The control room overlooks the new line through a wall of safety glass. On the screens, numbers cycle through in green—temperatures, motor loads, production totals. Below, finished pellets stream into bags that index automatically under the discharge chute. The line in Busan has been running for three weeks now, and the operators have settled into the rhythm of startup, steady-state production, and shutdown.

Market Background

South Korea’s pet industry has grown faster than almost anyone predicted. Ten years ago, cat litter was an afterthought—clay from multinational brands, whatever the local pet shop stocked. Today, consumers read labels. They know about strip mining for clay. They know about landfill volume. And they’re willing to pay more for products that don’t come with environmental baggage.

Paper litter addresses both concerns. The raw material is recycled—newspaper offcuts, office paper, cardboard trimmings that would otherwise go to landfill. The finished product is biodegradable; flushable, even, if the customer’s plumbing can handle it. And the absorption characteristics, properly engineered, match or exceed clay.

Raw Material and Formulation

The line draws from two feedstock streams. The primary stream is pre-consumer paper waste—trim from printing operations, envelope manufacturing, packaging plants. This material is clean, consistent, and available year-round. The secondary stream is post-consumer, collected through municipal recycling programs, which requires more sorting and carries higher variability.

The formulation includes additives for odor control—sodium bicarbonate for acid neutralization, activated carbon for adsorption—blended at rates determined by lab testing of incoming paper batches. Too much additive affects pellet formation; too little compromises performance. Finding the balance required three weeks of trials during commissioning.

Process Design and Technical Features

The line follows a sequence specific to paper pelleting:

• Raw material intake and pre-shredding breaks bales and removes contaminants
• Hammer mill reduces paper to fiber length optimal for pellet formation
• Rotary dryer adjusts moisture to the narrow window required for soft-die pelleting
• Pellet mill with soft-die configuration forms lightweight cylinders without over-compression
• Counterflow cooler stabilizes pellets before handling
• Vibrating screen removes fines for reprocessing
• Automatic bagging with dust control

The soft-die configuration is the critical element. Paper pellets require less density than fuel pellets; over-compression reduces absorbency and makes pellets too hard for cats to dig in. RICHI’s engineers specified die geometry with reduced compression ratios and roller pressure adjusted downward from biomass standards.

Installation and Commissioning

Equipment arrived in Busan during December’s cold weather, containers stacked at the port while customs cleared. Installation started immediately after delivery, working through the year-end holidays to meet the customer’s schedule.

Commissioning revealed the expected challenges. Paper variability meant moisture adjustments from batch to batch. Fines generation ran higher than projections until operators learned to read the system’s responses and adjust feeder speeds accordingly. By the third week, though, the line ran steadily at 3 tons per hour, with pellets meeting the customer’s specifications for absorption and dust.

Market and Environmental Impact

The customer’s marketing department has already positioned the product as “eco-friendly Korean litter” for the domestic market. Initial retail placement focuses on specialty pet stores where consumers seek out premium options. If adoption meets projections, the line will run double shifts within the year.

For RICHI, the project represents another entry in the specialty pet products portfolio—a category with different requirements than feed or biomass, but growing fast enough to justify the engineering attention.

The delegation that arrived in late January represented aquaculture operations across Asia—tilapia farmers from the Philippines, shrimp producers from Vietnam, salmon growers from a land-based operation in China. What they shared was a common interest: improving feed quality and reducing dependence on purchased complete feeds.

Visit Program

RICHI structured the visit around demonstrations of floating feed extrusion lines scaled to different production volumes. The tilapia producers watched trials on a 5-ton-per-hour line similar to what they would need for regional distribution. The shrimp farmers focused on smaller equipment with the precision required for larval and juvenile feeds.

Discussions covered the nutritional factors affecting aquaculture performance: protein levels and sources, energy density, fatty acid profiles for different species. RICHI’s applications engineers walked through formulation examples, showing how ingredient selection affects both feed cost and fish growth.

The operator training sessions addressed practical concerns: startup and shutdown procedures, die changes, troubleshooting common problems. Quality control workshops covered sampling protocols, lab testing, and correlation between process parameters and finished feed performance.

