May 3, 2012
Latvia''s Rigas Dzirnavnieks starts making wheat bran granules
Rigas Dzirnavnieks has started making wheat bran granules used in cattle feed allowing for an efficient use of a grain by-product of flour production.
In Jansons'' words, the bran granules are an additional product in the company''s industrial segment.
"Grain processing is a very economical industry, because by-products obtained in this process, such as grain membrane or bran can be processed, thus ensuring almost waste less production. Until now, we sold bran as a fodder ingredient, but non-granulated brans were bulky and hard to transport. The installation of the granulation line is a large step towards modernisation and will enable us to make bran granules, which means more convenient storage and transportation. This product is also easier to export, and it is a highly demanded fodder ingredient in Europe," Jansons said.
He said that buyers of the new product are fodder companies that have been buying wheat bran from Rigas Dzirnavnieks.
Rigas Dzirnavnieks reported LVL14.189 million (US$26.7 million) in sales in 2010, down by 10% from the year before, but its profit increased several times to LVL1.149 million (US$2.2 million), according to the annual financial statements published in the Latvian business register database.
Rigas Dzirnavnieks is one of the largest grain processing companies in the Baltic States and is a member of Sweden''s Lantmannen group. Rigas Dzirnavnieks turns out flour products for industrial clients and retail sale under the brand names Hercogs, Herkuless and AXA.