the interview | David Wright, GR Wrights and Sons Limited

David Wright, at 59, came into the family flour milling business, GR Wrights and Sons Limited, in 1981 representing the fifth generation milling on the company's River Lea site at Ponder’s End. Nine years later, in 1990, he took over as Managing Director at 29-years of age. He is a graduate from the Swiss Milling School, which he had attended in 1983. He had also trained as a miller at UK mills - namely the Timms Mill and at Heygates Mill in North Hampton. Mr Wright is the great, great grandson of George Reynolds Wright and under his direction the family business expanded in an extremely competitive marketplace through his attentions to staff support and adopting the latest technology. The company gained BS5750 Certification in 1994 – one of the first milling companies in the UK to achieve this accreditation. He also saw his company gain recognition for its support for employees by again being one of the first in the milling sector to lift the ‘Investors in People Award’ in 1998. He also secured a ‘London’s Manufacturer of the Year Award’ in 2004 followed by a ‘Passport to Exports Award’ in 2005. This latter award was for finding new markets for bread mixes abroad. After developing bread mixes in consumer packs he introduced cake mixes, which were more recently rebranded in 2015, but had already penetrated markets overseas, such as France and The Netherlands. Mr Wright focuses on his people, new technologies and has an uncanny eye for market opportunities in the flour milling sector. Here he talks to Milling and Grain about the latest company development – the building and commissioning of his new 18-tonne-per-hour flour mill at Harlow north of London.

 

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Do you see continuity critical to the business itself given the company’s historic past? Is that continuity projecting into the future and your decision to build a new mill at Harlow Essex in the UK?

Yes, we are very proud of our heritage. You walk around here, including this new office, and

everything is about our history on the walls. It’s our heritage which is great and something to be proud of, but it doesn’t get us new business and we have got to look forward to the future with modern plant that’s going to see us through for the next 25-30 years plus. A lot of big corporate businesses never look far ahead. They are looking to five years of achievements and that they have to make their mark on behalf of shareholders in that time. It’s always short-term.

In terms of the investment can you give readers an idea of how much has been invested in this new mill?

A lot! At the moment it stands at UK£47 million and I don’t anticipate that going up any more now, but we’ve had to go through quite a difficult time with Covid-19 which impacted us during the build. At one point we had 150 contractors on site building the mill. Then the next day it was down to about six. They had all left. Contractors by their nature live away from home so they all

went home. But after a couple of weeks they gradually came back. Overall, we were delay on the project and this cost us a fair bit and that delay was around four or five months. We were planning to open in August last year 2020, but we didn’t really get started until December and really from January this year its taken a few months to get everything bedded down. It’s only just starting now to feel right.

Did the contractors - Clegg Food Projects, who were the principle contractor and the installers Salford Engineering - achieve a good outcome for such an advanced and modern construction?

We look back now and say ‘wow’. They did an excellent job overall. Was the whole project flawless, no it wasn’t. There were always going to be things that needed picking up and there are lesions to be learnt from that, but essentially, it’s been really good. From breaking ground, the whole build took just two years. If you want to include the purchase of the land, then it’s

probably a five-year project - three years to secure the land and two years to build and commission the factory. 

Is the original milling plant at Ponder’s End in Enfield, North London, still in production. Or has it been replaced completely? If it’s running, what is the future for it. Will it continue to be a production centre for the company?

Yes, I hope so. It is the intention. We have two plants at Ponder’s End. One is a small five-tonne-an-hour mill and the other is a bigger 10-tonne-an-hour mill. We have closed the bigger plant and the little plant runs making speciality flours. The new build here is an 18-tonne-per-hour plant, so it’s quite nice having that smaller plant to play around the more specialist-type flours.

How important is location in the decision-making for a business of this nature? Had the old Ponder’s End site become restricted due to its location today?

The first thought was to build the new mill on that site. But where were we going to locate and put all the plant and equipment needed? We have Listed Buildings up there - the warehouse and the barn are all protected and you can’t knock them down. Old buildings, the process flow and the cost of the new equipment plus the limitations of the old mill site said to us that it was a compromised site to work with. Whereas we felt that we could start again on a completely

brownfield site and have the mill how we wanted it and we won’t have to compromise; and we’ll have exactly what we want. It cost a bit more, but we felt if we were going to spend the money at Ponder’s End then let’s spend a bit more and get it absolutely right.

