Lehi Roller Mills files for bankruptcy

LEHI — A longtime, well-known Utah County business has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The owners of Lehi Roller Mills filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec. 6 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to company spokesperson Rick Brown. The company hopes to reorganize, eventually emerge from bankruptcy and stay in business.

"We are still in business," Brown said. "It is business as usual. Now, with a new financial plan to give us a good financial basis, we can go forward."

The company has been in financial trouble since 2009, when its accounts were frozen and a line of credit withdrawn to prevent budget shortages. A lawsuit was filed earlier this year after the company failed to pay employees, but the suit was dropped after the employees were paid.

Some customers who heard of the bankruptcy filing came in to support the business.

Max-Parker Dahl, who bought a few brownie and pancake mixes Tuesday, said he sees value in the mills as a symbol of Lehi, particularly when it appeared on the big screen.

"It is iconic. My uncle was also in 'Footloose,'" Dahl said, referring to the 1984 film that was shot in Lehi. "Something iconic like this is pretty cool.

"I don’t want them to go away; there are four generations here. The community views it as their place to go for flour."

"It's been an institution here as long as we can remember," said customer Lynn Baker.

Lehi Roller Mills sells a variety of retail products. But the majority of the company’s sales of wheat and flour are to commercial customers.

The company is not saying how long it expects it will be before it can emerge from bankruptcy, but officials say it will be relatively soon.

E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com