inspiring.
Sugar beet? What's that? It may be my favorite crop in the Mon-Dak. My coffee just wouldn't be palatable without it.
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