ICM enters Brazilian marketplace and opens new office in São Paulo

US biofuels process technology provider ICM will be opening a regional office in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. 

As an industry-leader in the development and optimisation of ethanol technologies, ICM is in the process of hiring a team of employees to service the needs of the region. 

ICM’s plans to develop enhanced operations in Brazil were initiated by the transformation taking place in the country.

In a statement, the company said: “Today, Brazil’s strong agricultural economy, favourable growing conditions producing record corn yields, infrastructure development, and local demand for grains use in livestock productions and ethanol use are aligning to bring great opportunities within the country.”

The demand for ethanol versus the current low production has created a gap of approximately 3 billion litres that is expected to grow to 5 billion litres by 2022. The solution to meet the bioenergy fuel needs of the country of Brazil can be found in areas with an abundance of corn, according to ICM.

ICM believes a typical corn ethanol biorefinery in Brazil, based on local demand and infrastructure, can be constructed to produce 200 to 400 million litres of ethanol per year. This would indicate an opportunity for at least 25 corn ethanol biorefineries in Brazil complementing ethanol produced from sugarcane.

New jobs

These type of biorefineries can bring an expected 100 plus new jobs to the communities where they reside in the region as well as numerous indirect jobs and significant labour positions during its construction. At full rate, one 200 million litre biorefinery will originate over 500,000 metric tons of corn sourced primarily from the local area.

 ICM has designed and/or built over 100 plants in North America with an expanding presence in South America.

Most recently, ICM designed the FS Bioenergia ethanol biorefinery located in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s Corn Belt, near the city of Lucas do Rio Verde. ICM’s scope of work included providing technologies, engineering, proprietary equipment, and services.

“We see enormous business opportunity for both the agricultural community and the renewable fuels industry in Brazil,” said Tim Allen, VP of Finance at ICM. “ICM has built relationships in the country evaluating the opportunities and are currently working with the financial markets and investors within the country to discuss the lucrative opportunities that exist.”