Star of the West Milling Co., headquartered in Frankenmuth, Michigan, announced plans to expand current flour milling capacity in Ligonier, Indiana.
Ligonier is currently home to one of Star of the West’s five wheat flour mills with a daily capacity of 800,000 pounds of soft wheat flour. The company will be adding an additional 1.5 million pounds of conventional soft wheat production and 500,000 pounds of pathogen-mitigated capacity at the Indiana location.
The project will consist of a 7-story slipform structure to house the milling operation. The project also includes additional feed storage and loadout capacity, additional flour storage, two twin packaging lines and tote-filling capabilities.
Star of the West did not disclose the cost of the planned expansion in its release.
'Ambitious plans'
“The Ligonier, Indiana project is a significant step forward in meeting our strategic objective of partnering with producers and food processors with the goal of feeding the world” said Jim Howe, CEO of Star of the West. “Our business model is diverse within the ag sector. Our ability to enhance and expand our wheat milling focus fits perfectly with our long-term company plans.”
Mike Fassezke, president of the flour milling division for Star of the West said company leaders recognize the project is ambitious.
“We are extremely fortunate to be partnered with a growth-minded, forward-looking customer base," said Fassezke. "We are committed to meeting their needs and sustaining those partnerships we have developed over many years. With the benefits realized, both financially and operationally, from our Willard, Ohio mill project, it just made sense to move forward and position our company for the future.”
Pathogen-mitigated flour
Karina Spencer, vice president, flour milling division for Star of the West said the company recognized a market for an affordable pathogen-mitigated flour.
“In addition to added capacity for conventional flour production, we recognize a market for an affordable pathogen-mitigated flour," said Spencer. "We’re working with a supplier partner that can deliver a validated 5-log reduction of naturally occurring pathogens, on a commercial scale, without altering the functionality of the flour. This will be the first application of this technology in a commercial flour mill in the U.S."
Contractors and equipment suppliers include: Todd & Sargent, Ames, Iowa; Buhler, Utzwil, Switzerland; Cordano Packaging, Cumming, Georgia; Leatherman Construction, Albion, Indiana; MartinRiley, Fort Wayne, Indiana; Kice Industries, Park City, Kansas; Jackson Industrial Construction, Concord, Michigan; Magnetic Products Inc., Highland, Michigan; Blower Engineering, Liberty, North Carolina; REPCO, Salina, Kansas.
Completion of the project is expected in September 2025.