Strategic Outcomes

By the visit’s end, two delegations had requested proposals for specific projects. A third scheduled follow-up discussions for the following month. The salmon producer, still in planning stages for their land-based facility, requested technical data for inclusion in their feasibility study.

For RICHI, the visit reinforced the importance of application-specific expertise. Aquaculture feed production differs fundamentally from livestock feed; the equipment must accommodate smaller pellets, higher fat inclusion, and water stability requirements that don’t exist in terrestrial feeding. Demonstrating that expertise face-to-face builds confidence that catalogs alone cannot provide.

The five visitors represented a North American feed manufacturer with operations across the Midwest and Plains states. Their existing facilities used equipment from domestic suppliers, but expansion plans required additional capacity and the company wanted to evaluate non-traditional sources.

Visit Highlights

The delegation focused on high-capacity systems—10-to-15-ton-per-hour feed lines capable of running continuously through peak seasons. They walked through RICHI’s assembly areas examining construction quality, weld consistency, and component sourcing.

The automated batching demonstration held their attention longest. North American labor costs and regulatory requirements make automation essential; manual weighing and recording systems that suffice elsewhere won’t pass inspection in the US. RICHI’s system, with its batch recording, deviation alarms, and ERP integration, met their requirements.

Technical discussions covered formulation flexibility—the ability to switch between poultry, swine, and cattle feeds with minimal changeover time. Premix addition accuracy. Pellet durability and fines control. All the factors that determine whether a feed mill operates profitably or struggles with quality claims.

Outcomes

The delegation left without commitments—their process requires multiple evaluations and board approvals—but requested detailed proposals for two potential projects. They also invited RICHI to visit their US operations for further discussions.

For RICHI, North America represents both opportunity and challenge. The market is large, sophisticated, and currently served by established domestic manufacturers. Breaking in requires not just competitive equipment but credibility with operators who have used the same brands for decades. Visits like this—face-to-face, technical, serious—are the only way to build that credibility.

RICHI MACHINERY is overseeing installation of a 2.5-ton-per-hour salmon feed production line in British Columbia, Canada, supporting sustainable aquaculture with high-performance floating feed pellets for one of the province’s established salmon farmers.

Market Background

Canada’s salmon farming industry is concentrated in British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, with production focused on Atlantic salmon for domestic and export markets. Feed represents the largest operating cost in salmon production, and feed quality directly affects growth rates, feed conversion, and fish health.

Salmon require feed with high protein levels (typically 35-45 percent), significant oil inclusion (20-30 percent for energy), and precise nutrient profiles that vary with life stage. Floating feed allows farmers to monitor consumption directly—critical for managing feed costs and detecting health issues before they become visible through other indicators.

Raw Material and Formulation

The feed formulation reflects salmon requirements at different production stages:

• Fishmeal and soybean meal provide the protein base, with fishmeal inclusion rates higher than in warmwater aquaculture
• Wheat and corn gluten supply energy through digestible carbohydrates
• Fish oil delivers essential omega-3 fatty acids required for salmon health and flesh quality
• Vitamins and mineral premixes ensure complete nutrition for fast growth and disease resistance
• Maintaining nutrient integrity through extrusion, drying, and coating is critical—salmon are sensitive to nutrient degradation and oxidative rancidity in fats.

Process Design and Equipment

The production line features several elements specific to salmon feed requirements:

• Micro-batching system for precise dosing of vitamins, minerals, and specialty additives
• Fine grinding units achieving particle sizes appropriate for juvenile salmon feeds
• Twin-screw extruder with configured screw profiles for salmon diet formulations
• Multi-stage drying system for gentle moisture removal without nutrient degradation
• Vacuum oil coating system for high-fat inclusion without oxidation
• Cooling, screening, and packaging for finished product handling

The extrusion process is optimized for uniform floating pellets with minimal fines—salmon are surface feeders that show reduced consumption when pellets sink before capture.

Installation and Timeline

Mechanical installation at the customer’s site in British Columbia is complete. Electrical integration and automation programming are ongoing, with RICHI technicians working alongside the customer’s engineering staff to ensure control systems meet their specific requirements.

