Inside the world of ingredient processing

Ingredient production is where the food journey begins: transforming grains, oils, and extracts into the core of everything from bread to beverages.

 

But turning raw materials into consistent, high-quality output isn’t simple. Growing demand, tighter regulations, and the need to cut energy use all raise the stakes. Add in harsh conditions like dust, heat, and 24/7 operations, and it becomes clear: this work demands more than just good enough.

 

That’s where ABB comes in. With proven technologies and deep industry know-how, we help ingredient producers run cleaner, safer, and more productive operations, built for today’s pressure and tomorrow’s growth.

Challenges in ingredients

Behind every loaf of bread, every bag of sugar, and every bottle of oil are ingredient producers working under constant pressure to keep operations safe, efficient, and sustainable. ABB helps them do it—supporting everything from milling and refining to processing and packaging with reliable, proven solutions.

Managing explosive dust environments

Flour, starch, and sugar dust create hazardous zones. Ingredient processors must protect people and equipment while complying with ATEX/IECEx regulations, without slowing production.

Limited visibility into asset health and performance

Unplanned downtime from undetected equipment wear can be costly. Real-time monitoring and predictive insights are often missing in legacy setups.

Meeting sustainability targets under strict cost pressures

Ingredient processors face increasing pressure to reduce emissions, water use, and waste; all while operating in thin-margin, high-throughput environments.

How we can help you

Offering

Tailored offering for starches, flavors and additives

Energy-efficient drives

Smarter speed and torque control

ABB’s ACS580 and ACS280 drives with PLC integration optimize mixers, grinders, conveyors, and dryers in milling, grain, rice, and edible oil plants; reducing energy use, improving uptime, and lowering operating costs.

Cooling towers

Motors and drives built for continuous performance

Cooling towers run nonstop in demanding environments. ABB’s motors and drives packages provide precise fan control, cutting energy use while maintaining stable cooling performance. With reduced mechanical stress, they extend equipment life and lower maintenance costs, keeping food processing and cold chain operations efficient and reliable.

Reliable motor solutions

Hygienic, efficient, and safe for ingredient processing

ABB’s stainless steel and food-safe motors meet strict hygiene standards, while servo and EC Titanium™ motors bring precision and energy savings to dosing, mixing, and conveying. In grain, rice, flour, and starch environments, ATEX/IECEx-certified motors ensure safe, compliant operation, protecting people, equipment, and uptime.

Resources

Sustainable, reliable and safe solutions for edible oil producers

Producers of edible oils face tough challenges. At a time of global volatility in energy and commodity costs, consumers are demanding ever lower prices without compromising product quality as the world’s population continues to grow.

Fine-tune performance and cut energy use across ingredient production lines

ACS580 and ACS280 drives

Reliable, efficient motor control for conveyors, mixers, and grinders. ABB drives help you lower energy costs and improve process precision, batch after batch.

Grains and ingredients handling

Unlock the potential in grains and ingredients handling production applications

High tech feed mill equipped with motors and gearing products supplied by ABB

Leading OEMs in the grain sector made a major contribution to the construction of the center, donating equipment worth almost $3 million. Baldor Reliance® motors and Dodge® gearing products – supplied by ABB – are used extensively in the center’s equipment.

DCS upgrade helps increase capacity and improve quality of processing wet seaweed

Using ABB’s control system technologies for an advanced, 24 hour chemical process, FMC Biopolymer converts seaweed to alginate for use in thousands of products.

McCain’s cuts refrigeration costs with low harmonic ABB drives

One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of frozen foods is using ABB low harmonic variable speed drives to cut its site load from 7 MW to 6 MW.

ABB in action