Does Harlow give you a better location for distribution?

Yes and no. We are only 10 miles away from the other site. It’s not a big deal. We didn’t want to be too far away so that everyone could come from Ponder’s End to here or readily relocate. Anything more 10 miles than people might say they do not want to move. More or less everybody came across and we’re happy that they have done so as we are a very

close family business.

What about your raw material flow, the incoming wheat for example? It that better here?

All raw material is coming into the factory by lorrie. Look out the window and you’ll see we are now in Essex and not in London and so there’s two benefits - we are nearer to the wheat fields, which is good but further from the Port of Tilbury which is not quite so good, but it’s still not enough to incur any further costs and we do a lot of flour trade north of here as well. By and large I would say there is a slight benefit to moving here in terms of raw material flow and moving finished flour. Also Ponder’s End was is a low-emission zone so some of the older wheat lorries couldn’t get in there.

What is the balance between local wheat supply and imported wheat in annual  throughput here at Harlow? Are imported hard wheats used for in your flour products?

We process mostly all local wheat but we do buy Canadian wheats. Local wheat makes up between 70 and 80 percent of the wheat we process. We only really make bread flours here in this company. We do a bit of plain and raising flours but 90 percent is bread flour. We provide all major UK retailers, big bakeries and wholesalers, some with their own labelled bags.

What’s your USP or unique selling point as a company in a very competitive market? What separates you from the rest of the UK major millers?

We have always provided quality rather than gone the cost reduction route. Premium production with a strong focus on service and being on time is a big thing. When you walk around you’ll see that we are quite a complicated business. For example, you’ll see one scale producing for one customer and it’s all going out in bulk which is very straightforward, but we also have hundreds of customers and hundreds of ’Skus’ (small units) and there are lots of complications that comes with that. When I first came into the business we looked at things that would give us an edge and allow us to compete in a very competitive market dominated by very big flour producers. We

went for the specialist and difficult things to produce that nobody else typically wanted to do.  That’s how we grew.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Zhengchang accelerate its pace and further promotes the development of the feed industry in Belarus

As the first phase of the Belarusian agro-industrial complex (BNBC) is coming to an end, Zhengchang is planning for the second phase of the project. They interviewed the heads of various departments in charge and listened to their opinions.

The Belarusian National Biotechnological Corporation is the largest and unique agro-industrial complex in the Republic of Belarus and on the territory of the entire former USSR.

This is a modern, high-tech project focused on export and import substitution. The main goal is the organisation of deep grain processing, the production of highly productive balanced compound feeds and premixes.

Part of the complex is the factories created by the forces of the Zhengchang company. They include:

• silos for cleaning and storage grain;
• conveyor system for moving grain to feed mills;
• production of compound feeds for cattle and poultry
• production of compound feeds for pigs

'All equipment is designed and manufactured for production of feed for animals of different age group.' says Alexander Bildyukevich, Deputy Director of BNBC.

Initially, raw grain is delivered by rail and motor transport to the granary (to silos). Unloading is carried out by the operators of the granary into silos in accordance with the quality, type, and batch of raw materials. The meal is delivered by rail directly to the operational bin. A plant for the production of compound feeds for cattle and poultry. To obtain a ready-made balanced feed, the plant provides for successive stages of the production process.

First stage is the production of loose compound feed. At this plant, it is carried out in two sections, one for poultry and one for cattle. It includes a sequential set of operations:

1. Grain supply from operational tanks, cleaning from metal-magnetic impurities, moving to the mill;

• feeding of meal from operational tanks, cleaning from impurities, moving to the mill;
• feeding of container protein raw materials into blockage pits, cleaning from large and metal-magnetic impurities, moving to crushing.

2. Milling of the purified raw materials and moving it to dosing and mixing.

3. Feeding and cleaning of mineral and protein raw materials from large and metal-magnetic impurities, moving to dosing and mixing.

4. Supply of liquid components for dosing and mixing from operational tanks:

• oil (two sections)
• molasses (only for cattle)
• liquid methionine (only for poultry)

5. Manual input and dosing of micro-components for mixing.

'Production parameters: mixing, pelleting are perfectly adjusted. The high-tech equipment of the Zhengchang company is mainly used. This makes possibility to produce high-quality products and also supply it abroad.,' says Anastasia Chaiko, Head of poultry and cattle line.