Trial production is scheduled for March 2026, with commercial operation to follow once performance testing confirms throughput, pellet quality, and nutrient retention through the process.

Benefits and Industry Impact

The facility ensures consistent feed quality for the customer’s salmon operations, reducing variability compared to purchased feed and enabling rapid formulation adjustments based on fish performance and ingredient availability.

For RICHI, the project represents entry into the Canadian salmon feed sector, a market with exacting quality requirements and established competition. Success here demonstrates the company’s capability to meet the highest standards in aquaculture feed processing.

RICHI MACHINERY has successfully commissioned a 6-ton-per-hour layer feed production line in São Paulo state, Brazil, enhancing local egg production efficiency for one of the country’s largest poultry integrations.

Market Background

Brazil ranks among the world’s largest egg producers, with layer operations concentrated in the southeastern states where feed mills supply integrated operations and independent producers alike. Layer nutrition differs significantly from broiler formulations: calcium requirements are substantially higher for shell formation, particle size affects intake rates, and feed texture influences consumption patterns.

The customer, an established egg producer with multiple layer facilities, sought to upgrade feed production capabilities to reduce dependency on third-party suppliers and gain greater control over formulation and quality.

Raw Material and Feed Formulation

The feed formulation reflects layer requirements at different production stages:

• Corn and soybean meal provide the energy and protein base
• Wheat bran contributes fiber for digestive health
• Limestone and mineral premix deliver calcium at rates exceeding 4 percent of complete feed
• Vitamins and trace elements ensure egg quality and bird health

Pellet size and hardness are optimized for intake efficiency—layers prefer smaller pellets than broilers—while minimizing fines that birds reject, leading to nutrient waste and uneven consumption.

Line Configuration

The production line comprises:

• Automated batching and weighing with accuracy within 0.1 percent for major ingredients
• Hammer mill with screen options for different grind sizes
• Twin-shaft mixer for rapid, homogeneous blending
• SZLH series feed pellet mill with steam conditioning for starch gelatinization
• Counterflow cooler and screening units for pellet finishing
• Bagging and palletizing for finished product dispatch

The automation system manages the entire production sequence—from ingredient scaling to finished product discharge—with real-time monitoring of key parameters and recipe storage for rapid changeovers between starter, grower, and layer formulations.

Installation and Commissioning

Equipment delivery occurred in November 2025, with mechanical assembly and electrical integration completed in December. RICHI field technicians supported the customer’s installation team throughout the process, ensuring alignment and control system configuration met specifications.

Trial production in January confirmed stable output at 6 tons per hour with pellet durability exceeding 95 percent and moisture content consistently below 13 percent—performance levels meeting the customer’s quality requirements.

Benefits

The line provides high-quality feed for the customer’s layer operations, improving egg production consistency and feed efficiency compared to purchased feed. It also reduces dependency on third-party suppliers who may not prioritize layer-specific formulations or who face their own production constraints.

For RICHI, the project reinforces the company’s position in Brazilian poultry feed equipment, a market where competition is intense and performance requirements are exacting.

RICHI MACHINERY has successfully commissioned a 3-ton-per-hour coconut shell pellet production line in the Philippines, marking the company’s entry into the country’s growing biomass sector. The facility, located in Quezon Province, converts coconut processing waste into high-density fuel pellets for industrial and export markets.

Market Background

The Philippines ranks among the world’s largest coconut producers, with shell representing roughly 15 percent of the nut’s weight. Traditionally, these shells have been discarded in plantations or burned in open pits—a practice that releases particulates and contributes to respiratory issues in rural communities.

Pelletizing coconut shells provides an alternative: dense, high-calorific-value fuel suitable for industrial boilers, power plants, and overseas buyers seeking renewable alternatives to coal. The calorific value of coconut shell pellets typically exceeds 4,500 kcal/kg—comparable to low-grade coal but with lower sulfur emissions.

Process Design and Challenges

Coconut shells present specific processing challenges. They are denser than most agricultural residues, harder than wood, and highly abrasive due to silica content. Standard pellet mills designed for straw or grass would experience rapid wear when processing coconut shell.

