GEAPS and IGP Institute Offer In-person Training Opportunities

GEAPS and IGP Institute Offer In-person Training Opportunities

Courses offered December 9-11, 2025 and January 20-23, 2026

GEAPS and the IGP Institute of Kansas State University are teaming up once again to offer two upcoming training courses: Hands on Training for the Operation & Maintenance of Conveying Equipment and Grain Elevator Managers Course. Both will be offered onsite at the IGP Institute in Manhattan, Kansas.

Hands-On Training for the Operation & Maintenance of Conveying Equipment

The unique, two-and-a-half-day training blends instructor demonstrations, hands-on practice, and pre-course online modules to prepare participants to safely operate, maintain, and repair the conveying equipment most critical to grain facilities. Participants receive documents, reference material, and many other resources to support their work long after the training event.

"The information that is shared on this course comes from a combination of technical material and experience of the instructors, which is invaluable," said Carlos Campabadal of Kansas State University. "KSU is once again excited to partner with GEAPS to provide trainings that can help strengthen our industry."

A key feature of this training is the interactive small group aspect. "Everybody has a little bit of different perspective of what goes into each piece of equipment and the troubles that people are running into as they run that equipment," said past participant Sean Skorbo of AGI's inside sales and engineering department. "A highlight was a lot of great conversations with the different experts in our field."

The course features hands-on work with five types of conveying equipment:

• Distributors

• Screw Conveyors & Bin Sweeps

• Chain (Drag) Conveyors

• Belt Conveyors

• Bucket Elevators

After successfully completing the course, learners will be able to install, operate and inspect conveying equipment. They'll also be able to troubleshoot problems and maintain the equipment, understand what could happen to grain quality if equipment is used improperly and apply and perform the best safety practices and procedures.

Another past participant, Oren Goetz, project superintendent at Greenfield Contractors, noted the experience provided an understanding of equipment in terms of safety and efficiency, as well as preventative maintenance. "This was a great opportunity to come and learn some of the details of installing equipment and maintaining alignment. It's great to work with some really good professionals and get some insight into important aspects of running this equipment," said Goetz.

This training is ideal for engineers, project managers, grain elevator operators, maintenance personnel, millwrights, and safety professionals-anyone who wants to sharpen their technical skills and avoid costly downtime.

This course is offered December 9-11, 2025, and registration is now open. Registering before November 12 qualifies for early bird pricing at $1,800 for GEAPS members and $2,000 for nonmembers. After that, members pay $1,900; nonmembers pay $2,100.

Space for this course is limited. Register today to ensure your spot and allow yourself time to complete the online modules. Find more information and registration at https://www.geaps.com/conveyor-training.

Grain Elevator Managers Course

The KSU-GEAPS Grain Elevator Managers Course is an intensive, in-person training. It is conveniently offered in the IGP Conference Center on the Kansas State University Campus. This course is designed for professionals who work in operations, procurement, management, or other key grain handling roles. While learners will spend some time with the equipment used in the hands-on training above, this program features classroom style learning.

Course topics include the following:

• Personnel management
• Grain quality management
• Grain handling equipment
• Grain drying
• Grain operations costs
• Grain inventory management
• Grain receiving and shipping
• Grain condition monitoring
• Grain aeration strategies
• Fumigation

"Whether new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, the Grain Elevator Managers course gives participants more than knowledge-it gives them confidence." said GEAPS CEO John Caupert. "This is a tremendous learning opportunity to gain practical tools that can be immediately applied to improve operations, strengthen teams, and advance careers. We look forward to seeing you in Manhattan, Kansas!"

This course is offered January 20-23, 2026 and registration is currently open. Hotel options and information will be provided by KSU after registration. The course fee is $1,200. GEAPS members will receive a 20 percent discount. Please call 763-999-4300 or email [email protected] for the discount code prior to signing up.

Space is limited for this course, so reserve your space at https://www.grains.k-state.edu/igp/on-site-training/feed-manufacturing/grain-elevator/.