With the launch of a state-of-the-art milling plant in Corbeil-Essonnes, Moulins Soufflet is setting a new standard in sustainable production. Leveraging cutting-edge technology from Omas Industries, the new facility significantly reduces energy costs and CO2 emissions, highlighting the company’s commitment to eco-friendly innovations in the milling industry.
Moulins Soufflet, a pioneer in sustainable supply chains in France, continues its growth trajectory. The company has solidified its position as an innovator with a strong focus on environmental issues, highlighted by the inauguration of a new milling plant in Corbeil-Essonnes. This ultra-modern mill, which began operations in February 2023 after five years of construction, exemplifies Moulins Soufflet’s commitment to investing in innovation and modernizing production equipment. It also aligns with the objectives of Episens, the wheat division of the Invivo group, which aims to enhance the wheat value chain through a sustainable approach across the entire supply chain. The project has not only resulted in significant reductions in production costs but has also lowered CO2 emissions.
At the heart of this impressive five-story project is the diligent work of Omas Industries, an emerging leader in the sale of machinery and equipment for grain milling. François-Xavier Lecointre, Production Director at Moulins Soufflet, stated: “We were fortunate to have a very reliable partner in Omas.” In recent feedback, Moulins Soufflet expressed a highly positive opinion about the services provided by Omas Industries through a letter of recommendation. The company praised not only the quality of customer service and the timeliness of deliveries but also the advanced technology of the machinery. The patented KERS system by Omas has brought significant energy savings and benefits to the entire production chain.
“Omas Industries has proven to be a partner very attentive to our needs” Lecointre continued. “Their commitment and precision from the design phase of the mill to the realization of the machinery have been fundamental. They offer a tailor-made service, meeting our most unique requests, which benefits the flours we produce, improving their quality and quantity.”
Designed on five floors within a completely new building and equipped with the latest technology, this new mill incorporates the latest innovations in the milling industry, being automated, computerized, connected, and digitized (4.0).
This complex, equipped with a cutting-edge grinding process, more environmentally friendly, allows to meet the new demands of customers of Moulins Soufflet: a diversified flour offer, from T38 to T65 and the guarantee of new standards of quality management, energy and food safety.
The infrastructure of the Corbeil-Essonnes pole has an important storage capacity of wheat and flour (68 storage cells for wheat and 48 for flour) that allows to isolate each batch of wheat and flour and thus ensure perfect product traceability, from the field to the furnace, especially through blockchain technology.
In order to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint, the mill has been built on 5 floors to benefit from the gravitational force to work the best products. The plant also boasts an innovative motorization that allows to reuse the unused energy, for a total electrical energy saving of 30% compared to a traditional motorized mill.
The strategic location about 50 km from the Soufflet Agriculture silo of Pézarches (grain collection and storage site without treatment after harvesting) optimizes the supply of the mill, with grains intended for the production of flour such as Baguépi - Responsible Flour. Finally, 15% of the grain that reaches the production pole is transported on barges.
“We are proud to have been chosen by Moulins Soufflet as a partner for their project,” said Pietro Barbalarga, Sales Director at Omas Industries. “France has been a very rewarding market for us, with many mills needing flexible and efficient production to meet the increasing demand for diverse products. We are seeing great feedback because our Flexy mill enables our clients to process a wide variety of grains and legumes.”
“The massive global population growth expected by 2030 will inevitably lead to a renewed focus on the role of food” states Luigi Nalon, CEO at Omas Industries. “We are certain that the search for alternative proteins and the need to significantly reduce environmental impact will drive the development of the milling sector in the coming years. This is why we are already working to create Factory 4.0, a place where the digitization of machines and work processes improves people’s activities, reduces operating costs, optimizes production and helps the growth of emerging markets, in a way that is sustainable for people and the environment.”