Cargill Starts Construction of Vegetable Oil Refinery in Russia

25/01/05 Cargill has begun the construction of its first vegetable oil refinery in Russia, at its existing industrial complex in Efremov, Russia. The refinery will include facilities to bottle liquid oils such as sunflower, rapeseed and corn oil, and pack a full range of tropical oils and fats such as palm and coconut. Construction is scheduled to be completed by February 2006 at a cost of over US$60 million.
“By locating our oil refinery at Efremov we will capitalise on the existing infrastructure, employees and good working relationship with the Tula Oblast," says Dominique Le Doeuil, Manager of Cargill’s starches and sweeteners business in Russia. "In addition, a common location will help us capture synergies between our different businesses."
The refinery will be the latest addition to Cargill`s Efremov complex where the company has been producing glucose and starch for nearly ten years. A new facility producing sweeteners from wheat and a malt plant are also under construction. Both are scheduled to start in autumn 2005.
"Once production in the oil refinery is underway, we will produce a range of liquid oils for the Russian market under the Cargill "Sunny Gold" brand and supply Russian own label and food service customers," comments Rob Hansen, Manager of Cargill’s oil refinery project in Russia. "Customers for tropical oils will be the food manufacturing and food service industries for use in a variety of products, e.g., margarines, spreads, ready meals, bakery, confectionery and potato crisps, but will also include cosmetic manufacturers."