The Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has announced plans to expand the flour milling capacity of its wheat processing plants in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Spokane, Wash.

"The expanded capacity will further strengthen ADM's North American supply network and support regional demand growth," said the company, which - at an estimated daily grind of almost 280,000 hundredweight, or some 465,000 bushels - was already the nation's largest flour miller.

In a Monday press release, ADM said the daily operating capacity of its mill in Spokane would be expanded from 10,500 cwt to 12,500 cwt. ADM's Los Angeles flour mill will be expanded from 10,800 cwt to 11,800 cwt per day. Construction is currently underway, with expansion of both mills slated for completion by mid-year.

"ADM's Minneapolis, Minn., (Nokomis) mill will expand its white flour capacity by 4,500 cwt per day, by converting one of its existing farina production units," added the firm, which estimated completion of that conversion in "early summer of 2009."

In addition, ADM has already modified an existing milling unit at its Buffalo, N.Y., facility to add soft wheat flour production capabilities.

-By Gary Wulf; Dow Jones Newswires; Gary.Wulf@dowjones.com