Citrus Systems
Sometimes, your business is poised to make a change, whether you see it coming or your market pushes you along the way. Citrus Systems, a juice processing facility based out of Hopkins, Minnesota is one of those companies that knew it needed to pivot some of its operations.
Tom Boehland has been President of Citrus Systems for more than 30 years, working his company into the large operation it is today. In his extensive Hopkins facility, Boehland’s
company deals in a variety of juice needs for many clients. From large packaging of its own brand of juice, to working with large regional and national retailers on packaged and bottled juice and a comprehensive single-serve bottling production, Citrus Systems has a wide-range of successful operations.
THE NEED
Boehland made a calculated move in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic: invest in new equipment and change an aspect of his business’s production line within his facility. In response to increased demand from retailers working with him, Boehland made the move to increase Citrus Systems’ capability to meet that demand.
As the pandemic continued, clients across the country were increasingly in the market for single-serve bottled and packaged juice. More people shopping in convenience stores, more need for the single-serve bottles of juice. While Citrus Systems continues to produce its wide-range of products, Boehland expanded from his one line of single-serve machinery to add another bottle filler and alter some space to increase capability for more of the single-serve bottles.
THE PARTNERSHIP
Citrus Systems has worked with KLC Financial for three years in financing multiple pieces of equipment for its facility. When Boehland knew he wanted to make this shift, he called Allen Glynn, Business Development Associate at KLC, to see if he could help finance this new machine. Glynn worked with him quickly and was able to make the financing work to help make this change a reality at Citrus Systems’ plant.
THE EQUIPMENT
Boehland and Glynn are seen in front of that latest addition with KLC’s financing: a new bottle filler. This machine can fill and cap 188 bottles per minute, faster than their other bottle filler. This machine added tremendous value to the second bottling line Boehland and Citrus Systems has been building.
In addition to this latest piece of equipment in the bottle filler, Boehland and Glynn have worked together to finance a case packing machine, a sealing machine and an unloading machine.
THE SUCCESS
Boehland is glad that this deal came about quickly to make the necessary changes and additions to the facility to meet the new demand accordingly. Coming together with KLC and realizing his facility might need to adjust to changing times made a perfect storm for acting quickly with adding more capability to this second single-serve bottling line.
Contact Allen Glynn at 952.224.4304 or send him an email at allen@klcfinancial.com.
