Malting plant begins production in Great Falls, MT

Malting began this week at the $70 million International Malting Company plant north of Great Falls.

There were no balloons or ribbons to be cut, but the International Malting Co. got started making malt at its $70 million plant north of Great Falls this week.

Workers toiled late Monday night and into early Tuesday to bring about 475 tons of barley into the plant. In a week or so, it should be malt.

"It is kind of exciting," said Mark Black, IMC’s barley procurement and byproducts manager. "It’s the beginning of the process and from here, we go forward."

Forward as in finishing the plant and bringing it up to full production.

"We hope to be at 100 percent capacity by mid-November," said Black.

The malt production is the culmination of several years of intense construction and plant development work at the site east of Highway 87 a few miles north of Great Falls.

By JAMES E. LARCOMBE Tribune Business Editor

Full Story: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050928/NEWS01/509280303/1002