OMAHA, NEBRASKA, U.S. — The Scoular Co. has acquired two grain-handling facilities in Weiser, Idaho, U.S., from Weiser Feed and Storage Inc. Scoular described the transaction as an early step in a broad strategy to grow the company’s business in western Idaho.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Scoular said it will handle, store and merchandise grains as well as operate the seed cleaning business.

The company said it will upgrade the Weiser facility on the east side of the town with an expansion of its drying capacity. The facility involved has 520,000 bushels of grain storage capacity

“We want to make it more convenient for farmers to harvest their corn in a timely and profitable manner,” said Kevin Thompson, senior group manager who oversees Scoular facilities in Idaho and Utah. Thomson said improvements are expected to be completed by September, in time for the 2012 corn harvest.

The Weiser operations, located in west central Idaho, will be operated “much the same” as before the acquisitions, Thompson said. Kevin Jones will remain manager of the Weiser grain operation.

Scoular described the acquisition as the first step of several to be taken by the company in connection with a strategy to grow the company’s presence in western Idaho.

“Presently, the Jerome facility (185 miles southeast of Weiser) is being expanded to increase its grain and feed handling capabilities,” the company said. Thompson described plans to extend the company’s grain origination and handling into the central part of Idaho's Treasure Valley.

In addition to the two Weiser facilities, Scoular operates several other facilities and trading offices in the intermountain region. These include grain-handling facilities in Bancroft, Grace, Jerome, and Michaud, Idaho; Ogden, Utah; and Butte, Montana; as well as a trading office in Portland, Oregon.”

Overall, Scoular has more than 70 offices and facilities across North America.