SALINA, KANSAS, US — Vortex Global donated slide gates and diverters to the new Feed Technology Center at the University of Illinois and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, US.

The $20 million project, currently under construction, is expected to be a national hub for advancements in animal management, nutrition and production. It is expected to lead to new discoveries in feed ingredient utilization, new processing technologies and improved efficiency of food production.

“Vortex is proud to support the University of Illinois on this project,” said Travis Young, chief executive officer of Vortex. “The impact the Feed Technology Center will have on research, innovation and process efficiency will be tremendous for many generations to come. We thank the university for the opportunity to partner on this.”

Included in Vortex’s donation to the Feed Technology Center are a total of 32 slide gates and diverters. Among these are the Vortex Gravity Vee Diverter, Vortex Titan Slide Gate, Vortex Seal Tite Diverter, Vortex Aggregate Gate and various accessories, controls and switches to increase valve performance and life span.

“We are incredibly grateful to Vortex for this generous gift,” said Rodney Johnson, head and professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Illinois. “The equipment is vital to the everyday operations of the facility, and therefore will allow our faculty and students to continue our tradition of innovation in the animal nutrition space.”

When it opens, the facility will drastically expand the capabilities of the more than 40 faculty members and hundreds of students whose work and research depend on the Feed Technology Center.

Testing and calibration of equipment is expected to take place this summer with the goal to be fully operational by October.