Location: Drayton, North Dakota
Client: American Crystal Sugar Company (ACSC)
Facility Type: Sugar beet processing plant
Project Background
American Crystal Sugar Company’s (ACSC) Drayton facility processes large volumes of sugar beets during an intensive seasonal campaign. During processing, beets are sliced into cossettes for sugar extraction, producing byproducts including chips, screenings, and tailings.
Historically, portions of this tailing material were treated as a waste stream and removed from the primary process. ACSC identified an opportunity to improve product recovery by returning this material to the processing cycle and pelletizing it into a usable product.
To accomplish this, the facility planned modifications to its chips and tailings handling system, requiring installation and reconfiguration of conveyors, transfer points, and structural support within an existing operating plant.
NorMinn Industrial was selected to perform the installation and field modifications due to its experience with heavy industrial mechanical work and material handling systems in operating processing facilities.
Project Challenge
The project involved more than installing new equipment; it required reworking an existing material handling system inside a congested processing environment.
Challenges included:
- Wet, abrasive organic material.
- Frequent plugging and buildup potential.
- High-wear transfer points.
- Limited access around operating equipment.
- Elevated work areas.
- Tight installation window ahead of campaign.
Because the system would now return tailings into the production process, material flow reliability became critical. Improper chute geometry, misalignment, or poor fit-up could cause plugging, belt tracking issues, or production interruptions.
Additionally, much of the installation required field adaptation due to differences between drawings and real-world plant conditions. The facility needed a contractor capable of fabricating and adjusting components on-site while coordinating with plant operations.
Project Solution
NorMinn Industrial mobilized millwrights, ironworkers, and certified welders to install and modify the chips and tailings handling system.
Scope of work included:
- Conveyor installation and modification.
- Fabrication and installation of transfer chutes.
- Structural steel supports.
- Wear plate installation in high-abrasion areas.
- Alignment and adjustment of conveying equipment.
- Field welding and custom fit-up.
- Integration with existing processing equipment.
NorMinn performed on-site measurements and fabricated components to fit the existing structure, allowing proper material transitions between conveyors and processing equipment. The crew coordinated closely with plant maintenance to stage work safely within congested and elevated areas.
Special attention was given to chute geometry and wear protection to improve material flow and reduce buildup.
Project Result
The upgraded system improved both plant reliability and product recovery capability.
Project outcomes:
- Completed before campaign startup.
- Safe execution in an operating facility.
- Improved material flow and belt tracking.
- Reduced plugging and maintenance intervention.
Most significantly, the system now allows ACSC to reclaim tailings material that was previously considered waste. The recovered material can be routed into the process and pelletized into a usable product, turning a disposal stream into a value-added output.
By improving material handling and reintegrating tailings into production, the project increased operational efficiency and allowed the plant to capture additional revenue from existing raw materials.
How NorMinn Achieved the Result
NorMinn’s success was driven by:
- Experienced millwright and ironworker crews.
- Strong field fabrication capabilities.
- On-site problem-solving and measurements.
- Careful equipment alignment.
- Communication with plant maintenance and operations staff.
- Safety-focused installation practices.
The project demonstrated NorMinn Industrial’s ability to install equipment and help facilities improve process flow and recover additional value from their operations.