OVERLAND PARK, KAS. — ADM Milling Co. has announced a major modernization of its Enid, Okla., flour mill. The project will replace the two milling units currently operating with a single, highly automated milling unit.
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| Mark Kolkhorst, president of ADM Milling |
“The Enid flour mill has served as an important hub for the region’s wheat harvest for many decades, and upgrades to the facility will provide even better service to our customers in the future,” said Mark Kolkhorst, president of ADM Milling.
According to the 2017 Grain & Milling Annual published by Sosland Publishing Co., ADM’s mill at Enid has daily flour production capacity of 18,000 cwts. The mill produces bulk flour and 5-lb bags.
While the company did not announce what milling capacity will be at Enid when the project is completed, Mr. Kolkhorst indicated that the mill will be enlarged. He said the new “state-of-the-art unit” when completed “will efficiently meet existing customer needs and provide capacity to reach out to new customers.”
Speaking with Milling & Baking News subsequent to the formal announcement, Mr. Kolkhorst said rated capacity of the mill will remain at 18,000 cwts. Two existing 7,500-cwt milling units will be replaced by a single 15,000-cwt unit. A relatively new 3,000-cwt whole wheat unit will not be replaced. While capacity nominally will be unchanged, Mr. Kolkhorst said the new mill will be able to produce more flour than the aging units being replaced.
The company described the upgrade as a “complete retrofit” of the mill. In addition to the new milling unit, a high-speed packer will be installed.
“Not only are these upgrades important to our customers and our business, but they’re important to our suppliers in and around Enid,” Mr. Kolkhorst said. “Here in the heart of wheat country, we depend on a great group of local farmers to supply our mill. We appreciate our partnership with them and look forward to continuing to work with them from our improved facility.”
ADM estimated the Enid project will take a year to complete with construction set to begin in the coming months. ADM said the mill will continue to operate while work is done there.
Ocrim S.p.A., Cremona, Italy, and Kice Industries, Inc., Wichita, Kas., will be the principal equipment suppliers at the Enid mill.
In connection with the project, ADM worked with the Enid Regional Development Alliance.
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| Jim Reese, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture |
“This is outstanding news for Oklahoma, Enid and wheat producers,” said Jim Reese, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture. “Increasing food processing is one of Governor (Mary) Fallin’s long standing agricultural goals. This investment by ADM will ensure its long-term viability in Oklahoma.”
In investing in the Oklahoma mill, ADM is bucking a trend of recent years toward milling industry investment in destination mills versus origin mills. Beyond the cooperation from the local government, Mr. Kolkhorst said ADM was drawn to remain in Enid by the company’s existing infrastructure at Enid (the building, grain storage and rail service) together with the network of area wheat growers who supply the mill.
ADM acquired the Enid mill in 1993 from The Pillsbury Co., together with mills in St. Louis, Minneapolis and Buffalo, N.Y. At the time, the four mills mostly produced branded family flour for Pillsbury. The Enid mill had daily milling capacity of 16,500 cwts in 1993.
The announcement of the Enid project came two months after ADM said it was building a new 30,000-cwt flour mill in Mendota, Ill. At the same time, ADM said it would cease operations at its 13,700-cwt flour mill in Chicago when the new mill, 90 miles to the west in Mendota, becomes operational.
