Archer Daniels Midland Co. celebrated the opening of its new, high-tech premix facility in Effingham, IL, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new animal nutrition premix facility will begin full operation in the third quarter after almost two years of construction and renovation.
The $35 million facility spans 284,000 square feet, allowing it to house mixing, packaging, storage and distribution operations under one roof. The facility will offer 80% of its premixes for pet food with the other 20% for livestock.
“Today’s pet food and animal nutrition customers have higher standards for quality and process controls than ever before, and our new plant in Effingham has the industry-leading technology needed to meet and exceed their needs,” says Chuck Loefer, vice president of ADM Animal Nutrition. “For our customers, this means faster service, more customization to meet every need, and higher capacity—in short, everything they can and should expect from ADM Animal Nutrition.”
The new facility, located in the Effingham Industrial Park, features state-of-the-art technology, including:
- Automation within receiving, batching, packaging, and loadout
- Multiple batching systems with simultaneous weighing for high efficiency and high output
- Metal detection and protection from receiving to packaging
- In-line screening, sizing, and sifting capabilities
- A bar coding system that uniquely identifies each item from receiving to shipping
The facility is heavily automated and features a barcoding system that identifies each material in the plant, including up to 300 unique ingredients.
“We’re going to gain a lot of efficiencies using this equipment,” says Steve Allen, plant manager. “First and foremost, the bar coding system is designed for food safety. But with all the efficiencies we're going to gain productivity as well."
Unique features include a metal detection system and the latest filtering and self-cleaning technology to create a state-of-the-art operation.
“ADM Animal Nutrition is investing to become the go-to partner for livestock, aquaculture and companion-animal customers around the globe,” said Samson Li, president of ADM Animal Nutrition. “From our new premix plants and aquaculture capabilities in Asia, to our addition of pet treat leader Crosswind Industries, to the enhancement and upgrades to our facilities in North America — including our new plant in Effingham — we are leading the charge and helping our customers succeed in a fast-growing market.”
