Wood Shavings Bedding Pellet Plant for Cattle in Sri Lanka

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Why Sri Lanka? 

Sri Lanka has a growing livestock sector and abundant wood processing waste:

The problem with current bedding materials in Sri Lanka:

The opportunity: The client can produce bedding pellets for 35,000-40,000 LKR/ton ($115-130) — 30-40% cheaper than imported pellets.

Target customers:

The client’s breakeven point is 11,400 tons/year (60% capacity). At full capacity (19,000 tons/year), operating margin is about 20-25%.

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Raw Materials: Wood Shavings and Sawdust

The client’s raw material comes from local sawmills and wood processing workshops:

Why the raw material is already dry enough: Sri Lanka’s wood processing industry uses kiln-dried lumber. The shavings and sawdust from these operations are already 12-20% moisture — acceptable for bedding pellets (target 10-12%). The client only uses the dryer for material that’s been stored in the rain.

Raw material quality control:

• The client only accepts shavings from untreated wood (no painted or glued lumber)
• Visual inspection for mold and contamination
• The client’s screening process removes oversized material (larger shavings go back to the hammer mill)

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The Site and Building

The client’s site is on former industrial land in Gampaha District, about 30km northeast of Colombo.

Building layout (three buildings, total 1,600m²):

The client’s buildings are a mix of brick/block and steel frame with tile roofs (typical Sri Lankan industrial construction).

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Equipment Configuration

The client already had a basic wood pellet production plant from a previous supplier, but the equipment was poorly configured. RICHI helped him modify the line for bedding pellets:

Why this configuration for bedding pellets (converted from fuel pellets):

1. No crusher. The client’s raw material is wood shavings, which are already small enough. The raw material is already semi-finished, no crushing needed.

2. Dryer for moisture control (existing). The client has an electric dryer line to reduce moisture for material that has been stored in the rain. The dryer uses electricity (no natural gas in this part of Sri Lanka; diesel would be expensive). The dryer is used about 30-40 days/year.

3. Three wood pellet presses. Each mill produces 2-2.5 t/h. Combined capacity is 6-7.5 t/h. The client runs all five for 6 t/h, buffer capacity for maintenance.

4. Modified die for bedding pellets. The client originally had 8mm dies (for fuel pellets). RICHI replaced them with 6mm dies (produces 6.5-7mm bedding pellets) and changed the compression ratio from 5.5:1 to 4:1 (softer pellets).

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Process Flow

This pellet machine line was originally for fuel pellets. The client asked RICHI to modify it for bedding pellets. The changes were: die size (8mm → 6mm), compression ratio (5.5:1 → 4:1), and operating temperature (80-100°C → 70-85°C).

Step 1: Raw Material Receiving

Trucks deliver wood shavings (in bags or loose) to production building 2 (raw material storage, 500m²). The client uses a front-end loader to move material to the production building.

Step 2: Screening

Raw material passes through a screener to remove:

• Oversize (>10mm shavings) — these are returned to the supplier or sold separately
• Fines (<1mm) — sent to a separate bin (sold as cheap bedding or used as fuel)

The client’s screening process: The raw material is already semi-finished, no crushing needed. The screener only removes oversized particles.

Step 3: Drying (Used Occasionally)

The client only uses the dryer for wet material (rain-soaked storage). For most of the year, the dryer is off.

The client’s dryer is used about 30-40 days per year when processing material with moisture >20%. The dryer is a simple rotary drum with electric heating.

Dryer parameters (when used):

• Inlet temperature: 100-120°C
• Outlet moisture: 10-12%
• Retention time: 5-10 minutes

Drying fuel: The client burns self-produced wood waste (300 tons/year) . The dryer uses wood scraps from the same sawmills.

Step 4: Pelletizing (Bedding Pellets)

The key difference between fuel and bedding pellets is the die size and compression ratio.

Dried (or naturally dry) material is fed into three wood granulator machines.

Pellet mill parameters (converted for bedding pellets):

Bedding pellet specifications (corrected for animal bedding):

Why lower temperature (70-85°C vs 80-100°C for fuel): Bedding pellets should be soft. Lower temperatures preserve fiber flexibility, which improves absorbency.

Step 5: Cooling (Natural)

Hot pellets (70-85°C) drop onto a belt conveyor. The client uses natural cooling — pellets travel on the conveyor for 2-3 minutes, then cool to ambient temperature in the finished product storage area.

Cooling process:  after screening, the pellets are naturally cooled before packaging.

Step 6: Bagging

Cooled pellets are packaged in bags.

Packaging process (manual):

• Bag sizes: 25kg, 50kg
• The client uses a simple hanging scale
• Bags are tied or sewn closed

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Utilities and Consumption

Electricity breakdown (annual, 300 days, 10 hours/day = 3,000 hours):

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How RICHI Customized This Line for Bedding Pellets (Converting from Fuel)

The client already had a biomass pellet plant but was producing fuel pellets. He asked RICHI to help him convert to bedding pellets. The specific modifications:

Requirement 1: The client needed bedding pellets (soft, absorbent, dust-free), not fuel pellets. The specifications are different.

