Toll grinding is a specialty service whereby companies whose products require the breakdown of solid materials into smaller pieces or reduction of particle sizes can have batches processed for a fee or “toll”.  Also called toll milling or contract processing, this increasingly common business service is used in the manufacture of a wide range of products and industries.

There are two types of grinding involved in the processing of materials: dry grinding and wet grinding.  Dry grinding has lower capital and operating costs but is restricted in the number of products that can be manufactured using this process due to its limited ability to reduce particle size.  Wet grinding offers a number of benefits over dry grinding including greater flexibility in production options.

Wet grinding involves the milling of solid materials in a liquid medium.  The mixture of elements or slurry is processed using specialized equipment to break the product down into fine particles.  The wet grinding process is generally more complex and expensive, requiring additional steps, energy and labor.  However, the process has a higher efficiency with the ability to produce more products and generates the finer particles sizes necessary for various products.

Increased costs for raw materials, equipment, labor and energy make controlling costs a challenge for manufacturers looking to produce finer and finer particle sizes.  Toll manufacturers can provide cost-effective business services over in-house production.

Benefits of Toll Grinding

Custom Milling & Consulting LLC, offers a diverse range of toll processing services for wetted applications including grinding, milling, mixing, blending and compounding.  With more than 25 years’ experience, CMC has serviced customers in various industries, especially within the paints, inks and coatings sectors.  Specialized equipment utilizing advanced media mill technology is used to process materials and achieve reduction in particle size to submicron and nanometer ranges.

The company has the ability to process small-scale .5L pilot or sample batches to large-scale production batches of 2,000 gallons.  Customers are able to evaluate and test market products prior to going into full production to ensure specifications are met.  Our Technology Center provides a state-of-the-art testing facility with technical support, formulation development and quality analysis.

Toll processing services provide the following benefits:

  • No capital expenses
  • No additional cost for personnel or facilities
  • No liability costs or insurance required
  • Decreased production costs
  • Assortment of equipment available for various applications
  • Experience with handling volatile or hazardous materials
  • Customer service laboratory for support and testing
  • Flexibility in changes to quantity or formulation
  • Orders can be filled on short notice
  • Confidentiality agreement and process documentation available

Custom Milling & Consulting LLC, is an established manufacturer of process equipment for particle size reductions and dispersions including a full line of grinding mills, horizontal media mills and basket mills.  The company offers custom toll milling and contract processing services with acquisition of raw materials, product packaging, labeling, storage and delivery also available.  Whether filling a production shortfall or launching a new product, CMC has the perfect solution to satisfy your wet grinding/milling needs.