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Across the grain industry, facility leaders are navigating a level of uncertainty we haven’t seen in years. Volatile commodity markets. Weather extremes. Labor shortages. Tighter margins. Rising expectations around safety, uptime, and quality.

In this episode of the Whole Grain Podcast, host Jim Lenz sits down with Matt Koch, Chief Marketing Officer at Sukup Manufacturing Co., to explore what it really takes to operate a modern grain facility in today’s unpredictable environment.

From macro market pressures and geopolitical shifts to storage strategy, grain conditioning risk, and practical automation, this conversation moves beyond equipment to systems thinking. Matt shares a global perspective from working with producers, commercial elevators, terminals, and processors across more than 100 countries.

The takeaway? Long-term success isn’t just about buying low and selling high. It’s about reducing loss, designing resilient systems, and operating dependably—year after year.

What You’ll Learn

• Why many operators are shifting from short-term optimization to 3–7 year strategic planning
 • How global trade, energy markets, and geopolitics are shaping grain infrastructure decisions
 • Why storage is becoming a strategic lever—not just capacity
 • The hidden risks of large-bin consolidation and long-term storage
 • How under-designed aeration systems quietly erode margins
 • Why CO₂ monitoring often detects grain issues before temperature spikes
 • What meaningful automation actually looks like in commercial facilities
 • How modular OEM automation systems can improve safety and consistency
 • Why preventing loss often matters more than market timing

Key Themes

Storage as Strategy

Well-designed storage allows operators to create market flexibility, improve throughput, standardize multi-site operations, and reduce management complexity. Scale has changed the game—and infrastructure must evolve with it.

Grain Conditioning Risk

As bins grow larger, risk grows with them. Consolidated storage requires tighter monitoring. CO₂ levels, moisture control, proper fan management, and active oversight are critical to protecting grain value over long-term storage cycles.

Automation for Real-World Operations

Automation isn’t about flashy control rooms. It’s about preventing operator error at 2:00 a.m., improving safety, supporting lean teams, and ensuring consistent procedures across facilities.

Loss Prevention Over Speculation

While commodity markets drive headlines, operational discipline drives profitability. Reducing spoilage, minimizing downtime, and designing dependable systems may be the most powerful competitive advantage.

Learn more at:
 www.sukup.com

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.