The second stage is the pelleting of feed:

1. Feeding and cleaning of feed from large and metal-magnetic impurities.
2. Steam treatment of feed at certain parameters of temperature and steam pressure.
3. The pelleting process.
4. The cooling process.
5. Crumbling of pellets into grits (if it is required for the customer).
6. Sifting of pellets to obtain a high-quality commercial type of feed.
7. Ready-made pellets (or grits) are served for packaging in bags and big bags or to the point of bulk shipment.
8. The laying of bags on pallets is robotic.

'The plant for the production of compound feeds for pigs is similar in type of equipment and technological processes. It differs in the number of production lines and the presence of an extruder,' says Konstantin Gordeev, Head of pig line.

Important advantages of the extruder are: economy, high digestibility of feed, stimulation of growth and strengthening of immunity, hygiene of feeding.

The process of pelleting compound feed for pigs begins with the supply of loose compound feed to an air conditioner mixer for steam treatment. Then the moistened feed enters the pellet mill and passes through the holes of the Die under pressure and high temperature. Dense pellets are formed. Next, the cooler. The pellets are cooled by air and moved by means of a chain conveyor to the hopper of the finished product. The final process is loading pelleted feed into vehicles.

'All processes of production of compound feed for pigs are carried out automatically from the control panel,' says Vyacheslav Rai, Zhengchang representative.

'Our company can produce almost any recipe. And the plus is that all our main raw materials are located in Belarus. The advantages of our plants are their almost fully automation. All this, of course, is influence on the cost of our products: it is much lower than the national average. Modern equipment allows precise dosing of all components. Thus, the customer gets what he ordered.'

Currently, this complex ensures the storage of more than 400 thousand tons of grain. This ensures the smooth operation of the entire plant, and it is also of strategic importance for this company. The equipment of the feed mill for the production of feed for pigs has the technical ability to produce feed specifically for each customer.

Cooperation between Belarus and China, the implementation of such a unique and large - scale project as the BNBC is a new, innovative step in the development of the agricultural industry of the Republic of Belarus.

The Zhengchang company has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the project. It is the first enterprise of this level and scale in our country: high-tech and efficient,' says the principal of Belarusian National Biotechnological Corporation.

For more information visit the Zhengchang website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Catherine Lamboley joins the Olmix team to focus on farm sustainability

Sustainability is a core focus among the agricultural sector, and a new appointment at Olmix is taking farmers a step closer to achieving that.

With producers under pressure to produce more with less, many are turning to biosolutions to supplement or replace declining chemical plant treatments. Increasingly seen as the answer to sustainable, healthy plant production, scientific development in this area is advancing rapidly, and Catherine Lamboley, new head of global plant care at Olmix, is determined to help farmers reap the benefits.

"Food and climate issues are of great importance to me and I am convinced that these new alternative technologies will accelerate the transformation of agriculture to achieve more sustainable and resilient production,' she says. 'Biosolutions are healthier for the environment and respond to the expectations of the agricultural world and society.'

Scientifically proven and backed by trials around the world, the Olmix range answers the sustainability and profitability challenges faced by producers of field crops, fruit and vegetables. 'Olmix has all the assets to provide innovative and efficient solutions to the agricultural world thanks to unique R&D and collaboration to face common challenges,' she adds.

Ms Lamboley has 25 years of experience in a range of roles across the agricultural industry - and is determined to strengthen Olmix's position in the soil and plant biosolutions market by providing concrete and effective tools to farmers around the world. She will ensure the international development and visibility of science-based products that are profitable for farmers and kind to the environment.

Olmix CEO Jean-Christophe Juilliard says, 'Catherine's appointment illustrates the Group's strong ambitions to develop its plant care business, for which we have innovative solutions in line with the expectations of a fast-changing market. Agricultural production methods are evolving and leading to a growing need for alternative biosolutions from the soil to the plant.

'Catherine's experience and knowledge of international agricultural production issues will enable the Group to develop and promote our new solutions in order to help the plant sectors evolve their production methods for the benefit of all stakeholders."

For more information about Olmix visit their website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Alltech publishes white paper focused on organic trace minerals enhancing mineral bioavailability through chelation

For more than 40 years, Alltech has focused on scientific research to provide solutions and products for the global animal health industry. This focus has continued with the publication of a white paper entitled, 'Organic Trace Minerals: Enhancing mineral bioavailability through chelation' by Dr Richard Murphy, director of research at Alltech. 

