Revenue for Casey's General Stores in its just-concluded fiscal year reached $8.7 billion. Casey's CEO Darren Rebelez said "in the midst of the most challenging business environment of our lifetimes," that is an "astounding" figure. "Casey's '21 Fiscal Year yielded the strongest results in our … [Read more...]
Refrigerated locker service now online in SW towns that lost grocery stores
The owner of a pair of small food markets in southwest Iowa is opening two sets of refrigerated lockers in nearby communities that no longer have grocery stores. Theo Ramsey, who runs Ramsey’s Market, with stores in Lenox and Manning, is now offering the locker service in Shelby and Walnut. … [Read more...]
New chemical plant in southeast Iowa to use corn to make fabric
Cargill and a German company are teaming up to build a chemical plant in Eddyville to make fabric. "Cargill and Helm have formed a joint venture investing up to $300 million in this new facility in Eddyville to produce BDO from corn," says Jon Veldhouse, Cargill's business development manager for … [Read more...]
Heyl Truck Lines of Estherville buying Holiday Express
Heyl Truck Lines is buying Holiday Express, a trucking company based in Estherville. Heyl Truck Lines is based in Akron. Its president, Bruce Koele, says both companies are family-owned. "We felt our companies matched very well with a lot of the same philosophies," he says. "Heyl has several … [Read more...]
Buena Vista University’s ‘idea incubator’ opens in Storm Lake
Buena Vista University has opened a 2,500 square foot building in downtown Storm Lake that's being described as an "idea incubator." It's called "The Foundry" and BVU president Brian Lenzmeier says the space is for students as well as businesses and entrepreneurs in the community. "This is a … [Read more...]
Iowa Ag Secretary concerned about hacking impact on livestock industry
Two meatpacking plants in Iowa saw canceled shifts and a halt in production this week, following a cyberattack on the world's largest meat producer. JBS plants in Marshalltown and Ottumwa were forced to slow down or temporarily stop production lines. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says he's … [Read more...]
Creighton survey shows continued recovery in Iowa economy
Economic recovery from the pandemic further accelerated in Iowa during May, but the numbers fell slightly for the Midwest region, according to a survey of business leaders and supply managers in the nine states. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the April numbers showed record growth … [Read more...]
Two Clinton businesses among those receiving state aid
Businesses in Clinton, Mt. Pleasant, and Washington have won state economic development incentives. Economic Development Authority spokesperson, Kanan Kappleman, says Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) will receive one million dollars in tax benefits to work with the Japanese company Spiber … [Read more...]
New projection of Iowa restaurant, bar closures during pandemic
The CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association says updated information suggests fewer restaurants and bars in Iowa have closed during the pandemic than was expected. Jessica Dunker says initial estimates indicated about a thousand restaurants and bars in Iowa that were operating in March of 2020 would … [Read more...]
Farm equipment giant bounces back from COVID year in good health
Iowa's largest manufacturing employer is reporting a solid rebound from the pandemic year of 2020. Quad Cities-based John Deere reports second-quarter net sales rose 34-percent while net income was nearly $1.8 billion dollars for the quarter, versus $666 million from the quarter that ended a year … [Read more...]