RICHI engineers addressed these challenges through material selection and component specification. The reinforced pellet mill uses chrome-molybdenum alloys for dies and rollers, with increased wall thickness in wear zones. The crushing stage employs impact rather than shear forces to break the hard shell material efficiently.

The process flow follows: primary crushing reduces whole shells to manageable fragments, hammer milling achieves uniform particle size, rotary drying lowers moisture to optimal levels (below 12 percent), pelletizing compresses the material into dense cylinders, cooling stabilizes the pellets, and screening removes fines before bagging.

Equipment and Configuration

The complete line consists of:

• Coconut shell crusher with heavy-duty rotor and replaceable hammers
• Hammer mill for fine grinding to particle sizes suitable for pelletizing
• Rotary dryer sized to handle initial moisture content that can exceed 20 percent
• MZLH pellet mill with reinforced die and roller assembly
• Counterflow cooler for gentle temperature reduction without pellet cracking
• Screening system for separating on-spec pellets from fines
• Automatic bagging with weigh scale and stitching conveyor

The line consistently achieves pellet moisture below 10 percent, density above 650 kg/m³, and durability sufficient for long-distance transport—requirements specified by the customer’s intended export customers in South Korea and Japan.

Installation and Trial Production

Installation began in November 2025 and concluded in December, with RICHI field engineers working alongside local contractors to complete mechanical assembly and electrical integration. Trial production runs confirmed stable throughput at 3 tons per hour across a range of shell conditions—from freshly processed material to dried stockpiles.

Operators received training on equipment maintenance, with particular attention to die and roller inspection procedures. Coconut shell’s abrasiveness means wear parts require more frequent monitoring than in standard biomass applications, and the training emphasized early identification of wear patterns.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

The plant delivers multiple benefits. It eliminates open burning of shells in surrounding communities, reduces pressure on landfills, and creates rural employment. For the customer, it transforms a waste disposal cost into a revenue-generating product with established demand in Asian energy markets.

The project also demonstrates RICHI’s ability to adapt biomass processing technology to region-specific feedstocks—a capability increasingly important as agricultural processors worldwide seek alternatives to waste disposal.

RICHI MACHINERY is currently completing installation of a 4-ton-per-hour pet extruded feed production line in South Korea, serving the rapidly expanding companion animal market in one of Asia’s most affluent economies.

The facility is designed to produce premium dog and cat kibble using formulations based on chicken meal, rice flour, corn starch, and vegetable proteins—ingredients that meet the expectations of Korean pet owners increasingly focused on nutrition quality and ingredient transparency.

Market Demand for Premium Pet Nutrition

South Korea’s pet population has grown significantly over the past decade, with more households treating animals as family members rather than working animals or simple companions. This shift has driven demand for high-quality, locally manufactured pet food products that compete with imported premium brands.

The customer, an established player in the Korean animal feed sector, identified pet food as a natural extension of their business. They selected RICHI MACHINERY to supply a turnkey extrusion system capable of producing multiple kibble shapes and formulations while maintaining the consistency required for branded retail products.

Extrusion Technology and Process Flow

The production line includes:

• Micro-batching system for precise control of minor ingredients and additives
• Fine grinding unit achieving particle sizes appropriate for pet food digestibility
• Twin-screw extruder with configurable screw profiles for different kibble textures
• Multi-layer dryer designed for gentle moisture removal without case hardening
• Vacuum oil coating system for high-fat inclusion without oxidation
• Cooling and screening for temperature reduction and fines removal
• Automatic packaging with weight control and bag sealing
• The twin-screw extruder is the centerpiece of the system, ensuring uniform expansion, precise temperature control, and stable pellet structure across formulation changes. Screw and barrel configurations can be modified as the customer develops new products, providing flexibility for future market demands.
• Oil coating is applied under vacuum, allowing high fat inclusion—often exceeding 20 percent in premium pet foods—while maintaining kibble integrity. This process also improves palatability, a critical factor in pet food acceptance.