There are many options when it comes to formulating trace minerals in livestock diets, and this paper focuses on organic trace minerals (OTMs) as a more bioavailable mineral source than their inorganic counterparts and other inferior organic products.

'From a sustainability point of view, we can't continue to supplement diets with inorganic materials at the current very high inclusion levels without having negative consequences,' says Dr Murphy. 'Our research with organic trace minerals is looking at using less to get more for the livestock producer and the environment.'

OTMs can be produced through numerous mechanisms, depending on the trace mineral product being manufactured. The process of complexing or chelating elements, such as copper, iron or zinc, typically involves reacting inorganic mineral salts with a suitable bonding group, such as a peptide or amino acid, after which the mineral becomes part of a biologically stable structure. The higher the stability of an OTM, the greater its bioavailability is likely to be.

The chelation strength between the mineral and bonding group will define OTM stability and, ultimately, play a significant role in influencing bioavailability. Carefully considering the factors necessary for chelation can help producers distinguish between the many products available on the market based on their stability and efficacy. OTMs with high stability are more likely to be effectively absorbed by the animal and reach the target sites required for immunity, growth and reproduction. They are also significantly less likely to react with and inhibit the activity of other feed components, such as vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants.

For more information visit the Alltech website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

the interview | Dr Clifford Adams BSc, MSc, PhD, Managing Director, Anozene Associates, Belgium

For over 25 years Dr Clifford Adams has worked in the feed additive industry in Belgium and is closely involved in new product development, technical education and writing and EU registration procedures. He also developed some new nutritional strategies under the title of Total Nutrition.

In 2007 Cliff established Anozene Nutritional Sciences to focus on research and writing in the further development of nutritional strategies for animals and humans. He has a particular interest in the relationship between nutrition and health through the interaction of bioactive food ingredients, nutricines and nutrients. This impacts upon the efficiency of animal production and feed and food safety.

Dr Adams lives in Antwerp, Belgium, and speaks English, French and Dutch. He has published many peer-reviewed scientific papers and magazine articles and has also published four books on animal nutrition and two books on technical writing. Two of his nutrition books have been translated and published in Chinese (www.anozene.eu).

 

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What were your interests growing up and how did you settle on nutrition as a career choice?

I grew up in a small village in South Wales in the UK. During my school years I worked on the local farms and was always attracted to agriculture. Consequently, my university studies

in the UK, Canada and the USA, were focused on agricultural biochemistry, soil science, crop science and agronomy. This included work on forages and soyabeans, important feed

ingredients - although at this time I was not directly involved in animal nutrition.

What was your first job in animal agriculture and the feed sector in particular?

After my university time I spent several years in academic and industrial research and then I joined the American company Kemin, at their operation in Belgium. Kemin

were, and still are, developing and selling a range of feed additives. This was my first direct exposure to feeds and animal nutrition. At Kemin, I was part of the international research team and

our mission was to find nutritional solutions to improve feed quality and animal performance. My background in crop science and biochemistry allowed me to readily adapt to the new demands of animal nutrition.

Can you identify one or two highlights regarding product development in animal feeding that you consider has had a significant impact?

The introduction of feed enzymes was a major step forward in monogastric nutrition. In the early days this was not an easy project as enzymes were more associated with washing powders than with animal feeds. Fortunately, we were able to develop the energy sparing effect of enzymes and later phytase became available with a phosphorus sparing effect. Nowadays feed enzymes are considered as a normal part of feed production. The widespread use of organic acids both for mould and bacterial control has also had a major impact upon animal health and performance. The discovery that a range of organic acids are toxic to moulds and bacteria but essentially non-toxic to animals and avian species was a major step forward in improving feed safety, and animal health, without the use of antibiotics.

You have authored many papers and publications and continue to do so. Please tell us what the key focuses of your work are and why?

After I started working in the feed industry with the Kemin organisation, I became increasingly interested in the relationship between nutrition and health. In these early days nutrition and health was not so closely intertwined. Nutrition was focussed mainly on animal growth and animal health was supported by antibiotics. It became evident to me that many feed ingredients such as antioxidants, organic acids, carotenoids and lysophospholipids were able to support animal health as well as being important feed ingredients. These components I described as nutricines in order to differentiate them from the classical nutrients. This subsequently led me into the concept of designing feeds for health maintenance and disease avoidance expressed as Total Nutrition, where feeds must support both health and growth.

