Froedtert Malt Germinating in Northern U.S.

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Industry leading malt supplier Froedtert Malt Corporation (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), a division of family owned Lesaffre International (Lille, France), is investing over $64 million in new construction and expansion in Montana and Minnesota.

The company has yet to determine if it will move forward with a proposed new $52 million plant in Montana, citing concerns relating to transportation issues, but because of disease problems with malting barley in the Midwest, Froedtert sees value in constructing a plant in the number three barley growing state in the U.S.

Other states under consideration for the project are Wyoming and North Dakota and company officials said a site could be announced during the fourth quarter of this year. The new plant could become operational by late 2005 or early 2006.

Froedtert is proceeding with an expansion at one of their existing plant locations in Winona, Minnesota. Back in June of this year, the company began a $12 million expansion and renovation project at the barley malting plant located at 500 West 3rd Street. Plans are to install four new kilns and a new conveying system along with other supporting equipment to increase the plant's capacity.

Completion of this project is expected in June of 2003.

Froedtert Malt is one of the world's most diversified suppliers of malt products. Since 1866, Froedtert Malt has established a tradition of using innovative technology and the most skilled experts to produce only the highest quality malt products. In 1998, Lesaffre International acquired majority interest through International Malting Company LLC, a jointly owned business with ADM.