October 15, 2014

Ridley to increase production capacity for feed supplement

                                              

Ridley Block Operations (RBO), a division of Ridley Inc., will be expanding its production capacity of low-moisture livestock feed supplement block in the eastern region of the US.

The company will establish a new US$8 million manufacturing facility adjacent to RBO's existing block, tub and mineral supplement facility in Flemingsburg, Kentucky. The location is expected to help improve efficiencies in ingredient handling and storage, base-mix blending, manufacturing personnel, office support and customer service staff.

The facility is expected to be operational by the end of October 2015. It will employ a batch production technology, comparable to current systems at other RBO facilities.

The technology involves a low-moisture block process, a vital part of Ridley's LEAN manufacturing principles, which standardises production practices in driving out waste. The process will provide high-quality products, regardless of the originating facility.

According to RBO president, Bob Frost, the new Flemingsburg site will "help reduce freight costs for customers" and boost response to customer demands for low-moisture blocks in the eastern US and Canada. In addition, customers can source a broader selection of feed supplement products from a single location.

"These customers are currently served by RBO facilities located in Minnesota, South Dakota and Texas", said Frost. "The additional production capacity at Flemingsburg will enable RBO to maintain consistent service levels during changing market conditions, such as the recent drought. It will also allow RBO to accommodate exceptional customer demands without interrupting normal delivery schedules."

The Flemingsburg site is one of the four major projects by Ridley that include "a US$4.5 million expansion of a Ridley Feed Ingredients plant in Mendota, Illinois, a US$7.6 million rebuild and expansion of a Saskatchewan (Canada) plant (belonging to) joint venture partner, Masterfeeds LP, and the relocation of Ridley's head office to a new building in downtown Mankato, Minnesota", said president and chief executive officer, Steve Van Roekel.