Also, in an unrelated move, will close down a feed mill in North Carolina
Cargill is expanding a soybean crush and refined oils facility in Sidney, Ohio, and, in an unrelated move, is closing an animal feed mill in Wilson, North Carolina.
The company will invest approximately $225 million at the Sidney site, increasing crush capacity and modernizing operations. The investment creates greater market access for farmers’ crops in the area and allows those farmers to deliver their soybeans more efficiently, as the upgraded plant will unload trucks at a much faster rate.
“Farmers are at the core of our business. This investment will help us provide them a better experience when they choose to sell their crops to us,” said Don Camden, commercial leader for the eastern region of Cargill’s agricultural supply chain business in North America. “This also demonstrates our commitment to invest in and grow with the Sidney community.”
“The increased capacity will strengthen and expand our U.S. crush footprint, enable us to meet the growing demand for soy products from our customers and further integrate our refined oil capabilities,” said Warren Feather, Cargill managing director of global crush.
The crush facility originally opened in 1978, with the refinery added a decade later. The expansion of the crush plant will provide Cargill’s adjacent refined oils facility with a larger, direct supply of crude soybean oil. When the expansion is complete in 2022, Cargill expects to add approximately 12 full-time jobs to the team of 325 employed at Sidney. In addition to these new jobs and the benefits to farmers, the expansion will boost the local economy during construction.
26 jobs eliminated in closure
In Wilson, North Carolina, Cargill will eliminate 26 jobs when it closes its animal feed manufacturing facility there in November.
“In an effort to streamline operations and better serve customers more efficiently and effectively in the Southeast market, Cargill has made the decision to close its Wilson animal feed manufacturing facility effective Nov. 29, 2019, and will service customers out of other Cargill feed mills going forward,” a Cargill Feed & Nutrition spokesperson said in a statement.
The facility was built in 1968 and purchased by Cargill from Central Soya in 1989.
