P+H to make play for Great Lakes grain handler

In its last annual report issued in June, Thirdcoast noted its grain handling operations were coming under direct pressure from P+H’s own new grain terminal at Hamilton, which opened in the fall of 2010.

“The new Parrish + Heimbecker Hamilton grain terminal will have a significant negative effect on the company’s grain handling volumes and margins in future years,” Thirdcoast wrote at the time, noting the new terminal had already taken business from Thirdcoast’s Goderich and Port Colborne facilities.

Furthermore, the company said in June, its mustard milling margins were expected to be pressured in 2011 as the industry competed to boost mustard ingredients use in food products.

“Mustard inclusion rates fell during the 2008 period as high prices and short supply reduced food ingredient usage,” Thirdcoast president Don Henry wrote.