by Shane Henson — June 17, 2013—ConAgra Mills, a U.S.-based supplier of quality grain ingredients, is celebrating its success in making its 86-year-old Oakland Mill facility more energy efficient and environmentally friendly through investing approximately $21.7 million in operational and sustainable upgrades using state-of-the-art equipment.
Originally built as a grain storage elevator in 1927 and then converted to a flour mill in 1965, the Oakland Mill is a continuing reminder of the Bay Area’s proud local industry, says ConAgra. The 100,000-square-foot facility serves Northern and Central California businesses and communities. Sourcing locally and regionally grown hard wheat for both white and whole wheat flours, the facility grinds the equivalent of over 750 acres of wheat each day. However, while the old mill was operational, it was not operating as sustainably as it could have.
According to ConAgra Mills, with the goal of bringing efficiencies to the entire supply chain, plant improvements at the mill include wireless mobile technology, an industry first featuring an automated, programmable logic controller; sustainability upgrades such as light-emitting diode (LED) lighting throughout the plant; and upgraded milling capacity, allowing the mill to double its original production of flour.
Currently running on the Bay Area’s residential power grid, ConAgra Mills is working with PG&E to curtail power consumption during peak periods. ConAgra Mills is also revolutionizing packaging with a new polybag packer—a recyclable and more durable shipping bag that is said to be the first of its kind in the U.S. milling industry—that replaces the standard three-ply paper packaging, it says.
“The Oakland Mill has served the Bay Area for nearly a half century, and the recent upgrades will allow it to continue to serve the community for years to come,” says Mike Veal, vice president of marketing for ConAgra Mills.
