USDA Cotton Classing Case Study

What they do:

Each bale of cotton that’s farmed in the U.S. must first be classified before being released to the market. USDA Cotton Classing Services of Rayville, LA classifies all cotton from Louisiana, with additional cotton classing services cotton from Mississippi and Arkansas.

The Challenge:

Every cotton sample that comes to USDA Cotton Classing is conditioned in a controlled laboratory. The USDA has very strict requirements for this process. The lab is controlled between 69°-71° F and 63%-67% relative humidity. If the temperature or relative humidity fluctuates outside of these conditions, the cotton cannot be classed and must be shipped out of the facility and classed at one of the other nine facilities across the U.S. costing time and money to both the USDA and local farmers.

The Solution:

Since its construction in 1987, Storer Services has provided a number of HVAC services to this cotton classing facility. Today, Storer Services has a Preventative Maintenance contract with USDA Cotton Classing Services to maximize the longevity of their equipment and prevent catastrophic equipment failures that may subsequently result in a “ship-out”.

The Legacy:

When asked about his experiences with Storer Services over the last 31 years, Terry Sims (Area Director) had this to say:

“Storer keeps us in business by preventing breakdowns. When we’ve had breakdowns, Storer has had parts overnighted to get us back in business as soon as possible. In the past, there have been cotton classing facilities that have had to ship cotton out due to a breakdown. We’ve never had to ship cotton out of Rayville. I’ve been very satisfied.” – Terry Sims