You have worked many years in animal nutrition and the feed industry. What are the key challenges ahead for the industry in your view?

A key challenge is to explain more forcefully the great benefits the modern feed industry and how improved animal production has brought benefits to the general population. Food of animal origin has a very high nutritional value for humans and nowadays this food has the lowest cost ever. Food security is taken for granted in the developed countries. Moreover, the feed industry plays a major role in the Circular Economy, recycling many by-products from the human food and biofuel industries. Improved forage management can have benefits by increasing soil carbon capture. The feed industry provides large volumes of low cost food and is becoming a sustainable system. Unfortunately, many of these aspects are overshadowed by consumer concerns about the use of antibiotics. Therefore, the second major challenge is to seriously reduce the use of antibiotics and focus on a Total Nutrition approach for health maintenance and disease avoidance. If animals can be kept healthy through nutrition then the need for large scale use of antibiotics falls away.

While the feed industry is still being driven by leastcost, finding alternative protein sources and reducing antimicrobial usage to name just a few factors, what might we be overlooking in your view, and where we should focus our efforts if we are to feed a growing world population successfully by the mid-21st century?

A major problem in animal nutrition is that only a portion of the feed ingredients is actually absorbed and used for growth and productivity. Generally, less than 50 percent of feed protein is actually absorbed by the animal. Digestibility of feed ingredients is quite high, but absorption of the digested nutrients is much less efficient. This low rate of nutrient absorption leads to environmental pollution and increases feed costs. There needs to be more focus on nutrient absorption. Quite possibly the microbiome has a role to play here in terms of supporting gastrointestinal health which may in turn lead to more efficient nutrient absorption.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Premix/Ingredient Feed Facility of the Year applications are now open

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), in coordination with Feedstuffs, has opened the application phase for its Premix/Ingredient Feed Facility of the Year (FFY) program. The program is open to all AFIA member premix and ingredient facilities.

'We welcome premix and ingredient facilities to put your best foot forward and show us what you are doing,' says Gary Huddleston, the AFIA's director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs. 'We look forward to recognising those facilities that prioritise excellence in manufacturing operations, emphasising safety, quality, regulatory compliance and operating efficiencies.'

The AFIA has been recognising excellent feed manufacturing facilities since 1985. In 2016, the AFIA created four distinct manufacturing categories to be more inclusive of industry facilities. In 2021, the FFY program separated each category into its own individual program: liquid feed, commercial dry, premix and ingredient, and integrator, with each category having its own facility of the year award.

The application phase for the Premix/Ingredient Feed Facility of the Year is now open and submissions, with the $100 application fee, are due by Friday, December 24. The winning facility will be recognised at the AFIA's Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference, taking place March 8-10, 2022, in San Francisco, California. The winning plant manager will receive overnight accommodations and a free registration to the conference.

For more information visit the AFIA website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

KGFA mourns the passing of BNSF's John Miller

John Hamilton Miller, Sr. of Southlake, Texas passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at the age of 60. He was born May 24, 1961 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mr Miller graduated from Webster Groves High School, a suburb of St. Louis, in 1979 and went on to Harvard University, as did his father. While in college he was the WHRB Radio Executive Producer and play-by-play announcer of Harvard hockey; a lab assistant for B.F. Skinner; and Comptroller of the Harvard Model UN. He also ran cross country for his dorm, Leveritt House. Mr Miller graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics in 1983.

As a member of the Harvard Club of Dallas, Mr Miller spent many years interviewing prospective Harvard applicants and continued to do so virtually this past year. This was very important to him; he was excited and proud of all he interviewed. In addition, he obtained an Executive MBA from Harvard University in 2011.

Mr Miller began his career with Continental Grain in Lake Charles, LA. He was later transferred to Ft. Worth, TX where he met his future wife, Daveen McDonald; they were married December 28, 1986 in Arlington, TX. John's career took him from Texas, to Kansas City, Chicago, New York City and back to Chicago, Kansas and Texas. While in Kansas City, he went from Continental Grain to Bartlett Grain and then to Scoular Grain before he accepted his dream job with BNSF Railway Company in Ft. Worth, TX in 2008. At the time of his death, Mr Miller served as the Group Vice President for Industrial Products. Prior to this, he was the Group Vice President of Agricultural Products.

