It might well be argued that no other industry was as important in the civilization of man as flour milling. As man discovered the process of grain milling he was able to evolve from wanderer, to farmer, to city dweller. The sale of flour is considered by many historians to be the first industrial enterprise. Wheat, grown for over 10,000 years, was regarded as a symbol of life and power by the ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, and Romans (steen p. 19). Both the art and business of grain milling evolved as world population grew. The cUltivation and milling of wheat migrated with man from the ancient Syrian/palestine region to Europe, Asia, and Africa (Storck & Teague p. 35). Each new society contributed some innovation which increased productivity in the industry.
Welge '92, Thomas B., "The Adaptation of Flour Milling Based Companies to Environmental Change" (1992). Honors Projects. Paper 14.