Published on April 2, 2026 4:06 pm
Last Updated on April 2, 2026 4:10 pm
Left to right: Randy Prince (Illinois Manufacturing Association), Henry Siemer and Rick Siemer (Siemer Milling Company), and Courtney Yockey (Effingham Regional Growth Alliance)
Reaching a century in business is a rare and remarkable achievement—one that reflects innovation, leadership, and enduring commitment to Illinois manufacturing. In 2025, the Illinois Manufacturing Association (IMA) launched a statewide initiative to recognize companies that have operated in Illinois for 100 years or more. As part of this program, the IMA honored Siemer Milling Company for 143 years in business.
Founded on November 6, 1882, in Teutopolis, the company began as Hope Mills, Uptmor & Siemer Proprietors. In 1906, Joseph Siemer and his son, Clemens J. Siemer, purchased the Uptmor interests and officially established the name Siemer Milling Company, which the organization still carries today.
Siemer Milling Company specializes in producing high-quality wheat flour milled to precise specifications for leading brands in consumer-packaged foods and food service. Their products support the creation of cookies, crackers, cakes, pretzels, batters and breading, bread, biscuits, and more. The company maintains close, long-term partnerships with some of the most trusted names in the food industry.
From its roots in Teutopolis, the company has expanded to include modern flour mills in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and West Harrison, Indiana.
Today, Siemer Milling’s operations:
• Employ more than 170 team members
• Purchase 25 million bushels of locally grown wheat annually, valued at more than $100 million
• Produce 750,000 tons of processed wheat products each year, including flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ
This recognition celebrates not only Siemer Milling Company’s longevity, but also its ongoing contributions to local agriculture, regional economies, and the greater food manufacturing supply chain.
