Special Recognition of the 75th Anniversary of the Andersons, Inc.

Floor Speech

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Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Andersons, Inc. The Andersons has a remarkable history within the City of Maumee and the surrounding region. Over the last 75 years, The Andersons has been committed to its mission of providing extraordinary service to both customers and local communities.

Located in Maumee, Ohio, The Andersons was founded in 1947 by Harold and Margaret Anderson under the name of Andersons Truck Terminal. Their first facility was built to speed up deliveries and cut down the lines of grain trucks. The 9 truck bays provided efficient service and a rapid turnaround for local farmers. The company established a rail-to- ship loading area on the Maumee River which gave The Andersons access to Lake Erie to ship their grain.

During their first two decades, The Andersons started a retail store, added additional grain storage, ear corn and cob milling facilities, and began fertilizer blending. With the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, The Andersons were able to ship products out of the Great Lakes. To accommodate this expansion, the company opened the first deep-water grain loading facility on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes. The company continued to open new elevators, including the first elevator in the U.S. that could load 100 car unit trains. In the 1970s, as grain receipts tripled, and the company's river elevator was expanded.

The 1980s and 90s brought significant expansion for The Andersons. The company opened additional retail stores in Toledo and Columbus that served the community with a variety of products including produce, baked goods, farm tools, and feed for livestock. They opened liquid fertilizer facilities along the Maumee River, and elevators were opened in Indiana and Michigan. The company entered the rail leasing business and acquired a number of grain and liquid storage facilities across Indiana. On February 20, 1996, The Andersons was incorporated and was listed on the NASDAQ.

Over the past two decades, the company entered the ethanol business and initially oversaw the operations of three ethanol plants. It expanded its operations under The Andersons Denison Ethanol, LLC and acquired an ethanol plant in Denison, Iowa. The company has continued to pivot towards more sustainable and organic products. In 2021, The Andersons purchased Capstone Commodities which has allowed the company to serve the feed market industries in New Mexico and Texas.

The key element of The Andersons business philosophy is to build strong communities. The company has dedicated time, talent, and financial resources to support their employees and the communities they are part of. Through their charitable contributions, The Andersons has been able to support communities across the country.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to The Andersons, Inc. and its staff, past and present, on this remarkable occasion. By celebrating the 75th anniversary, Ohio residents recognize the contribution of The Andersons to our region and community. Congratulations to The Andersons on this significant milestone.

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