News/Press

January 13, 2009
Respected line of fertilizer handling equipment celebrates 40 years in business

Marshall, Ill. - Yargus Manufacturing, Inc. celebrated a major milestone - the 40th anniversary of the Layco fertilizer handling equipment line - at the Midwest AG Industries Exposition in August.

Founded as Layco in 1968 by Lloyd Allen Yargus, the company was a conveyor repair and reconditioning shop that also built truck bumpers for area farmers and fertilizer dealers. Over the years, Layco's product line developed into one of the most complete lines of fertilizer blending and conveying systems in the material handling industry.

Layco developed and patented the original Single-Unit Blender, a novel fertilizer blending concept in 1980, in that the weighing and mixing took place in the same hopper. The Single-Unit Blender became a market success because it reduced the amount of space required by the traditional rotary blending systems and reduced the number of moving parts, thus reducing maintenance, downtime and original cash outlay.

In 1992, Lloyd's son, Larry Yargus, acquired Layco and renamed the company Yargus Manufacturing, Inc., but kept the product line name as Layco, because it had become such a familiar name in the industry. Yargus maintained exclusive production/manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of the line, which specialized in fertilizer handling conveyors and blenders and in-plant equipment.

Today, the Yargus Manufacturing complex in Marshall, Illinois spreads over five acres, with 58,000 square feet for sales, engineering and manufacturing. The company ships Layco equipment all over the world for fertilizer and other material handling use, and over the years has become a sought-after equipment supplier because of its unique ability to successfully custom-design and manufacture equipment to meet its customers' specific needs and requirements.

Yargus is a full-service company with experienced engineering and design, marketing, production, installation, transportation and technical assistance personnel serving the industry. The manufacturer has its own fleet of semis for equipment delivery and service trucks to support any technical assistance requirement.

Yargus Manufacturing has consistently provided the fertilizer industry with innovative blending and conveying equipment and has expanded its Layco line to include such innovative products as the versatile Volumetric and Declining Weight Blender, Declining Weight Blender and Tower Blend Systems. At the same time it has developed an expertise for turn-key projects, supplying all the in-loading, in-plant, blending and out-loading equipment, custom designed for each application.

Layco products are in demand in the material handling industry outside the fertilizer arena. You might see a Layco conveyor, hopper or blender handling sludge, salt, aggregate, seed, feed, grain, pharmaceuticals, organic materials or recycling materials.

Yargus Manufacturing's reputation for quality, dependable Layco products has made it a player in the international fertilizer market. The first Layco blending system ordered for export went to the United Kingdom in 1983. Since that time, Layco equipment has been shipped around the world to places such as Australia, Indonesia, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Kenya and South Africa to name a few.

Respected as an industry leader, Larry Yargus is actively involved in several fertilizer organizations for material handling including the Agricultural Retailers Association, The Fertilizer Institute, the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, the Indiana Plant Food & Agricultural Chemical Association, the Texas Ag Industries Association and the Far West Agribusiness Association.

12285 E. Main St - P.O. Box 238 - Marshall, IL 62441 - USA
Phone (217) 826-6352 - Fax (217)826-8551
E-MAIL: layco@yargus.com