Mr Miller served on many boards and was associated with many organisations. His last two board positions were with GRACE Grapevine and the Farm Foundation, where he participated on the Nominating and Governance Committees. He was active in the American Coal Council (speaker in August), National Future Farmers of America (FFA), National Petroleum Council, National Association of State Department of Agriculture (NASDA), National Freight Transportation Association (NFTA), North American Rail Shippers (NARS), Southwest Association of Rail Shippers (SWARS), Northeast Association of Rail Shippers (NEARS), Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS), Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers (PNWARS), Southeast Association of Rail Shippers (SEARS), among others, including agricultural organisations.

He was a great friend to all in the industry, and worked tirelessly with the Ag sectors to insure there were plenty of rail cars and power to support shipping from the inland facilities to the ports during the harvest and peek export times.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Berta Danielsdóttir joins Hotraco as their first female Chief Commercial Officer

Hotraco, the system creator of automation systems, has named Berta Danielsdóttir as Chief Commercial Officer. Ms Danielsdóttir will report directly to Ard Zweep, Chief Executive Officer.

Berta Danielsdóttir

As CCO, Ms Danielsdóttir will be responsible for developing and executing Hotraco's global sales strategy to increase market share, grow revenues and develop the company's organisational profile. She started in her new role on September 7.

Previously, Ms Danielsdóttir was the CEO of Iceland Ocean Cluster where she worked with many startups within the Blue Economy on global level. She also participated in opening up the two first food halls in Iceland and has been a member of the board for various companies through the years. Ms Danielsdóttir has experience in international management and commercial roles but she also worked for Marel for 18 years. Ms Danielsdóttir has a Masters degree in managing international business from University of Akureyri.

Hotraco is proud with this appointment of its first female Chief Commercial Officer.

For more information about Hotraco visit their website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Online Aquafeed Production School: Session 7/12 sees extrusion come under pressure

As the Autumn edition of the Online Aquafeed Production School reaches session seven of twelve, this week's session focuses on the extrusion process within aquafeed production cycle.

This week's Q&A session with Joe Kearns & Yiannis Christodoulou

With this subject dispatched with in the same level of detail that we have all come to expect from the Online Aquafeed Production School sessions, the organisers would like to remind any potential candidates that places are still available and all missed sessions can be caught up upon following the broadcast of the final session in December.

Split into four key sections, the first features a review of extrusion that utilises twin screw technology by Aquafeed Production School regular Joe Kearns, followed by a two part dissection of twin screw aquafeed production by Brian Streit. 

Mr Streit, director of pet food and aquatic technology for Wenger Manufacturing, covers two areas relevant to this topic - these being twin screw extrusion and process control & automation, with each talk sitting astride the weekly five minute coffee break.

Like the previous six sessions in this edition, this one begins with a warm and welcoming introduction from Yiannis Christodoulou, founder/owner of Progressus Agrischools Asia, followed by two hours of live training, with proceedings brought to a close with a very thorough Q&A session.

The two hours of live training cover a broad range of topics from the world of aquafeed production including ingredients, equipment used, how it is operated and the desired final product specifications.

The aim is the course is to help you to build up an understanding of the design, development, and operation of an aquafeed production plant for the range of products typically used in this industry.

Subjects covered this week include ingredients, a general nutritional review, equipment used, and why are discussed, affording candidates the opportunity to understand the possibilities and developments over time with regards to what can be produced and how all aspects of the process interact for successful aquafeed production.

Organised and delivered by Progressus Agrischools and International Aquafeed magazine, each session is scheduled for the audience in Europe and Asia, each session is broadcast twice. The first is on Tuesdays at 9am (CET) for viewers in Europe/Asia, and the following Friday 10am (Chicago time) if you will be joining from the US/LATAM time zone.

Registration is now open and limited spaces are still available - for more information visit the Online Aquafeed Production School website HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

The IFF online conference takes place November 9th, discussing steam in compound-feed production

The conference begins at 9:00am CET, taking place over the course of four hours. Interesting and inspiring lectures and video contributions from the IFF and Armstrong International Deutschland GmbH on the subject of steam and increasing efficiency in compound-feed production will be shared and discussed on the day.

Image credit: Mark Bonica on flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

This conference is recommended to plant operators, those responsible for planning and production at compound-feed plants and pet-food manufacturers, as well as those responsible for designing from the relevant mechanical and plant constructing sectors who deal with the topic steam and energy efficiency, the influencing factor in management systems.

