US-headed global agri-commodities processor Cargill Inc., has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art US$90 million biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas. Set to open January 2019, it will produce 60 million (US) gallons (≈ 227.12 million litres) of biodiesel annually.
According to a statement, opening the facility in Wichita will strengthen Cargill’s biodiesel operations in the heart of the Midwest where it already has biodiesel plants in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri. Unlike other traders of biodiesel, Cargill is an integrated producer managing the entire supply chain from origination to production to delivery.
This new facility will enable Wichita to be a competitive supplier in the biofuels market, bringing value to the suppliers and customers we work with, and connecting farmers with industrial customers by supplying quality biomass-based diesel. Biofuels are good for the US farm economy and can bring capital investment to agriculture while boosting economic development in farm communities, said Pat Woerner, biodiesel commercial leader for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business.
Construction of the new 42 000 square foot facility begins December 2017. Located at 1401 N. Mosley, Wichita, Kansas, it will employ approximately 35 full-time employees. The company has a presence in 12 Kansas communities and employs more than 4 000 people.
The plant will be located next to its oilseed processing plant and replaces an existing oil refinery managed by Cargill’s Global Edible Oil business that will transfer the existing edible oils production to alternate company facilities. Cargill has invested significantly in oil and shortenings products and says it remains committed to the food industry.
We are excited to bring this new facility to our farmers and customers in Wichita. At Cargill, we’re prepared to handle the demand for biofuels while balancing it against the need to nourish a growing global population, said Warren Feather, oilseed Managing Director for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business.
Cargill offers biofuels from a variety of renewable resources, including corn, soybeans, sugar cane, palm oil, and biogas. It produces ethanol and biodiesel in the US and the EU, ethanol in Brazil, and biodiesel in Argentina.
