Milling & Baking News - January 30, 2018 - 10

Business

Puerto Rico mill running strong
in tough post-storm environment

MOLINOS DE PUERTO RICO

but not as much. Before the storm
the facility usually ran six days
a week. That's about what we're
running now."
The government of Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - Not restored and almost 90% of the poplong has faced severe financial challong after resuming operations fol- ulation has potable running water.
"That means 10% of the popula- lenges. Those have worsened since
lowing Hurricane Maria, Molinos
de Puerto Rico, L.L.C. was running tion doesn't have water yet," he the storm, something that is reflected
24 hours a day, seven days a week. said. "That's 350,000 people with- in the worsening security situation
While a robust pace has been main- out water. And 1 million don't have on the island, Mr. Stuewe said.
"Crime has spiked on the island in
tained ever since, employees at the electric power. The power authority
Ardent Mills facility in San Juan con- has been working feverishly since the wake of the storm, but we contintinue to struggle to regain normalcy the storm to restore power. But a lot ue to focus on team members on how
in their lives together with the other of businesses have never reopened, to keep themselves safe whether at
3 million-plus residents of the U.S. including ones that ran as long work or home," he said.
Even before the hurriterritory in the Caribbean.
cane, Molinos de Puerto
The roster of mill emRico engaged a firm for
ployees without power
security at the mill, and
includes Jon Stuewe,
the facility has not experipresident and general
enced difficulties (though
manager of Molinos de
one employee was subPuerto Rico. After work
jected to a violent attack
in the evening Mr. Stuewe
returning home from
returns to his San Juan
work one evening).
apartment where he, his
While no one was fulwife and daughter cook
ly prepared for a direct
dinner using a camping
hit on Puerto Rico by a
stove that sits atop his
hurricane with the force
powerless electric range.
of Maria, Mr. Stuewe,
"We run the refrigerawho joined Molinos de
tor with generators," he
Puerto Rico in 2000 and
said. "When you face a
has headed operations
situation like this, you besince 2008, said Molinos
come inventive. I bought
de Puerto Rico was not
a transformer and wired
it into the breaker box in The Molinos de Puerto Rico complex includes wheat, corn and rice caught flatfooted.
"Before the hurricane
our apartment. It allows milling operations (Photo taken after Hurricane Maria).
season each year we try to
me to turn on lights from
fill our elevator, which has roughly
regular light switches. But the dryer as they could on generators."
After the hurricane, Molinos 3 million bus of storage," he said.
won't work, so we hang the clothes
out on a clothes line. The generator de Puerto Rico ran for nearly two "Within a week after the storm, the
gives us enough power to run the months before power from the grid unloading of ships resumed."
Similarly, even before deliveries
hot water heater so we can take hot was restored, operating instead with
4,000 kva (1,000 volt amp) of gener- resumed following the storm, the
showers. It's a timing thing."
mill began pre-positioning flour for
Compared to others at the com- ating power.
The Molinos de Puerto Rico com- shipment.
pany, Mr. Stuewe considers himself
"It took a while to get everyone
fortunate. While no one was injured plex includes wheat, corn and rice
from the devastating Sept. 20 storm, milling operations. Its Amapola back on line," Mr. Stuewe said.
20 of the mill's 100 employees lost ev- brand is the island's most popular "Most of our major customers have
erything, Mr. Stuewe said in a Jan. 18 family flour and retail corn meal generators. They were fired up withinterview with Milling & Baking News. brand. Molinos de Puerto Rico in three to four days of the storm. We
A Puerto Rico resident for more products are sold beyond Puerto had trucks filled with flour. As soon
than 20 years, Mr. Stuewe said the Rico in the Caribbean and mainland as roads were cleared we shipped."
Four months later, most, but not
difficulties faced since the storm United States.
Mr. Stuewe estimated the mill con- all, transportation problems have
have not been overstated.
"If you go into San Juan in the sumed 5,500 gallons of fuel per day been resolved.
"It's just a free-for-all at traffic
middle of the day, your first reaction to generate power so Molinos could
may be, 'This looks kind of normal,'" continue producing food for con- lights," Mr. Stuewe said. "Kind of
he said. "As it gets darker you begin sumers on the island. Since power go on your own. Everyone drives
to realize there are no street lights was restored, the company has lost defensively. Major intersections get
or stop lights. A mile or so outside power only twice (and relied on backed up."
While the mix of business at Moliof San Juan you begin to see that generators).
"Once we got started, we were nos de Puerto Rico has not changed
some places have lights and others
swamped with orders trying to get dramatically, Mr. Stuewe said a
are dark."
Mr. Stuewe estimated that two- wheat flour, corn flour and rice," Mr. number of smaller retail bakeries
thirds of Puerto Rico now has power Stuewe said. "Run time is still heavy, were severely damaged and have not
10 / January 30, 2018

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