- Asset Sale: St. Petersburg’s State Unitary Enterprise “Food Fund” is auctioning a complete unused Bühler AG milling complex with a starting price of RUB 1.57 billion.
- Capacity Addition: The complex offers 600 tons/day soft wheat and 300 tons/day rye processing capacity if commissioned by a buyer.
- Unused but Dated: All 950 units of Swiss-made equipment are unused and in original packaging, but were manufactured in 2010–2012.
- Sector Signal: The divestment suggests project abandonment or capital reallocation, implying neutral to slightly bearish sentiment for the regional milling sector.
St. Petersburg Bühler Milling Complex Auction Overview
The State Unitary Enterprise “Food Fund” in St. Petersburg has placed a complete flour milling complex from Swiss manufacturer Bühler AG up for auction via the Russian Auction House (RAH). The starting price for the package is set at RUB 1.57 billion, reflecting the scale and technical sophistication of the unused asset.
The complex was originally acquired for the Nevskaya Melnitsa mill project in St. Petersburg but has never been commissioned. All 950 pieces of milling equipment remain in their original packaging, with manufacturing dates between 2010 and 2012. Despite the age, the unused status preserves technical life, though potential buyers will factor in model obsolescence and any updated standards since purchase.
Technical Specifications and Capacity
If fully installed and commissioned, the complex would provide a combined daily processing capacity of 600 tons of soft wheat and 300 tons of rye. This represents a meaningful addition to regional flour production capability and associated grain demand in the St. Petersburg area.
The package includes a wide range of core and auxiliary milling components, such as DPHD HYPAC 6.228 pellet mills, Sirius flour sifters, Antares MDDR/MDDT series roller mills, hammer mills, automatic stackers, grain sorting combiners, and Tristar MTRI 90/250 indented cylinders for grain mixture sorting. The equipment is manufactured by Bühler, whose machinery processes an estimated 65% of the world’s wheat, underscoring the reliability and brand strength behind the complex.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting auction price | RUB 1.57 billion |
| Soft wheat capacity | 600 tons/day |
| Rye capacity | 300 tons/day |
| Total equipment units | 950 pieces |
| Manufacturing years | 2010–2012 |
Market Impact and Sector Analysis
The auction signals a strategic shift by the state enterprise, pointing to either the abandonment of the original Nevskaya Melnitsa project or a broader reallocation of capital away from this specific milling investment. For the regional milling sector, this is neutral to slightly bearish, as it highlights previous underutilization of capacity and potential hesitation to expand processing assets under current market conditions.
Should a buyer emerge and proceed to commission the complex, the region would gain an additional 900 tons/day of combined wheat and rye processing capacity. This could lift local flour output and support demand for regional grain, modestly improving throughput for growers and traders. However, the 10–12 year age of the equipment, despite its unused status, may weigh on bidding interest and valuation, especially in comparison to more recent Bühler models and evolving efficiency and automation standards.
Market participants, including grain suppliers, logistics providers, and competing millers, should monitor the auction outcome as an indicator of investment appetite in Russia’s regional milling infrastructure and the perceived value of older, uncommissioned premium-brand assets.
Source: Market Data
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