Modular Research Feed Mill

The Weitz Company designed, fabricated, and erected the new modular research feed mill for Cargill’s Animal Nutrition Innovation Center in Elk River, Minnesota. Weitz Professional Services’ engineering team designed and constructed the project at an offsite facility and reduced the timeline by eight months. The project was completed in 13 months without affecting production.

Cargill’s Elk River feed mill required precise feed manufacturing for various treatments and animal testing resources. Weitz designed the mill for formulation accuracy, accommodating a wide range of livestock and poultry species on the site, which houses around 4,500 research animals. The modular mill also prioritized material handling flexibility by diversifying grinding and pelleting operations.

The modular research feed mill upgrades now allow for an increase of 40 to 50 tons/month to up to 200 tons/month and are able to simulate global feed manufacturing practices for mash and pelleted feed needs. The project team was able to construct half the equipment and conduits into 40 feet long by 8 feet wide by 9.5 feet tall modules before they were transported to the Elk River site. The modules were then hoisted by cranes and stacked on top of each other with minimal disruption to the production.