Cargill building ‘state-of-the-art’ biodiesel plant in Kansas

US-based biofuels producer Cargill has announced plans to produce a $90 million (€75 million), “state-of-the-art” biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas.

Set to open in January 2019, the new biodiesel facility will produce 60 million gallons of biodiesel annually.

“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,” said Pat Woerner, biodiesel commercial leader for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business.

“Biofuels are good for the U.S. farm economy and can bring capital investment to agriculture while boosting economic development in farm communities.”

Construction of the new 42,000 square foot facility will begin December 2017. It will employ approximately 35 full-time employees. The plant will be located next to Cargill’s oilseed processing plant in the area, and will replace an existing oil refinery managed by Cargill’s Global Edible Oil business.

Cargill already has a strong biodiesel operation in the US Midwest, with plants in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri. Unlike many other biodiesel traders, Cargill is an ‘integrated producer’ managing the entire supply chain from origination to production and delivery.

“We are excited to bring this new facility to our customers and farmers in Wichita,” said Warren Feather, oilseed managing director for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business. “At Cargill, we’re prepared to handle demand for biofuels while balancing it against the need to nourish a growing global population.”

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 U.S. and the EU, ethanol in Brazil, and biodiesel in Argentina.

The company has a presence in 12 Kansas communities and employs more than 4,000 people.