Bühler Opens Rice Processing Plant in Vietnam

30 Sep 2016 --- The Bühler Group have opened a factory in the Long An province in Vietnam, addressing increased demand for high-quality rice processing solutions in the region. The new factory will employ over 200 workers and further expands Bühler’s global service and production network, delivering high-quality solutions to customers locally.

At the same time, Bühler is further strengthening its leading position in the global rice processing industry (in terms of combined turnover in rice milling and logistics). Currently, around 30% of global rice production is processed on Bühler equipment.
 
Vietnam’s population of over 90 million people strongly relies on rice as a staple food. An estimated 5,000 rice processors produce more than 45 million tonnes of rice every year, making the country one of the largest rice producers worldwide. With Bühler’s new factory for rice-processing equipment, local rice processors will now be able to offer their products in a quality that meets export standards, strengthening the position of Vietnam in the international markets and enabling it to face competition from Thai and Cambodian rice producers. Demand for state-of-the-art rice processing solutions has never been greater, as it enables processors to profitably improve their rice quality and meet export requirements, while enhancing food safety and quality standards for domestic consumption.
 
This multimillion-dollar investment includes a complete sales and service office, engineering and R&D units, as well as a production workshop. The factory can deliver entire rice milling solutions and is expected to produce several hundred machines to Vietnam and neighboring countries annually. The opening also coincides with the official launch of the Bühler W sorter in Vietnam. This high-precision rice sorter reliably removes defects and foreign material from a range of rice varieties, enabling Vietnamese processors to compete on a global scale with high-quality rice.
 
Luong Trung Hiu, General Manager of Bühler Vietnam, says: “Considering Vietnam’s position as one of the leading global rice producers, we think Bühler’s top-quality equipment will contribute to the further economic development of the region. The factory in Long An will act as the engineering center for complete solutions for rice, manufacturing accessories, auxiliary equipment, and technology integration for the entire grains and food offering of the Bühler Group in Southeast Asia.” Rustom Mistry, Chairman and Managing Director of Bühler Vietnam, adds: “The Bühler Group has had a presence in Vietnam since we opened our first office in 1960. Now, with this factory, we have the opportunity to show our customers our processing equipment in operation.”
 
The inauguration event of the new rice processing factory was held in the presence of Vietnamese government leaders and senior officials from the Long An province, representatives of the Swiss Consulate General, as well as Bühler’s top executives. Johannes Wick, CEO Grains & Food, said at the opening ceremony: “With this new factory, we make a difference for rice processors in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. With the expansion of our local network, we enable our customers to produce rice that meets highest expectations of the international markets, nurturing prosperity and growth in the region.”