MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Teaming up with Bühler, Inc., Kansas State University’s IGP Institute recently held two custom courses, Bühler-KSU Executive Milling and Bühler-KSU Wheat to Bread, at the IGP Institute Conference Center. The courses were led by Carl Hahn, flour milling expert from the Bühler Training Center in Uzwil, Switzerland and Shawn Thiele, KSU Hal Ross Mill manager and course coordinator.

Sixteen participants attended the Bühler-KSU Executive Milling course that was Nov.10-14. The course focused on the underlying principles of the milling process and the parameters that can be influenced by either the raw material or the milling system; understanding the challenges of the operating staff; and learning which critical control points to check in order to judge whether an operation is running well.

In describing the course, Thiele said, “The course is designed to educate milling executives and non-operation managers on all aspects of the milling process, which will help them to make better business and managerial decisions on a daily basis.”

Throughout the course, participants were in the classroom learning the basics of flour milling and then headed to the mill to apply those principles. In the Hal Ross Flour Mill, they had the opportunity to put their skills to the test. These trainings allowed participants to learn about purifiers, milling machinery, proper cleaning procedures and the milling process.

Nine participants from across the U.S. attended the Bühler-KSU Wheat to Bread course on Nov. 17-21. The course covered topics including raw material, cleaning and conditioning of wheat, flour mill operation, and finished product handling and bakery.

“As part of our mission to be innovative industry leaders, we were excited to offer this course with our Buhler partner,” said Mark Fowler, IGP Institute associate director. “Buhler has led this class for its European clientele and we were glad to be bringing it to North America.”