Beyond Ideas: Transforming Possibilities into Reality

Pioneering Spirit: The Foundation Years

In 1953, when most agricultural practices followed decades-old traditions, Pattison made a bold move that would revolutionize farming: the introduction of nitrogen to agriculture. This breakthrough decision demonstrated early on that the company's compass was firmly set toward innovation, even when it meant charting unexplored territory.

Strategic Evolution: Expanding Horizons

The company's innovative mindset led to another strategic leap in 1969 with the establishment of a river terminal on the Mississippi for grain exports. This development wasn't just about creating a new facility—it represented Pattison's ability to see beyond immediate needs and build infrastructure for future growth. The terminal became a crucial link in the agricultural supply chain, connecting heartland farmers with global markets.

Generational Excellence: Building on Legacy

Today, under Kyle Pattison's leadership—the third generation of this pioneering Iowa family—the company continues to embody its foundational innovative spirit. Since 2008, when Pattison ventured into rail car shipping, each new challenge has been approached with the same question that guided previous generations: "How can we do this better?"

Innovation in Action: Meeting Modern Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic tested businesses worldwide, and Pattison faced unprecedented challenges as market demands fluctuated dramatically. When their mining operations experienced a significant slowdown, they encountered a complex logistical challenge: managing a large returning rail car fleet with limited storage capacity. Despite their extensive facility footprint and unit train capabilities, traditional solutions proved inadequate and costly.

Rather than accepting these circumstances, Pattison saw an opportunity to innovate. The company leveraged its decades of logistics expertise to analyze industry-wide inefficiencies in rail car management. Their research revealed a striking pattern: shippers typically achieve optimal rail car numbers only 20% of the time, with significant imbalances occurring in both weekly and yearly cycles.

This discovery led to the development of pioneering solutions that would later transform rail logistics management across the industry. True to their innovative heritage, Pattison's approach went beyond addressing immediate challenges to create comprehensive systems that would benefit the entire sector, the Empty Onsite Storage Solution (EOSS®).

The Pattison Philosophy: Innovation as a Core Value

What sets Pattison apart is not just its history of innovations, but its approach to business itself. Each generation has built upon the last, maintaining core values while embracing new technologies and methodologies:

• Anticipating industry needs before they become critical
• Investing in research and development for long-term solutions
• Maintaining strong relationships with customers to understand evolving challenges
• Fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
• Preparing and planning for future generations

Looking to Tomorrow

As Pattison Company continues to evolve, its commitment to innovation remains unwavering. The company's history of transformative solutions—from agricultural nitrogen use to modern logistics systems—demonstrates that innovation isn't just part of their strategy; it's in their DNA.

"Innovation is about seeing possibilities where others see problems," reflects Kyle Pattison. “It's about having the courage to try new approaches and the persistence to make them work. This has been our family's philosophy for three generations, and it continues to drive us forward.”