The opportunity to network with suppliers and gain information on grain quality during the U.S. Grains Council’s Export Exchange 2012 was very valuable to Kiat Hwa Chu, who used Export Exchange to identify several prospective new suppliers. Chu, the general manager of the Malayan Flour Mills, based in Malaysia, also appreciated the examination of the supply chain from storage facilities to transportation to export facilities along with the trade mission he attended.

All of that and more “helps me in my procurement strategy and decision making process,” Chu said, as does understanding the quality of U.S. feed products and the processing of those products.

Chu’s company operates two feed mills in Malaysia plus a fully integrated poultry operation, from a breeder farm to a broiler farm to a processing plant. Malayan Flour Mills also operates a further processing facility to supply sausage and nuggets to a major fast food chain that has outlets across Malaysia.

While at Export Exchange, Chu met with several potential new suppliers. “I’ve been in the business 20 years and I still find more suppliers,” he said, “especially those who do not have an opportunity to have an office in Southeast Asia or Malaysia. I had a great opportunity to discuss with them in length.”

In fact, he said he was in the middle of negotiating several deals to buy U.S. feed grains and co-products like distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) during the meeting. Countries in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Indonesia rank among the top 10 U.S. export markets for DDGS.

Chu said the Council “played a very important role in giving us information on U.S. commodities,” as well as the quality of those products, plus research that provided details on their nutrient value compared to products of other origins.

Whenever issues arise, such as questions about the quality of corn or corn gluten, he said, the Council has been there to help find the answers and solve the problem and to have good quality control. It is a “very good channel of communication,” he said. “We can’t do it without them.”