Any business starts with an idea, a dream and even sometimes a problem. But often just
having an idea or solution is not enough. What it takes to turn an idea, or dream, into a
reality are years of hard work, perseverance and strategic business decisions. One such an
idea was the start of Maize Master, a South African based company that specialises in
manufacturing milling solutions to both big and small companies, communities and
individuals, and the man behind the idea was Andries Greyling.
Andries was born and raised in Heidelberg, Gauteng. After school, he left to become a
qualified fitter and turner and started his career working on the railway. Eventually, he left
and started working at a prominent milling company where the seed for Maize Master was
planted. Here, Andries saw an opportunity to simplify the milling process and make it more
accessible. He started out by building his own feeding mill and thereafter embarked on
producing a simplified maize mill that could mill 500kg/h. Today this mill still exists and is
better known as the MM500 – the first small scale roller mill in the world.
The MM500 was the very first mill manufactured in the Maize Master factory and the design
became so popular that they had to build 40 units each month just to keep up with the
growing demand – quite a feat for a start-up manufacturer in the ‘80s. The small-scale mill
that was, and still is, easy to operate catered to producers that wanted to add value to their
existing farming operations, entrepreneurs that wanted to start their own milling business
and communities that saw the opportunity to mill their own maize.
Today Andries Greyling (Jnr) is at the helm of the company with Johann Kruger as managing
director. Maize Master manufactures a wide variety of turnkey milling equipment that
produces quality milled products for both the animal feed and consumer food industry. The
factory can also manufacture customised milling solutions and have clients throughout Africa.
Recently, the company also introduced its first ever containerised mill – the MM3500. The
MM3500 is specifically designed to fit into a container which makes it easy to ship anywhere
in Africa while at the same time still delivering high-quality maize meal.
After 31 years, the Maize Master brand is still going from strength to strength and is firmly
focussed on manufacturing machinery that’s more effective and affordable than any other
milling equipment manufacturer. Their passion for achievement and innovation serves as
the company’s driving force which they believe will propel them into the future and ensure
that they keep on serving the milling industry for many more years.
Caption: Andries Greyling (Snr), stands in front of the first-ever Maize Master mill, called the
MAIZE MASTER 500kg/h with his two sons, Andries (Jnr) and Burgert Greyling. Today the
MAIZE MASTER 500kg/h is better known as the MM500.