Extruded Soybean Meal Production Plant in Vietnam

RICHI MACHINERY

Project Background & Market Opportunity

Vietnam’s animal feed industry is one of the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia, driven by a booming aquaculture sector (particularly pangasius and shrimp) and an intensifying poultry and swine industry. While Vietnam produces a significant amount of soybeans, the quality and volume are inconsistent, leading to substantial imports of soybean meal. Our client, a reputable feed mill in Dong Thap province, recognized the economic advantage of sourcing local and imported soybeans directly and processing them in-house into high-value extruded full-fat soybean meal.

This extruded soybean meal production plant in Vietnam allows the client to control their protein supply chain, reduce logistics costs, and produce a fresher, higher-quality feed ingredient with preserved oil content for energy-dense rations. The 75,000 TPY capacity was carefully chosen to match the client’s existing feed production needs while leaving room for selling surplus product to other local mills. This strategic move provides a critical competitive edge in a crowded market.

RICHI MACHINERY

Project Overview & Key Specifications

This project involved the construction of a new processing facility adjacent to the client’s existing feed mill, creating a seamless integrated production complex.

Core Project Metrics:

• Final Product: Extruded Full-Fat Soybean Meal
• Annual Production Capacity: 75,000 Metric Tons
• Raw Material: Blend of Vietnamese (60%) and Imported (40%) Soybeans
• Production Lines: 1 primary processing line
• Operating Schedule: 300 days per year, 2 shifts per day, 8 hours per shift (4,800 operating hours annually)
• Hourly Production Rate: ~15.6 Tons per hour
• Total Staff: 18 personnel

The plant was designed with a focus on operational flexibility to handle variations in local soybean quality and a high degree of automation to manage labor costs.

RICHI MACHINERY

Comprehensive Plant Layout & Infrastructure

The layout was optimized for a compact footprint, utilizing space efficiently within the client’s existing property.

Table 1: Project Components Breakdown

RICHI MACHINERY

Raw Materials & Utilities Consumption

The plant is designed to be efficient in its consumption of both raw materials and utilities, a critical factor for profitability.

Table: Annual Raw Material & Utility Consumption

RICHI MACHINERY

Production Process & Technology

The heart of this extruded soybean meal production plant in Vietnam is the advanced wet extrusion cooking system provided by RICHI.

Process Flow Description:

1. Receiving & Storage: Soybeans are delivered and pneumatically conveyed into the storage silos. The intake pit is equipped with a negative pressure dust collection system to maintain a clean working environment.
2. Cleaning & De-stoning: The soybeans pass through a vibrating screen and destoner to remove impurities like dust, stalks, and stones, which are critical when processing local beans.
3. Crushing: The cleaned beans are routed to a RICHI double-rotor crusher, which reduces them to a uniform meal. The crushing chamber is under slight negative pressure, with the extracted air directed to a baghouse dust collector.
4. Conditioning & Extrusion (The Core Technology): The soybean meal enters a conditioner where it is mixed with steam from the boiler. This hydrates and pre-cooks the meal. It then enters the RICHI wet extrusion cooker. Here, through a combination of high pressure, intense shear, and temperature, the anti-nutritional factors (like trypsin inhibitors and urease) are destroyed. This process “unlocks” the nutritional value, making the protein and fat highly digestible for animals. The oil cells within the soybean are ruptured, stabilizing the oil and preventing rancidity.
5. Cooling & Sizing: The hot, expanded extrudate is discharged and cooled in a counter-flow cooler to ambient temperature and safe moisture levels. It is then lightly cracked through a roller mill to achieve a uniform, coarse granule ideal for mixing in animal feed.
6. Packing & Storage: The final extruded soybean meal is automatically weighed and packed into 25kg or 50kg bags by RICHI’s automated packaging systems, ready for storage or immediate shipment.

RICHI MACHINERY

Key Equipment List & Investment

RICHI Machinery supplied a complete, integrated production line. The total equipment investment was kept highly competitive to ensure a rapid return for the client.

Table : Selected Key RICHI Equipment

Total Project Equipment Cost: $485,000 USD

RICHI MACHINERY

Product Quality & Market Application

The final product from this extruded soybean meal production plant in Vietnam consistently exceeds national feed quality standards.

Product Specifications:

• Moisture: ≤ 12.0%
• Crude Protein: ≥ 34.0%
• Crude Fat: ≥ 18.0%
• Urease Activity: ≤ 0.10
• Protein Solubility: ≥ 75.0%

This high-quality ingredient is primarily used in:

• Aquaculture Feed: For pangasius, tilapia, and shrimp, providing essential protein and energy.
• Poultry Feed: For broilers and layers, enhancing growth and egg production.
• Swine Feed: For piglet starter and grower-finisher diets, improving feed palatability and digestibility.

RICHI MACHINERY

Investment Prospects in Vietnam

The future for investing in an extruded soybean meal production plant in Vietnam is exceptionally bright. The government’s policies support agricultural modernization and import substitution in the feed industry. The rising domestic consumption of meat, fish, and eggs ensures a continuously expanding market. Furthermore, the availability of both local and imported raw materials provides flexibility in sourcing.

For a medium-scale investment of under $500,000 for core equipment, the potential for ROI is strong, often achievable within 2-3 years given efficient operation and good market access. The technology is proven, and the demand for high-quality feed ingredients is insatiable.

RICHI MACHINERY

Why Partner with RICHI Machinery?

This project is a testament to RICHI’s commitment to delivering value. We don’t just sell machines; we provide profitable solutions. Our deep understanding of the Vietnamese and broader Asian market allows us to tailor our technology to local conditions, ensuring reliability and ease of operation. From project design and equipment manufacturing to installation supervision and operator training, we are a true partner in our clients’ success.

If you are considering investing in an extruded soybean meal production plant in Vietnam or animal feed processing plant in Vietnam or any other country in the region, contact RICHI Machinery today. Let us help you build a profitable and sustainable business with our world-class, cost-effective engineering solutions.