Programme:

• Welcome and introduction - Werner Sitzmann, IFF, Braunschweig
• Consideration of the influencing factor steam in the energy-management system at compound-feed production - Verena Böschen, IFF, Braunschweig
• Steam quality, water hammering in steam nets (video) - Armstrong International Deutschland GmbH, Saarbrücken
• Steam-trap theory (video) - Armstrong International Deutschland GmbH, Saarbrücken
• Steam-trap management (video) & introduction of a complete steam harness solution - Armstrong International Deutschland GmbH, Saarbrücken

To register follow the link, HERE.

For more information about the conference visit the website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Michael Tolmie joins the Zinpro team as their new Global Digital Marketing Director

Zinpro Corporation, one of the leading providers of animal nutrition solutions, has welcomed Michael Tolmie as the global digital marketing director. Mr Tolmie will lead the development of a stronger digital ecosystem to communicate with customers across the globe.

Michael Tolmie

'Our customers want and need easy access to new information that is relevant to their industry and business,' says Rob Sheffer, president and CEO of Zinpro. 'We are investing in our digital marketing team, systems and capabilities so we are able to more efficiently reach our customers where they are with the solutions they are seeking.'

Mr Tolmie holds a bachelor's degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He brings two decades of experience in building strong teams and integrated digital strategies. Mr Tolmie will be based at Zinpro headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

'We are very excited to have Michael on board to help us stay on the cutting edge of the ever-changing digital business frontier,' Mr Sheffer continues. 'As a company, we are committed to leveraging technology as we build stronger, more meaningful connections between our industry experts and customers around the world, and Michael is well positioned to lead us in that effort.'

for more information about Zinpro visit their website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Applying micronutrients and biostimulants to maximise crop yields

Arable farmers should consider applying micronutrients and biostimulants to their winter and spring crops this year, to get them off to the best possible start and make the most of declining available chemistry.

Treated vs. untreated crop

Although it's easy to focus on the key nutrients: Nitrogen, phosphate and potash, none will be effective unless the micronutrient balance is right, says Grant James, sales manager at Micromix Olmix. 'Micronutrients help macronutrients to do their job. Unless the plant is healthy and has sufficient access to everything it needs, then both quality and quantity will suffer.'

Manganese in particular can be deficient in both autumn and spring as the crop starts to grow away, so giving a foliar application including manganese at three-leaf stage and tillering will prove beneficial, he adds.

Mr James advises applying Proplex – a mixture of biostimulants and micronutrients – at 0.5 litres/ha in the autumn; or 0.75 litra/ha if including Amix manganese in the same mix. 'Manganese aids in photosynthesis so is important during crop growth,' he explains. 'It also helps with nitrogen metabolism, enables enzymes to make proteins, and is a catalyst to important biochemical reactions which improves the efficacy of fungicides and plant growth regulators.'

Micronutrient deficiencies often do not become visible in the crop until the damage has been done, so Mr James recommends being as proactive with micronutrients as farmers are with major nutrients like N, P, and K.

'As well as important micronutrients, Proplex contains seaweed extracts which are proven to alleviate abiotic crop stress – for example during drought, waterlogging or disease challenge.' Active at low temperatures, its organic compounds can dramatically reduce winter-kill and boost plant growth hormone production, helping crops to resist and recover more quickly. 'Through improved plant health, producers can either reduce fungicide applications or make those applications more effective by improving the plant's reaction to the chemical's presence.'

Products containing Amix uptake technology (now marketed under the Openleaf brand) – which includes humic and fulvic acids with lignin salts to ensure active uptake from the leaf surface – will further improve the translocation of nutrients, says Mr James. 'Fully compatible in tank mixes with fungicides, it is proven to generate positive yield responses, even at lower temperatures and application rates.'

In independent trials, Amix Manganese, applied to winter barley in a tank mix with fungicides, insecticides and plant growth regulators, resulted in mildew leaf cover of 10 percent in early November compared with nearly 13 percent as chemicals alone, and nearly 15 percent on untreated crops. 'It improves foliar intake and translocation of nutrients by up to 25 percent, which given the low unit outlay and ability to tank mix makes it a very cost-effective option.'