Installation Progress

RICHI technicians began on-site installation in November 2025. Mechanical assembly is now complete, with electrical integration and control system testing underway. The Korean installation team has worked in coordination with local contractors handling power supply and building modifications.

Commissioning is scheduled for February, followed by formulation trials and operator training. The customer plans initial production runs focused on their core retail formulas before expanding into specialty diets later in the year.

Strengthening RICHI’s Pet Feed Portfolio

This project demonstrates RICHI’s expanding capabilities in high-value pet food processing and extrusion technology. While the company has long supplied aquaculture and livestock feed lines, pet food represents a growing segment requiring tighter process control and greater attention to physical product characteristics.

RICHI MACHINERY has completed shipment of an 8-ton-per-hour premix production line to southern Brazil, supporting regional feed manufacturers focused on high-precision livestock nutrition.

Premix products form the foundation of modern feed formulations, supplying essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that represent small inclusion rates but have outsized effects on animal health. Accurate dosing and homogeneous mixing are not optional—they are critical to both animal performance and production economics.

Project Background

Brazil ranks among the world’s leading producers of poultry, pork, and beef, with feed conversion efficiency driving competitiveness in export markets. As formulations become increasingly sophisticated—with specialty additives, enzymes, and precisely balanced trace minerals—demand for high-quality premix facilities continues to grow.

The customer, an established feed manufacturer supplying independent livestock producers, sought a compact yet precise premix system capable of supplying multiple downstream feed mills with consistent nutrient blends. Their existing operation relied on manual addition of micro-ingredients, a method that becomes impractical as product lines diversify and accuracy requirements tighten.

Technical Solution

RICHI provided a specialized premix line incorporating:

• Micro-ingredient storage bins sized for frequent batch changeovers
• High-accuracy weighing modules with electromagnetic force restoration load cells
• Horizontal ribbon mixer engineered for gentle but complete dispersion of fine powders
• Dust-free conveying system incorporating sealed transfers and centralized filtration
• Finished product packing unit with automated bag placement and sealing

The system achieves dosing accuracy within ±0.1 percent of target weight and mixing coefficient of variation below 5 percent—performance levels required for premix operations supplying commercial feed mills.

Special anti-segregation designs prevent separation of fine powders during discharge and transfer. This is particularly important in premix applications where particle size differences between ingredients can lead to stratification and inconsistent nutrient content from bag to bag.

Factory Acceptance and Shipment

Prior to shipment, RICHI conducted full factory acceptance testing witnessed by the customer’s technical staff. Verification included weighing accuracy across the full range of batch sizes, mixer performance through tracer studies, and electrical system stability under simulated operating conditions.

The equipment was packed into four containers and dispatched in January, with installation scheduled for early March. RICHI’s Brazilian service network will provide on-site support during mechanical assembly and control system integration.

Supporting Brazil’s Feed Industry

Once commissioned, the premix plant will supply multiple compound feed lines, enhancing nutritional consistency across livestock operations ranging from poultry integrations to independent swine producers.

This project highlights RICHI’s capability to deliver high-precision feed processing systems for advanced nutrition applications—equipment that operates at tighter tolerances than standard compound feed lines while maintaining the throughput required for commercial viability.

RICHI MACHINERY has completed shipment of a 4-ton-per-hour chicken manure organic fertilizer pellet production line to Upper Egypt. The equipment will serve poultry operations in the region looking for practical solutions to what has become a pressing environmental challenge: the disposal of accumulated poultry litter.

Addressing Poultry Waste Challenges

Egypt’s poultry sector has expanded considerably over the past decade, with large concentrated farms now operating throughout the Nile Valley. These operations produce substantial volumes of manure that, if stockpiled or improperly handled, can contaminate groundwater and generate ammonia emissions affecting local communities.

The customer, a diversified agricultural company with existing poultry operations, recognized an opportunity. Rather than treating manure as a disposal problem, they aimed to convert poultry litter into commercial organic fertilizer suitable for vegetable and fruit cultivation—crops that feature prominently in Upper Egyptian agriculture.

RICHI provided a turnkey solution integrating composting, granulation, and drying, covering the entire conversion process from raw manure to finished bagged product.

