VAA News

Every month should be a safe month. But in June, the National Safety Council (NSC) gives a safety shout out to reducing injury or death in areas in which we spend the most time – on the road, at home and work. As part of the month’s activities, NSC is a proud co-sponsor of Safe+Sound […]

Asking the Right Questions The goal of any design is to make the finished product look simple. When a rail design is complete, the end result is a set amount of linear track serving as a connection from a facility to a mainline or export terminal. However, the design process includes hidden complexities and details […]

Fourteen VAA employees volunteered to build a house in North Minneapolis with Habitat for Humanity (Habitat). With a range of construction skill levels, the team was divided into groups to work on various aspects of the four-bedroom home. Employees mainly contributed to the framing and construction of interior and exterior walls, stairs and front porch. […]

“Safe!” An action shot from a recent Armstrong Falcons (red jerseys) baseball game captured VAA’s banner among others on the fence line. As a community field sponsor, VAA is supporting District 281’s construction efforts for a full-field replacement at the Armstrong High School. The District’s two-year investment and Baseball Booster Club mission is to provide […]

  These common issues are often overlooked at grain facilities. Addressing problems with the right solutions can make your operation more efficient.     1. Truck Scaling, Probing and Staging Problem: If you can’t get trucks in and out of your site fast enough the pit will sit idle. Improvements: Make sure there are enough scales […]

Planning is underway for VAA to participate in the Minneapolis Canstruction® competition at the MOA on September 16. What is Canstruction® you ask? Design professionals within A/E/C industry design and build structures out of non-perishable food items. The temporary art exhibits are judged in several categories, admired by mall passersby and later dismantled – all […]

Gene Haldorson was recently recognized as the longest tenured employee at VAA with 35 years of service. His influence on company culture as a mentor to the next generation and with almost four decades of experience in the engineering industry has not gone unnoticed. A graduate from Minneapolis’ Dunwoody College of Technology and a former Partner […]

With a smorgasbord and cash donations, VAA employees participated in the Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP) Prevent Hunger Campaign. This effort was part of a larger Minnesota (MN) March FoodShare Campaign that helps stock community food shelves for the year. VAA collected 266 lbs. of food and raised the equivalent of $1,800 throughout the […]

Generally, our society has been demanding results that are bigger, better and produced faster – this trend does not stop at the feed industry. Changes in transportation, storage and sanitation are contributing to a shift in design considerations and capabilities for large-scale feed mills. By addressing the benefits of these trends, facilities can develop a […]

Generally, our society has been demanding results that are bigger, better and produced faster – this trend does not stop at the feed industry. Changes in transportation, storage and sanitation are contributing to a shift in design considerations and capabilities for large-scale feed mills. By addressing the benefits of these trends, facilities can develop a […]