Given the reduction in licensed active ingredients and the need to maximise yields and crop resilience with minimal outlay, producers should pay close attention to getting crops off to the best possible start, he adds. 'Healthy, robust plants, with access to all of the nutrients and minerals they need, will be the most efficient and productive crops on the farm, regardless of the weather and disease challenges any season might throw at them.'

For more information visit the Micromix website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Alltech Crop Science appoints Andrew Thomas as CEO to lead global growth

Following an extensive search, Alltech Crop Science has filled its newly created CEO position. Andrew Thomas has been appointed to lead the global team and further cultivate the strategic growth of Alltech Crop Science.

'We believe there is tremendous potential within global crop production to cultivate a more promising future,' says Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. 'We felt it was essential to appoint a CEO to lead the charge, and we specifically sought someone with international experience, proven commercial success and a shared commitment to Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™. Andrew's experience and passion reflect these qualities, and we are excited to welcome him to the team.'

Mr Thomas brings to Alltech more than 30 years of global management experience in the agri-food and seed industries. Throughout his career, he has led innovation initiatives and launched various new products and businesses. Most recently, Mr Thomas served as CEO of WISErg Corporation, a circular economy business based in Seattle, Washington, USA, that diverts waste streams to sustainable agricultural inputs.

Previously, Mr Thomas served in executive management roles for the plant breeding and seed company Nuseed as the business successfully expanded both its geographic footprint — from its Australian base throughout the Americas, Oceania and Europe — and its pipeline of technologies and products across multiple crops.

'Alltech has a long history of providing sustainable solutions to the agriculture industry through scientific excellence and visionary innovation,' says Mr Thomas. 'I am thrilled to join the Alltech Crop Science team as we continue our commitment to helping producers optimise crop health and performance while protecting the environment.'

Supporting Mr Thomas will be Steve Borst, vice president of Alltech Crop Science. Mr Borst played a central role in the launch of a new partnership between Alltech Crop Science and HELM Agro in the U.S. and will continue collaborating with the HELM team to activate the commercial potential of the partnership. Mr Borst and Mr Thomas will work closely together with the Alltech Crop Science global team to advance a new era of sustainable growth.

Mr Thomas currently resides in Chicago, Illinois, USA, but will transition to Alltech's corporate headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

For more information visit the Alltech website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

Bühler to build state-of-the-art oat mill for Suomen Viljava in Finland next year

Suomen Viljava has chosen Swiss Bühler Group to build its new oat mill in Finland. With Bühler's strong technological capacities and ability to craft individual solutions and Viljava's expertise in oats and its global network, the new state-of-the-art mill is planned to go into operation in 2023 as Oat Mill Finland Oy.

Image credit: Bühler

The mill will be installed in a strategic area in the port of Rauma on the west coast of Finland, a deep-sea container port with good connections to the world, with exports by ship and as direct railway connections to the east to China. In addition of groats and flakes, the mill will produce oat hulls pellets for the Baltic rim countries' feed and biofuel markets.

The global consumption of oat products has been growing by 3.5 percent annually. Demand for healthier plant-based food and high-quality oats is strengthened by, among other things, increased purchasing power, better level of education and increase in general health awareness of consumers. Products based on oats have a significant role in reducing climate warming, with a relatively low carbon footprint. 'Viljava has been planning an oat mill to Rauma for a long time and we are convinced that the cooperation with Bühler in this ambitious project will support us to reach our business goals,' says Pasi Lähdetie, CEO of Suomen Viljava.

Bühler will deliver a package of fully engineered solutions to Suomen Viljava, which includes the cleaning, dehulling, kilning, cutting, and flaking, bagging, and load out. The entire line will be controlled by the Mercury Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Bühler's full factory automation system that integrates plant control and processes to increase efficiency and traceability. Bühler digital solutions also play a key role in improving productivity and reducing operating costs. Service modules such as Yield Management System (YMS), Error and Downtime Analysis (EDA), Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Bühler Insights Replay will be fully integrated in the high-tech oat mill.

'This project offers us a unique opportunity to craft a customised and highly efficient solution to Viljava's new plant while implementing the mill in an already existing building, taking advantage of the infrastructure already available. We save resources while offering the most technological and advanced solutions in the area,' says Mathias Hannsbauer, Head of Business Segment Oat at Bühler Group.

The installation of the new oat mill will start in September 2022.

For more information visit the Bühler website, HERE.

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.