May 13, 2013

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) celebrated the official opening of its new soy processing facility in Paraguay, in the city of Villeta, which has a daily capacity of 3,500 tonnes and provided 160 direct jobs in the area.

"We are excited to join with President Franco and the people of Villeta to celebrate this new, world-class facility," said Juan Luciano, ADM executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This is yet another step forward as we work to implement our strategy to expand our operations in the world's key growing regions."

The new plant, which was constructed adjacent to the existing ADM fertiliser-blending facility in Villeta, expands ADM's South American oilseed crush capacity by more than 20%. The location of the complex, near a port facility on the Paraguay River, allows for efficient crop-origination and export capabilities. 

"The strategic location of our complex in Villeta enables the full integration of our logistics," Luciano continued. "Our barges arrive here with inputs for the production of fertilisers and leave loaded with our soy products. Trucks arrive with soy sourced from different regions of the country, and return to the field with fertilisers designed to meet the many and varied demands of productive, modern farmers."

The facility's construction included several elements designed to improve sustainability, including an integrated water treatment system, and biomass-fuelled electric power generation. In addition, ADM worked with government agencies and educational institutions, including the Engineering University of Asunción (UNA) and SINAFOCAL, to create and help operate an innovative three-month programme to help train local men and women to fill jobs at the facility.