Cargill to Build New Corn Processing Plant

SAO PAULO, Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill today announced plans to build a new corn processing plant in Brazil to produce starches and sweeteners solutions. The company will invest R$350 million to keep up with rising customer demand in Brazil. The new plant will add around 30 percent to Cargill´s existing corn crushing capacity in South America. The new facilities will be based in one of three Brazilian states under consideration. A decision on location is expected in the first quarter of this year with the plant scheduled to start operating in 2013.

This is Cargill´s second investment in this business in a little over two years. In March 2010 the company concluded an expansion that increased the capacity of the starches and sweeteners plant in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, by 70 percent. The expansion of the Uberlandia facilities represented an investment of R$197 million, which also included a new boiler to produce clean electric energy from biomass that supplies 70 percent of local energy needs.

"The partnership with our customers and rising domestic demand were key aspects that drove our investment. Cargill´s global leadership team sees with great optimism the growth of business in Brazil," says Gonzalo Petschen, leader of the company´s South America Starches and Sweeteners business.

Corn-based ingredients are part of the everyday lives of consumers. Dairy products, candies, confections, beverages, bread, animal feed and paper industry raw materials are examples of products that use Cargill starches and sweeteners.

Innovation

Additionally, the new plant may also have a line dedicated to new corn-based ingredients, some that had previously not been available in the Brazilian market. Cargill has proprietary technologies, developed on a worldwide scale, that provide food-ingredient and industrial solutions for the company's customers. "Discussions are at an advanced stage, and we hope to have these innovations available for our customers soon," says Petschen.

About Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and trader of food, agricultural, risk management, and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the company employs 131,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps its customers succeed through collaboration and innovation and is committed to using its global knowledge and experience to overcome economic, environmental, and social challenges wherever the company does business. For more information, visit the company's website at www.cargill.com.

Cargill has been in Brazil since 1965; while its operations started out in agriculture, today the company is one of the largest food companies in the country. Based in Sao Paulo, SP, the company is present in 13 Brazilian states. Cargill has plants and branch offices in nearly 122 cities in the country and employs about 6,000 people.

SOURCE Cargill

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