Construction to start on ethanol plant

MAUMEE, Ohio – The Andersons Inc. will immediately begin construction on the largest, dry-mill ethanol plant east of the Mississippi River in Clymers, Ind., having completed funding arrangements and obtained environmental permits.
The plant will be owned and operated by The Andersons Clymers Ethanol LLC. The Andersons Inc. will be the manager, and together with seven other investors, co-owner of The Andersons Clymers Ethanol LLC.
The designer and general contractor will be ICM Inc. of Colwich, Kan., an industry leader in ethanol technology and plant construction.
Supply and demand. The demand for ethanol – a gasoline additive derived from corn – is expected to increase from less than two billion gallons in 2002 to more than seven billion gallons by 2012, according to The Andersons Inc. president and CEO, Mike Anderson.
With completion expected in the first quarter of 2007, the Clymers plant will produce 110 million gallons of ethanol each year, as well as 350,000 tons of distillers dried grains, an animal feed ingredient.
Economy booster. “We expect this plant will process 40 million bushels of corn each year, primarily sourced from Cass and surrounding counties, significantly benefiting area farmers and agribusinesses,” said Neill McKinstray, vice president & general manager of ethanol, a business unit of the grain division.
“In addition to creating between 40 and 50 new jobs, the construction project is expected to bring significant dollars into the community as well.”
Related business. The Andersons Inc. operates 13 agriculture-related business units in 10 Indiana counties, including four grain terminals handling in excess of 50 million bushels of grain annually.
The ethanol plant will be strategically located next to the company’s existing grain facility, allowing access to an abundant amount of corn, utilities and transportation infrastructure.
More ethanol plants. The company also has a 44-percent equity stake in The Andersons Albion Ethanol LLC in Albion, Mich., and an 8-percent equity position in Iroquois Bio-Energy Company LLC in Rensselaer, Ind. Both plants are under construction and expected to begin producing ethanol in 2006.
The Albion and Rensselaer plants will have 55 million gallons and 40 million gallons of ethanol production capacity, respectively.