VeraSun Energy Corp. (NYSE: VSE), one of the nation’s largest ethanol producers, today announced the startup of its 110 million gallon per year (mgpy) ethanol biorefinery located near Hankinson, N.D.
The Hankinson production facility marks the 12th VeraSun biorefinery in operation, increasing the company’s annual operating capacity to 1.2 billion gallons.
Construction on the Hankinson facility began in August of 2006 and was completed in June. It will annually process approximately 39 million bushels of corn and produce about 350,000 tons of distillers grains for livestock feed. VeraSun took ownership of the facility through its merger with US BioEnergy, which became final on April 1.
"The decision to begin production at Hankinson is based on a number of factors, including an improved margin environment as well as other business considerations unique to the facility," VeraSun CEO Don Endres said. "We continue to closely monitor market conditions and make decisions that are in the best interest of our company."
Located on a 220-acre site just off of Interstate I-29 in southeastern North Dakota, the Hankinson ethanol biorefinery employs approximately 50 people. It is the third VeraSun facility to come on-line this year, joining sister production facilities in Marion, S.D., and Bloomingburg, Ohio, all engineered by ICM, Inc., of Colwich, Kan. and built by Fagen, Inc., of Granite Falls, Minn.
About VeraSun Energy Corporation
VeraSun Energy Corporation, headquartered in Brookings, S.D., is a leading producer and marketer of ethanol and distillers grains, a valuable livestock feed. Founded in 2001, the company has a fleet of 16 production facilities in eight states, of which two are still under construction. VeraSun Energy is scheduled to have an annual production capacity of approximately 1.64 billion gallons of ethanol and more than five million tons of distillers grains by the end of 2008.
VeraSun also markets E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline for use in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), directly to fuel retailers under the brand VE85®.
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