February 10, 2006

ADM to add rapeseed capability to Netherlands plant

Archer Daniels Midland Company announced plans on Thursday to convert an existing soybean crushing line to provide multi-seed crushing capacity at its Europoort location in Rotterdam.

The expanded facility will have a crush capacity of more than one million tonnes and a soybean-crushing line will be modified to provide rapeseed-crushing capability, the company said in a news release. The conversion was made to supply the company's biodiesel production operations and to meet the needs of its food oil customers. The added rapeseed capability will also allow the company to switch between soybean and rapeseed crushing, depending on market demand.

Mark Zenuk, vice president of ADM said the plant would complement the company's existing network of biodiesel and food ingredient businesses throughout Europe. Biofuels is expected to become an important energy source as global demand for energy grows, he added.

The plant is expected to be operational by January 2007. ADM is one of the world's largest processors of soybeans, corn, wheat and cocoa.