KEOKUK, IOWA, US — ADM Milling has ceased operations its facility in Keokuk, Iowa, US, and will be talking to customers individually about production options as a result of the closing.

“We do have other facilities that make some of the same products as Keokuk,” said Dane Lisser, ADM spokesperson, in an email to World Grain.

The mill has a capacity of 6,000 cwts and 280,000 bushels of storage, according to Sosland Publishing’s 2022 Grain & Milling Annual. It produced wheat starch, wheat gluten and wheat-based protein isolate.

ADM acquired the mill when it purchased Ogilvie Mills, the largest Canadian miller at the time, in 1994. Ogilvie had purchased the mill from Henkel Corp. in 1985.

Lisser said ADM regularly reviews its global footprint to determine if assets are best positioned to meet customer needs and advance the company’s growth strategy.

“Unfortunately, after exploring a wide variety of alternatives, we’ve determined that our Keokuk plant no longer aligns with our milling business’ future operational needs, and we’ve informed colleagues of our intention to permanently end production there, effective immediately,” Lisser said. “We’ve appreciated the working relationship with the city as we’ve addressed their concerns.”

Since January, ADM has been working with the city of Keokuk on issues related to the plant’s wastewater pretreatment. The mill experienced some extenuating circumstances that resulted in loadings to the city’s wastewater pretreatment facility. That resulted in the city’s facility being in noncompliance of its discharge permit, city officials said.

ADM shut down the facility earlier in the year for 15 days to bring in outside resources to look at the issue. When the mill restarted, it was running at 50% capacity, ADM officials said during an April meeting with the city.

The mill has 70 full-time employees.  

Lisser said ADM will take some time to safely close the facility and then likely will seek a buyer.