RICHI solution: Replaced the dies:

• Original: 8mm die (for fuel pellets)
• New: 6mm die (produces 6.5-7mm bedding pellets)
• Reduced compression ratio from 5.5:1 to 4:1 (softer pellets)
• Reduced operating temperature from 80-100°C to 70-85°C

Requirement 2: The client’s raw material is wood shavings, not sawdust. Wood shavings are larger and fluffier than sawdust — better for bedding.

RICHI solution: The client’s existing screener was modified to remove oversize shavings (>10mm). The acceptable size range for bedding pellets is 2-8mm. The client’s shavings are naturally in this range.

Requirement 3: The client needed to reduce moisture for material stored in the rainy season. Sri Lanka has two monsoons (May-August and October-January). Material stored outdoors can absorb moisture (up to 25-30%).

RICHI solution: The client keeps his dryer as emergency backup. The dryer uses wood waste (300 tons/year) as fuel — free material. The dryer is used about 30-40 days/year.

Requirement 4: The client has 12 staff, most with no prior pellet experience. The client’s workers are general laborers.

RICHI solution: Provided a 2-week on-site training program:

• Week 1: Basic safety, machine startup/shutdown, daily checks (screens, magnets, lubrication)
• Week 2: Adjusting the pellet mill die gap, changing dies, troubleshooting common problems

The client’s lead operator (a former mechanic at a sawmill) became proficient within 3 weeks.

Requirement 5: The client’s building has low ceiling height (6-7m). The original building wasn’t designed for pellet production.

RICHI solution: The client uses a single-story layout with bucket elevators. The five pellet mills are arranged in a row (side by side) to minimize height requirements.

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Product Specifications (Bedding Pellets)

The client’s bedding pellets meet Sri Lankan standards for animal bedding (based on international best practices).

Comparison with other bedding materials in Sri Lanka:

The client’s product is priced between raw sawdust (cheaper but dusty) and imported pellets (much more expensive). Dairy farmers pay a premium for dust-free bedding — respiratory health is critical for milk production.

Pricing (as of June 2025):

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Market Outlook for Wood Shaving Bedding Pellets in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s bedding pellet market is small but growing. Key drivers:

1. Growing dairy sector. Sri Lanka has 350,000+ dairy cattle. Large-scale farms (200+ cows) are switching to pellet bedding (better absorbency, less labor). The client has already supplied trial batches to two farms in Kandy.

2. Poultry industry growth. Sri Lanka produces 30+ million broilers annually. Poultry houses need dry, absorbent bedding. Wood shaving pellets are ideal (low dust, high absorbency).

3. Import substitution. Imported pellets are expensive (60,000-80,000 LKR/ton). The client’s product is 30-40% cheaper.

4. Abundant raw material. Sri Lanka has hundreds of sawmills and furniture factories generating wood shavings. The client’s raw material cost is low (12,000-15,000 LKR/ton).

Competition: There are no other bedding pellet producers in Sri Lanka (a few make fuel pellets). The client has the market to themselves.

Challenges the client is managing:

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Why a Wood Shaving Bedding Pellet Plant Makes Sense in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has abundant wood shavings, a growing dairy sector, and no local competition. Here’s why you should consider this market:

Raw material is abundant and low-cost. Sri Lanka has 200+ sawmills and furniture factories generating thousands of tons of wood shavings annually. The client pays 12,000-15,000 LKR/ton ($39-49) — much less than in developed countries.

No crusher needed. Wood shavings are already small enough (2-8mm). The client’s raw material is semi-finished — ready for screening and pelletizing.

No dryer needed for most material. Sri Lankan wood processing uses kiln-dried lumber. The shavings are already 12-20% moisture — perfect for bedding pellets (target 10-12%). The client only uses the dryer during the rainy season.

The market is underserved. Dairy farmers currently use dusty coconut coir or raw sawdust. The client’s product is 30-40% cheaper than imported pellets.

Sri Lanka has a stable business environment. English is widely spoken (the client’s staff are fluent). The legal system is familiar to foreign investors.

If you’re considering a wood shaving bedding pellet plant in Sri Lanka (or any country with sawmills and dairy farms), RICHI can help. We’ve designed lines for wood shavings, sawdust, and other wood residues. We understand the differences between bedding and fuel pellets (softer, more absorbent, lower durability) and can recommend the right equipment.

Contact us to discuss your project. Tell us about your raw material (type, moisture, volume), target market (dairy, poultry, horses), site conditions, and budget. We’ll prepare a customized process flow, equipment list, and budget estimate — no obligation.

RICHI Machinery – Wood shaving bedding pellet lines from 0.2 t/h to 90 t/h. Shipping from Qingdao to Colombo port: 12-16 days. Installation support available in Sri Lanka within 2 weeks.