A Partnership Built on Progress: 35 Years of Growing Together with Ardent Mills

As Interstates transitions its printed edition of the Current Connections newsletter to fully digital communication, it is fitting to highlight a relationship that has grown and evolved alongside our capabilities. Our partnership with Ardent Mills, formed over 35 years ago, has been shaped by shared values, aligned goals, and a commitment to continuous improvement. What began with straightforward electrical construction projects has evolved into a multifaceted collaboration that involves automation, operational technology, data integration, and digital transformation. 

Dean Hoerning, Senior Director of Engineering at Ardent Mills, notes that the partnership began in the late 1980s with electrical construction work at several of the company's mills. “We were doing electrical builds at sites, and that’s where it all began,” he recalls. Over time, additional work in control panels, programming, and early automation signaled the start of a broader technical relationship. 

Jake Ten Haken, Vice President of Client Delivery at Interstates, says the long view helps illustrate how far both organizations have come. “The relationship has morphed over time,” he says. “When we started, we were working with them as ConAgra. Then, about 11 years ago, Ardent Mills formed as a joint venture between Conagra Brands, Cargill, and CHS Inc., becoming the largest flour-milling company in the U.S. Through all those transitions, the partnership stayed intact and kept expanding.” 

New Capabilities to Meet Changing Operational Needs 

As Ardent Mills advanced its manufacturing approach, automation became essential. Hoerning describes that shift clearly: “It was always a goal to make our plants more efficient and make them safer. Automation helps us improve safety, food quality, and the overall process.”  

One major milestone was the conversion of the Commerce City, CO, facility to Interstates’ I-Control platform back in 2004. The project involved significant migration work and required deep collaboration between the teams. “It wasn’t an easy project,” Hoerning says. “We had done automation before, but not to that extent. The system needed to migrate, and I-Control became the right fit.” Ten Haken agrees that the experience helped shape the next era of partnership. “It forged the relationship,” he says. “We didn’t give up, and Dean didn’t give up on us. That trust set the foundation for the partnership that followed.” 

The more recent modernization of Ardent Mills’ Gibsonton, FL, facility highlights how the partnership has grown into new areas such as data management, systems integration, and enterprise connectivity. “Interstates isn’t just construction or engineering anymore,” Hoerning explains. “There are IT/OT services and database capabilities that support what we’re doing. We’re integrating more data both down into the facility and back up into our systems. It’s helped us move toward being paperless and has eliminated double-keying information.” Through improved data flow, the facility gained a deeper visibility into production, quality, and system performance – an advantage that was not possible decades ago. 

Preparing for the Future Together 

Looking ahead, both organizations see opportunities to further integrate plant-level automation with enterprise-level systems while continuing to improve safety, quality, and efficiency. Hoerning points to ongoing work around data integration as a key area for future progress. “We’re always trying to improve manufacturing capabilities, and automation plays a big part in that.” 

Ten Haken notes that workforce changes are also shaping how projects will be delivered. “The more we can do off-site – with modeling, prefabrication, visualization – the better,” he says. “The demographics of the workforce are changing, so we need to think differently about construction and engineering.” 

After more than three decades, the foundation of the Interstates–Ardent Mills partnership remains strong. “I’ve always enjoyed Interstates,” Hoerning says. “The company values and strong work ethic align well with ours, and I look forward to continuing that into the future.” Ten Haken adds that the personal connection has always mattered. “Partnerships are built on personal relationships, and Dean and the people at Ardent Mills have always made it personal. That’s why this relationship has endured.” 

As Interstates enters a new era of digital communication, relationships like this one illustrate what continues to drive our organization forward: long-term partnerships built on trust, collaboration, and the shared pursuit of better solutions.