DLF Opens Albany, OR Facility

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By Chris Lusvardi

DLF has made an investment in a new state-of-the-art seed enhancement and production plant near Albany, OR to support future business and customer growth.

The 141,000-square-foot facility features a seed enhancement line, high-speed fully-automated blending line with palletizers, diverse packaging capabilities, and 85,000 square feet of storage space for finished goods and raw material.

“By reinvesting in our operations and infrastructure, we’re ensuring that we can meet the evolving needs of our customers and continue to lead in a rapidly changing market,” says Neil Douglas, executive vice president of DLF North America. “This is more than a new building – it’s a step toward shaping a brighter, more sustainable future for our industry.”

DLF is a global company which was founded in 1906 and supplies turf seed, forage seed, and other seed crops to more than 80 countries.

The Albany facility was built in an ef­fort to consolidate DLF’s Oregon opera­tions in the heart of the Willamette Valley, which is considered the “Grass Seed Capital” of the world.

Brian Jaasko, senior vice president of wholesale and production, says he’s incredibly excited about the opportunity to manage this investment and bring innovative products to market.

“Having direct control over the process allows us to develop groundbreaking formulations that not only set new standards but also deliver immediate value to our customers,” Jaasko says. “It’s a chance to redefine what’s possible and make a meaningful impact on the industry.”

Jaasko’s excitement is rooted in his deep expertise and vision, which he brought with him when he joined DLF in February 2022. As a leading authority in seed enhancement technology, Jaasko has been instrumental in shaping the direction of DLF’s seed enhancement program. His experience, coupled with his passion for advancing seed technology, is as valuable as the new infrastructure itself.

DLF USA, which represents the company in the U.S. market, was established in 2015 when DLF merged the Pickseed, DLF International, and Seed Research of Oregon brands into one business unit.

In 2022, the company unified its global brand and business under the name DLF and now operates three divisions in North America: Wholesale, Distribution, and Consumer Products.

Facility Features

Susanna Sieke, director of seed enhancements, explains new technology has been added to give DLF the ability to track seed throughout the seed enhancement line.

New high speed blenders, automated bagging equipment, and palletizers are among the features that allow the process to be more precise and efficient, she says.

Sieke explains a bar code can be scanned to show where a product is in the warehouse at any given time. As the enhancement process begins, raw seed is moved from reusable black totes through an air powered seed conveyance system. The company is moving toward using more black totes to replace bags whenever possible as part of its sustainability efforts. In the coming growing seasons, DLF will convert to receiving seed from growers in the reusable totes – rather than plastic bags.

“We’re producing less waste by not using as many bags,” Sieke says.

In addition, she says added automation features of the seed enhancement line and high speed blending line result in a significant reduction of physical labor needs. The skilled line operators have substantial technical knowledge and investment in the success of the operation. Through these advancements, DLF says they have the ability to offer better career paths to their team members and community.

The seed enhancement line operator can control on touchscreens the recipe of what is added to the seed as it moves along the line. Once the operator enters production order component information, raw seed travels pneumatically from the reusable totes to a tumble blender.

After seed is blended, a bucket elevator is used to move seed into three hoppers above the seed enhancement coating machine. Seed is automatically weighed in batches and dropped into the machines where inoculants, microbes, and other beneficial additives can be applied to the seed.

Throughout the seed enhancement process, operators are continually monitoring the seed bound moisture and seed temperature as part of the quality control process, says Robert Keeter, seed enhancement plant manager. Dryers are used to control the moisture level of the seed, Keeter says. Seed can move through the seed enhancement line in five to seven minutes, he notes.

“We want to keep it running consistently and can produce 10,000 pounds of seed per hour,” says Keeter. “The plan is for it to be a continuous cycle.”

New Product Launch

As operations of the new facility were ramping up, a new seed enhancement product, 4Most™ Seed Enhancement By DLF, was in the process of being launched. Sieke explains DLF in January 2023 started the process of developing a new formula for what is applied to the seed to provide enhanced benefits, specifically for turf and forage applications.

“We’re seeing significantly better performance with 4Most™ enhanced seed,” Sieke says. “It’s part of the science on the seed.”

Leah Brilman, director of product management and technical services, says the new formula was selected based on providing the most benefits for the species they work with. By using the new formula backed by science, she says each seed is more likely to grow better and survive.

“That’s what we’ve been seeing,” Brilman says. “It makes the soil environment better and enables more seeds to survive and thrive.”

Sieke notes the benefits of the new formula include increased seed to soil contact, expanded moisture management, stronger early root development, and extended long-term nutrition.

“We’re most excited about the biological components,” Sieke says. “We’re working with nature rather than fighting it. The biological solution is better for the environment.”

DLF introduced the new technology to U.S. wholesale turf customers in July and will eventually offer it to all turf and forage markets in the United States and Canada.

“We’re absolutely thrilled by the positive feedback we’re receiving from professional turf customers who have tested the product,” says Sean Chaney, vice president of Wholesale & Supply Chain. “Their enthusiastic responses confirm what we’ve always believed: that 4Most™ is set to be a true game-changer for our industry.”

Research Stations

Sieke says testing of the new formula was conducted in the greenhouse at DLF’s research station in Philomath, OR.

Various ingredients and application rates were tested. After the recipe was perfected, she adds, the team started field trials to collect data, including emergence rate, plant height, greenness, coverage, biomass yield, root density, and stress tolerance.

The Philomath station is one of the research facilities DLF operates around the country, in addition to Berry, KY; Bangor, WI; West Salem, WI; and Connell, WA. The goal is to develop top-performing proprietary forage and turfgrass seed varieties. Turf breeding objectives include color, disease, and insect resistance, fine leaf texture, wear tolerance, and drought resistance.

“Our turf breeding focuses on aesthetics and quality,” Brilman says. “The goal is to produce attractive varieties that are dense, fine-leafed, and green all year long. Additionally, they must tolerate drought, shade, frost, snow, and heat, and be resistant to a range of diseases. We utilize a worldwide breeding and testing program to ensure that every species and variety is tested under multiple climatic conditions and uses.”

“By adding research based seed enhancement products to our portfolio, we are able to further elevate DLF genetics while also being able to adapt to changing environmental factors faster than we can with turf breeding alone,” Sieke adds.

DLF says its products are continually being trialed and tested to ensure they thrive in various climates and soils.