Milling & Baking News - October 9, 2018 - 26

Milling Technology

Star of the
West rises

SOSLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY

New Ohio mill a hallmark of company's
conservative expansion that has
contributed to 170 years of success

onservative expansion has served
Star of the West well in its 170year history that started with two
brothers and a $3,000 mill in Michigan,
before growing into the 11th largest milling company in the United States with
five flour mills.
Star of the West weighed its options for
nearly 12 years before deciding to build
a new greenfield mill in Willard, Ohio,
which started production in July 2016.
The largest of the company's facilities at
10,000 cwts, it is also the first greenfield
mill Star of the West has built since 1910.
Back then, a group of farmers who had
purchased the company decided a new
mill was needed (since the existing mill
dated to 1886) and constructed a new mill
at the corner of Hubinger and Tuscola
streets in Frankenmuth, Mich. That mill
is still operational and is home to Star of
the West's headquarters.
The company also has a history of
longtime employees, including Dick
Krafft, who joined the company in 1947
as a bookkeeper and became president in
1953, a position he held for 50 years.
"Dick Krafft, president for 50-plus
years, grew the company in a smart and
conservative way," said Gary Pickelmann, corporate milling superintendent.
"You also need to surround yourself with
a team of people who work hard and put
26 / October 9, 2018

Milling & Baking News

in the extra time to get the job done."
Now, the company has a total capacity
of 32,460 cwts, according to Sosland Publishing Company's 2018 Grain and Milling
Annual, with mills in Willard; Ligonier,
Ind., (8,100 cwts); Frankenmuth (5,960
cwts); Quincy, Mich., (3,400 cwts); and
Churchville, N.Y., (5,000 cwts). It also has
15 country elevators, an edible bean division with facilities in Michigan and North
Dakota and an agronomy service.
When it came time to grow milling
capacity, the company first considered
increasing output at its existing mill in
Kent, Ohio, Mr. Pickelmann said.
"We were so landlocked in the city," he
said. "The flour mills were the first things
built, and the city built around them. It
made it difficult with the river and two
railroads behind the mill. It made sense
to come here."
The location also is ideal because of its
proximity to origination of soft red wheat
within a 60-mile radius of the mill and
access to the CSX rail line. Most importantly, the site is located next to the mill's
largest customer.
Previously, wheat was shipped from
the Willard area by truck or rail to Kent
about 85 miles away, processed into
flour, and sent back to the customer by
truck. Now, flour is sent directly to the
customer via an 8-inch pipe, amounting

Star of the West opted to build a new mill in
Willard, Ohio, the first greenfield facility for
the company since 1910.

to about 45% of the mill's production.
"It's a big win for everyone," said Steven
"Red" Michel, plant manager. The Kent mill
was closed in September 2016, and a majority of the equipment has been removed and
put in other locations or in storage.
After negotiating the purchase of 15
acres and a long-term supplier agreement
with the customer, construction started
on the Willard mill on Sept. 29, 2014.
"Compared to Star of the West's other
flour mills, it's the most state-of-the-art,
highly automated facility," Mr. Pickelmann said. "It uses all of the latest technology and equipment that is available
from many of the milling companies."
Uzwil,
Switzerland-based
Bühler
provided engineering, product flow design and was the main equipment supplier while Todd & Sargent, Ames, Iowa,
served as the building contractor. Janotta
& Herner, Inc., Monroeville, Ohio, provided site engineering and preparation
as well as on-site contractor services.
Safe, consistent product
In addition to conservative expansion,
Star of the West also attributes its success
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