10-12 T/H Chicken Feed Pellet Mill in the DRC

The Visionary Urban Feed Mill Startup

Our client is a Congolese businessman with experience in trading and logistics, who recognized that the real money in the poultry boom wasn't just in selling live birds, but in supplying the feed that makes their production possible. He secured a strategic plot of land with good road access near Kinshasa, arranged for reliable three-phase industrial power—a significant undertaking in itself—and developed a business plan targeting the city's large and small-scale broiler producers.

He had the capital to invest in a proper animal feed factory project but wanted to start smart. He prioritized buying core processing units over a full, automated line. He sourced a high-quality grinder and a large-capacity mixer. The final, and most critical, piece was the machine that would define his product's quality and efficiency: the pelletizer. This was to be a flagship single-machine investment around which the entire operation would be built.

Why the Pellet Mill Was the Make-or-Break Investment

For this client, the poultry feed pellet machine wasn't merely one component among many; it was the technological heart of his competitive advantage. He understood that in a market used to mash feed or inconsistent imported pellets, offering a locally produced, durable, and nutritionally optimized pellet would be revolutionary. His decision to purchase a single, high-output pellet mill was strategic.

He could outsource or manually handle pre-mixing and bagging in the early stages, but the pelleting process itself had to be impeccable and in-house. This single-machine focus allowed him to concentrate his capital on acquiring the best possible ring die pellet press for his target volume, ensuring the core process was robust before scaling up auxiliary systems. It was a calculated bet on core competency.

Selecting the Urban Workhorse: The RICHI SZLH420 Pellet Mill

After analyzing the projected demand from Kinshasa's poultry farms and considering the need for a machine that could run efficient 8-10 hour shifts to meet orders, the RICHI SZLH420 feed pellet machine was the unequivocal choice. For a startup feed mill supplying a metropolis of over 15 million people, smaller models like the SZLH350 would be quickly overwhelmed, limiting growth.

Larger models like the SZLH508 required a level of infrastructure and consistent raw material flow that was too risky for a startup. The SZLH420, with its 10-12 ton per hour capacity, was the perfect urban workhorse. It provided the substantial output needed to be a serious player in the market, could be powered by a dedicated industrial transformer, and offered the ideal balance of performance and manageable operational scale.

The technical specifications of this chicken feed making machine laid the foundation for a modern feed business:

Formulation for a Competitive Market: Sourcing in the Heart of Africa

This feed pellet mill is dedicated almost exclusively to producing broiler feed pellets. The client's formulation is designed to be competitive, utilizing a mix of imported and regionally sourced ingredients to control costs without compromising on quality.

• Primary Energy Source: Imported maize (from Zambia or South Africa) is the consistent base. During good harvests, locally sourced cassava flour is incorporated as a partial substitute to reduce reliance on imports.
• Core Protein Blend: Soybean meal is imported. To add a cost-effective local protein source and differentiate his product, the client innovatively includes a percentage of fermented soybean meal processed locally, as well as sunflower meal sourced from neighboring regions.
• Binders and Fibre: Wheat bran and rice polishings are used.
• Additives: High-quality vitamin-mineral premixes, amino acids (lysine, methionine), and essential feed enzymes to maximize nutrient absorption from the variable base ingredients.

The RICHI SZLH420 chicken feed pellet mill in the DRC is perfectly suited for this challenging recipe. Its powerful conditioning system ensures thorough steam penetration, which is critical for gelatinizing the starches in both maize and cassava, creating a strong binding effect for durable pellets. The client produces a full range: 2.5mm crumbles for starters (made by crushing pellets), and 3.0mm and 3.5mm pellets for growers and finishers. The robust construction of this animal feed pellet machine handles the potential abrasiveness of cassava flour and ensures consistent production in a demanding startup environment.

The Long Haul to Central Africa: Shipping to Matadi Port

Transporting heavy machinery deep into the heart of Africa is a major logistical undertaking. The SZLH420 feed pellet mill was prepared as a critical project shipment. It was partially disassembled into major sub-assemblies, each meticulously crated on heavy-duty skids and protected against humidity and impacts. The journey began at Qingdao Port. For the DRC, ocean freight goes to its Atlantic gateway: the Port of Matadi.

From there, the cargo would be transferred to barges or trucks for the final journey to Kinshasa. RICHI provided flawless export documentation and detailed packing lists, which were essential for navigating the complex customs and port procedures in Matadi with the client's logistics partner.

Impact: Establishing a New Standard in the Market

The successful launch of the mill, centered on the RICHI pelletizer, had an immediate and transformative effect:

1. Market Disruption with Quality: The client's pellets were denser, more uniform, and produced less dust than anything previously available locally. This quality became his primary marketing tool, allowing him to command a premium price.
2. Supply Chain Stabilization: By establishing a reliable local source of quality feed, he reduced the risk for Kinshasa's poultry farmers, who no longer had to worry about import delays or price shocks. This fostered loyalty and long-term contracts.
3. Job Creation and Skill Development: The mill created dozens of direct and indirect jobs, from machine operators to sales and delivery staff. It also developed local technical skills in operating and maintaining advanced industrial equipment.
4. Proof of Concept for Further Investment: The success and profitability of the initial phase, powered by the SZLH420, gave the client the confidence and capital to invest in completing his Poultry Feed Production Line with automated conveyors, a larger boiler, and a modern packaging system.

The RICHI Partnership: A Foundation for Success in a Tough Market

We understood that selling a machine in the DRC was about providing a foundation for a business. Our support was comprehensive.

• Infrastructure-Focused Planning: We provided detailed plant layout advice, foundation drawings strong enough for the local soil conditions, and specifications for the required boiler and electrical step-down transformers.
• On-Ground Commissioning and Intensive Training: A RICHI engineer spent significant time on-site for commissioning. Training was exhaustive, covering not only operation and maintenance but also how to optimize production parameters for different batches of raw materials and how to troubleshoot common issues without immediate external help.
• Strategic Sparing for Remote Operations: We developed a phased spare parts plan. Phase 1 included a full "starter kit" (spare die, rollers, seals, belts). Phase 2 involved setting up a consignment stock of critical gearbox and bearing components with a partner in Kinshasa to ensure long-term operational security.

Conclusion: More Than a Machine – A Catalyst for Urban Food Security

For this Congolese entrepreneur, the RICHI SZLH420 was far more than a chicken feed pellet mill. It was the engine of a business that is helping to feed a capital city, stabilize an agricultural value chain, and prove that modern agro-industry can thrive in Central Africa. It turned a daunting market gap into a thriving enterprise.

Ready to Build the Feed Mill That Supplies Your City?

The opportunity seen in Kinshasa exists across the growing urban centers of Sub-Saharan Africa. If you have the vision to build a business that meets the critical need for quality feed, starting with the right core technology is everything.

RICHI Machinery provides the industrial-grade, high-capacity poultry feed pellet mills that form the reliable heart of such successful urban feed operations. We combine robust engineering with the practical support needed to succeed in complex markets.

If you are planning a feed mill to serve a major urban market in Africa, don't start with anything less than a proven industrial partner. Contact RICHI Machinery today. Let's discuss how a RICHI SZLH series pellet mill can be the powerful, reliable centerpiece of your animal feed factory project, turning market demand into lasting profitability.