Delegation from Southeast Asia Visits RICHI's Biomass Pellet Plant Project

They came specifically to see biomass processing—not the feed lines that occupy most factory tours, but the equipment handling agricultural residues that most operators consider waste. The group included plantation managers, renewable energy developers, and one consultant who advised regional governments on waste management policy.

Visit Program

The biomass test center runs continuously during visits, processing whatever feedstock visitors bring. This group arrived with samples: rice straw from Vietnam, corn stalks from Thailand, bamboo processing residues from a plantation in Laos. Each ran through the system while the visitors watched.

The MZLH biomass pellet mill demonstration drew sustained attention. Unlike feed pelleting, biomass compression requires higher forces and generates more wear. The visitors examined die surfaces, discussed roller adjustments, and questioned operators about changeout intervals.

Discussion sessions covered the practical challenges of biomass processing. Moisture control—critical for pellet quality but difficult with variable feedstocks. Density variation and its effect on throughput consistency. Energy consumption per ton and how it changes with feedstock type.

One visitor, a plantation manager from Sumatra, spent an hour with a RICHI applications engineer discussing bamboo processing. His operation generated tons of bamboo waste annually, currently burned in the open. Converting to pellets would address both waste disposal and energy costs—but only if the equipment could handle bamboo's dense, fibrous structure.

Strategic Outcomes

By the visit's end, the group had identified four potential biomass pellet projects ranging from 3 to 5 tons per hour. The consultant requested technical data for inclusion in a regional development proposal. The plantation manager scheduled a follow-up meeting to discuss testing his bamboo samples in RICHI's laboratory.

For RICHI Machinery, the visit reinforced a market reality: biomass processing varies by region, by crop, by local practice. Equipment that works for European wood residues may fail on Southeast Asian rice straw. Demonstrating adaptability—willingness to test, adjust, and customize—builds credibility that generic specifications cannot match.