Once the decision to diversify into oat processing was taken, the next step was to acquire the expertise and source the technology needed to put it into action. The family had already been talking to Bühler, but it was during a fortuitous meeting when Aripov’s father, Ualikhan Aripov, met Dauren Kassabekov, General Manager of Bühler Kazakhstan, that the plan to build an oat processing mill using the latest technology was forged. “We had been speaking previously, but it was when we met on a plane in November 2017, flying from Astana to Han-over for the Agritechnica exhibition, that we discussed the idea of the oat mill,” says Kassabekov.
After discussing the pros and cons of the project, the Aripovs decided to build an oat mill engineered by Bühler and to use its plant automation system, Mercury MES (Manufacturing Execution System). The next challenge was how to acquire the necessary skills for this new business. There are no other large oat flake production plants in Kazakhstan, so Aripov turned to Bühler for advice.
“My role is to be the support on the ground and help with training,” says Kassabekov. He scheduled visits for Aripov and his team to similar Bühler oat mills in Europe and other regions. He also arranged meetings at conferences and exhibitions to help them gain expertise and understanding of the new industry. Aripov also attended training in Uzwil.
“In 2019, our technologist and I attended a two-week course at the Bühler headquarters in Uzwil, Switzerland. We witnessed the entire production process from intake and cleaning to dehulling, as well as crucial steps such as heat treatment and flaking. It was truly an invaluable experience,” he says. “As we got to know Bühler better and saw Bühler’s approach to production, with its focus on automation and digitalization, we also realized how this simplified many aspects of manufacturing.”