Bayer acquires HyTech facility north of Coaldale

Sunny South News Photo by Cal Braid. GRAND OPENING: Bayer management cut the ribbon at the grand opening of its newly acquired seed treatment and packaging facility on Nov. 4. The packaging apparatus behind the group receives the treated seed from the treat deck and drying station, then bags and labels it before running it up a conveyor to the palletizer.

By Cal Braid
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bayer Crop Science held an official grand opening of its new acquired Coaldale seed facility on Nov. 4. The Monday morning event attracted dozens of guests for a fair, tour, and ribbon cutting ceremony. The seed treatment and packaging plant, only about two years old and until now operated by HyTech Production Ltd., is less than 10 minutes north of town on Highway 845.

 In early October, Bayer announced its acquisition of the canola treatment and packaging facility from HyTech with an anticipated closing date of Nov. 1. In a news release, Antoine Bernet, president and CEO for Bayer, called the facility “perfectly located and designed to support Bayer’s Canola business today as well as enable future growth.”

 Bayer used HyTech as a third-party toller for canola treating and packaging, and will continue to use a multi-faceted approach moving forward, the release said. It said the acquisition will enable a more seamless transition from Bayer’s canola parent seed production site in Cranbrook, B.C. and its seed cleaning facility in Lethbridge.

 Bernet said the expansion would give Bayer “control over the seed from production to packaging, which directly benefits the farmers who use our seed.”

After closing the deal on Nov. 1, the facility ownership transferred to Bayer and the company retained the HyTech employees who worked there.

Chet Loveland, facility site lead at Bayer, explained more about the operation after taking a group on a walking tour of the plant. 

“We specifically specialize in the seeds. We’re row crop production and product supply, exclusively canola in this Coaldale facility. We grow canola, we clean it, we treat it, we package it, and we get it to a farmer. All of the canola we produce isn’t for consumption, it’s for farmers to grow. We serve the farmer.”

 The packaging plant will complement the work that happens at the nearby Bayer facility on Highway 3 east of Broxburn Rd. Loveland said the Hwy 3 location does the initial seed cleaning post-harvest, after which it’s sent to Coaldale for treating and packaging. He pointed to the elevated treat deck where the clean seed is mixed in a treatment solution before passing into a dryer. The treatment coats the seeds in order to protect them from pests and diseases, improve germination, and boost overall plant health and crop performance. “There are a number of varieties that we sell across our portfolio. It can vary not only in seed treatment, but also in the genetic packages that are included within each variety,” Loveland said.