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How to compare flour mill quotations

Short answer: don't compare the total price first. Compare roll length per 100 kg of wheat, sifting area, purifiers, cleaning steps and installed power, then check what each offer leaves out.

Five numbers and the scope

What decides how a mill performs

1 · Milling

Roll length per 100 kg

Add up the roll length of every roller mill, then divide by the wheat milled per day. Too little roll length means the rolls work harder and extraction suffers.

2 · Sifting

Total sifting area

Ask for the total in m², not just the number of plansifters. Short sifting area gives speckled, high-ash flour.

3 · Purifying

Purifiers

Needed for low-ash bread flour and semolina. Some cheap offers leave them out.

4 · Cleaning

Cleaning steps

Count the separators, destoners, scourers, washers and aspiration. Dirty or stony wheat needs more.

5 · Power

Installed power

Higher is not always worse: washing, extra cleaning and packing add kW. Ask for the motor list. See power by capacity.

6 · Scope

What is left out

Civil works, building, local labour, spare rolls, spouting and the control panel are where offers differ most.

Three real offers

How much roll length do mills get?

From three wheat mill quotations, each with single roller mills of 220 mm roll diameter.

Capacity	Roller mills	Total roll length	Per 100 kg of wheat a day	Plansifters	Purifiers	Installed power	Spare rolls
62 TPD	10 × 220×400 + 2 × 220×500 mm	5,000 mm	8.1 mm	4 double-bin	1	195 kW	Not listed
82 TPD	11 × 220×400 + 5 × 220×500 mm	6,900 mm	8.4 mm	6 double-bin	1	259 kW	32 rolls
112 TPD	5 × 220×400 + 11 × 220×500 mm	7,500 mm	6.7 mm	6 double-bin	1	316 kW	32 rolls

The 112 TPD offer gives about a fifth less roll length per tonne of wheat than the other two. That can still work for a softer wheat or a lower extraction target, but it is the first thing to ask about. Installed power is the total listed in each quotation.

Scope

Line by line: what an offer should list

Flow sheet and plant layout drawings
All process machines with motors, and the motor brand
Steel platform and supports
Spouts, pneumatic pipes and the dust system
Control panel, cables and conduits
Spare rolls and a wear parts package, with quantities
Installation guidance, commissioning and training
Usually not included: civil works, building, local labour. Make sure every offer says so.

Before you sign

Questions to ask every supplier

What is the total roll length and total sifting area?In mm and m², not numbers of machines.
What extraction and ash does the flow sheet target?For your wheat, not in general.
Which items are excluded?Get it in writing.
How is payment protected?Company account, letter of credit, inspection before shipping.
Can I see the machines running?A video call from the workshop is enough to start.

Ask us for an itemised quotation

Questions

Quotation questions buyers ask

Why is one flour mill quotation so much cheaper than another?

Usually because it has less roll length, less sifting area, no purifier, fewer cleaning steps, or leaves out spouting, the control panel or spare rolls. Compare those items before the price.

How much roll length does a wheat flour mill need?

In three real wheat mill quotations from 62 to 112 TPD, total roll length ranged from about 6.7 to 8.4 mm per 100 kg of wheat milled per day.

What does a flour mill quotation usually exclude?

Civil works, the building and local labour are usually excluded. Spare rolls, spouting and the control panel vary between suppliers, so check each offer.