New AgWest facility nears completion

AgWest is gearing up for a major expansion in Westman as construction of its new Brandon facility enters its final stretch, with the farm equipment supplier expecting to open its doors on Jan. 1.

The project, which is a few kilometres west of Brandon on the Trans-Canada Highway, is a “significant investment” in serving producers across southwestern Manitoba, branch manager Derek Papineau told the Sun.

“We’ve had significant growth over the past few years,” he said in an interview. “This is going to open up opportunities to help better serve our customers and hopefully continue to grow.”

Papineau said the new building represents a multimillion-dollar investment, though the company is not disclosing the exact cost, adding the project, which began in late spring, remains on schedule with “no delays” so far.

“As it sits today, we’re still on track for Jan. 1,” he said. “Knock on wood … that’s the expectation.”

AgWest’s new location, built on an eight-acre parcel, will more than triple the company’s current shop and support space, Papineau said.

The 19,000-square-foot building includes a wash bay, display area with large windows for natural lighting, a small mezzanine and space designed to accommodate future office growth.

“We’re going to have more capacity to do the product support side because of the room and space in the new building,” Papineau said. “We plan on expanding our product support business … so we’ll be able to take care of the customer base a lot quicker and a lot more efficiently.”

The expansion plan will eventually require additional staff, though AgWest is still finalizing employment projections.

“We do have a business model in place to add more personnel for the expansion,” Papineau said. “As it sits today, we’ve got to get into the building and get our feet running.”

The building itself is one of the project’s most distinctive features, Tria Products project manager Brent Wiebe told the Sun.

Constructed using precast concrete walls, the structure incorporates three layers — an exterior concrete façade, insulation, and an interior concrete finish — offering strong protection against the Prairie climate, he said.

“These walls are pre-poured at Tria Products’ fabrication shop near Arborg. This provides excellent insulation and protection from wind, cold, and moisture,” Wiebe said in an email.

He said the roof structure was also manufactured by Tria Products, with engineering led by Tria Consulting in Winnipeg, adding the close collaboration between design, fabrication and installation teams was “key to a quick, high-quality turnaround.”

Work began later than planned due to ground moisture and spring road bans, Wiebe noted.

“We had to wait until the ground was dry enough to work … This gave us a narrow time frame to complete the project,” he said.

Tria Products is simultaneously building an identical facility for AgWest in Russell, adding another layer of complexity.

“Juggling these jobs and keeping them both moving was also a challenge. However, the weather this year was excellent,” he said.

All major systems — mechanical, electrical, and safety infrastructure — are currently being installed, and Wiebe expects the Brandon project to be fully completed by year’s end.

AgWest, originally operated under Toromont Industries before being acquired by Europe-based Mechan International in 2023, has been pursuing a strategic expansion in Manitoba. New developments are underway not only in Brandon, but also in Russell and Benito.

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