Process Design and Equipment Scope

The production line includes several integrated stages:

• Manure crushing system for breaking up compacted litter and removing larger aggregates
• Compost fermentation layout with windrow turning capability to accelerate biological stabilization
• Organic material grinder for consistent particle size reduction prior to pelleting
• Dual-shaft mixer for blending composted material with binders and optional nutrient additives
• Organic fertilizer pellet mill equipped with corrosion-resistant materials to handle the abrasive nature of manure-based feedstocks
• Rotary dryer to reduce moisture content to storage-stable levels
• Cooler and screener for temperature reduction and particle size classification
• Automatic bagging system for finished product

Designed output capacity is 4 tons per hour under continuous operation, though the system can run at reduced rates during initial commissioning while operators gain familiarity.

The fermentation stage is particularly critical. Proper composting eliminates pathogens and weed seeds while stabilizing the organic matter—essential steps for producing a product that meets agricultural safety standards. The pelletizing stage that follows transforms loose, dusty manure into uniform, easy-to-handle granules that flow through standard fertilizer application equipment.

Factory Acceptance and Logistics

All equipment underwent factory testing prior to shipment, with particular attention to the pellet mill’s performance on simulated organic feedstock. Seven containers were loaded and dispatched in January, with arrival expected at the customer’s site in mid-February.

RICHI will deploy field engineers to supervise on-site installation and commissioning once civil works are completed by the customer’s local contractors. Operator training will follow, focusing on fermentation management and pellet mill die selection for organic materials.

Agricultural Benefits

The finished fertilizer pellets will provide slow-release nutrients to local farms, improving soil structure through organic matter addition while reducing reliance on imported chemical fertilizers. For the customer, the project creates a new revenue stream from what was previously a cost center—waste disposal.

Osaka’s morning tofu production starts before dawn, the steam rising from cooking vats as soybeans transform into milk and then curds. By mid-morning, the okara—soy pulp—accumulates in bins, a byproduct that historically went to animal feed or disposal. Now some of it goes to cat litter.

Market Background

Japan’s pet market has evolved rapidly. Pet owners, particularly cat owners, seek products that are convenient, effective, and environmentally responsible. Traditional clay litter requires mining, produces dust, and fills landfills. Tofu-based litter offers an alternative: biodegradable, flushable, and made from a renewable resource.

The okara feedstock is abundant in Japan, where tofu consumption remains high. It’s food-grade material, clean and consistent, with properties that make it suitable for litter after processing.

Raw Material and Processing Challenges

Fresh okara contains 70 to 80 percent moisture—far too wet for direct pelleting. It spoils quickly without preservation. And its protein and fiber content affect how it absorbs moisture and controls odor.

The process must address all these factors. Drying reduces moisture to pelletizing range. Additives control odor and improve absorption. And the pellet mill must form durable pellets without over-compressing the material—over-compression reduces absorbency and makes pellets too hard for cats to cover.

Production Line Design

The Osaka line incorporates lessons from previous installations:

• Raw material receiving and pre-mixing with additives and preservatives
• Hammer mill for particle size adjustment
• Rotary dryer with temperature control to prevent protein degradation
• Pellet mill with specialized die for soft-but-durable pellets
• Counterflow cooler for gentle temperature reduction
• Screening system for fines removal
• Automatic bagging with dust control

The cat litter pellet machine uses dies with compression ratios specific to soy-based materials—different from paper or wood because the protein and fiber content affect binding.

Installation and Timeline

Mechanical assembly at the Osaka site is complete. Electrical integration continues, with commissioning scheduled for March. The customer plans initial production focused on the domestic Japanese market, where tofu litter commands premium prices.

Environmental and Market Benefits

For the tofu manufacturers supplying okara, the plant provides a disposal channel for a material that has low value. For the litter producer, it creates a product with growing demand. For Japanese cat owners, it offers a litter option that reduces environmental impact compared to clay.

For RICHI, the project demonstrates adaptation to yet another specialized feedstock—the kind of application-specific engineering that distinguishes the company from competitors offering standardized solutions.