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Organic flour producer expanding with new plant in Hyrum

November 18th, 2015 Posted in Opinion

By Erin West

HYRUM — Central Milling, one of the biggest organic flour suppliers in the country, is looking to expand into Hyrum with a sprouted dough plant at 168 S. 1720 East in Blacksmith Fork Industrial Park.

Hyrum’s Planning Commission, with one no-vote, approved the Logan-based company’s site plan in a recent special meeting.

Jeff Daniels, Central Milling’s quality control and operations manager, said the 12,000-square-foot plant will be one of the first of “possibly three or four businesses in the area.”

“We can see ourselves expanding in the next three to five years beyond what we’ll have as this building,” he said. “We’d like to start [construction] as soon as we get a building permit.”

But, as a primarily organic facility, Central Milling is concerned about water use. The company is considering methods to reduce waste with the help of environmental engineers at Forsgren Associates.

“They soak, rinse and soak the grains – then rinse it once again prior to grinding,” said Forsgren’s Craig Rasmussen. “That’s a fairly water-intensive operation.”

But the city wasn’t concerned about the plant’s demand for water. “As far as water goes, there’s a big line that ties to the industrial park,” said city administrator Ron Salvesen. “Volume shouldn’t be a problem.”

Where to put waste from that much water, however, is the primary issue. Options are recapturing the water, putting it in a settling pond, or the company’s current method in its Logan plant – sending it straight to the sewer.

“We’d like to have a recycling system so we can use the water about three times and then discharge it,” Rasmussen said. “We’re looking at different changes or processes that can add a lot more irrigation and a fresher rinse and soaking process. That’s going to change the water’s chemical nature. And right now we’re getting water samples to see how it will.

“Basically,” he said, “we’re looking at treatment, recycling and potentially discharging into the wastewater and sewer system.”

Treatment and waste options are still under discussion, but board member Kevin Anderson has high hopes for the plant.

“It’s a great addition and we’re excited,” he said. “We hope it will be very successful and hope it’s a great place to build the building and it’s a positive experience for the company.”

TP

Tags: Blacksmith Fork Industrial Park, Central Milling, Forsgren Associates, Jeff Daniels, Ron Salvesen