King Milling Builds $42 Million Flour Mill in Lowell
The new facility will add 7,500 cwt of daily flour production capacity at the company's Lowell, Michigan site.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Agriculture
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King Milling Co. plans to build a new $42 million flour mill in Lowell, Michigan, that will raise the site's total capacity to 24,500 cwt. The company will also add 150,000 bushels of grain-storage capacity at Lowell.
Why it matters
King Milling said strong demand for its flour fueled the decision to expand. The project adds production and storage capacity to a city the company already operates in, with six new jobs projected within the first two years.
The company cites a $42 million investment that lifts Lowell's daily flour output to 24,500 cwt, up from its current level, with 150,000 bushels of new storage added to 3.6 million bushels already on site. Permitting remains incomplete, and the projected end-2023 start date has not been confirmed as final.
The players
King Milling Co.
A flour milling company that operates mills in Lowell, Michigan, and is building the new facility.
Bühler Inc.
A Plymouth, Minnesota-based engineering company serving as principal equipment supplier for the new mill.
The details
The six-floor, 35,000-square-foot facility will be built with equipment from Bühler Inc. of Plymouth, Minn., with automation systems supplied by Kice Industries Inc. of Wichita, Kan., and Todd & Sargent Inc. of Ames, Iowa serving as contractor. The city council approved a 12-year, 50% tax abatement on June 20, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development approved a $250,000 Food and Agriculture Investment Program grant in May.
Timeline
May: MDARD approved a $250,000 Food and Agriculture Investment Program grant.
June 20: City council approved a 12-year, 50% tax abatement for the project.
This summer: King Milling plans to break ground after completing permitting.
End of 2023: The mill is expected to be operational.
Market Landscape
The project extends King Milling's Lowell expansion that began when its B mill, producing hard wheat patent flour, was added in 2014. With the company holding about half of Michigan's flour milling capacity, the added 7,500 cwt daily output strengthens its position against other regional millers.
The expansion is aimed at meeting strong flour demand, which may affect supply availability for regional bakers and food producers that rely on King Milling's output. The six projected new jobs at Lowell give local workers a direct employment effect from the project.
The takeaway
Expansions tied to demand signals like King Milling's can indicate where processing capacity is growing in the Midwest grain supply chain. Readers tracking agricultural investment can watch permitting and groundbreaking milestones this summer as early indicators of whether the schedule holds.
What happens next
The company is working to complete permitting before breaking ground this summer, with the mill projected to be operational by the end of 2023.
Further reading
For more on the grain and milling sector, explore Agriculture coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Farm Progress.
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