Marquis secures permits for Illinois soy crush project
Located in Hennepin, Illinois the Marquis soybean crush facility will be one of the largest single-site soybean processors in the US, when operational in 2025.
The new plant will purchase soybeans within a 75-mile radius of the Marquis Industrial Complex, catering to the needs of farmers and businesses engaged in soybean production, said the company. By crushing 6,000 tons of soybeans per day, Marquis Grain will procure about 80 million bushels of soybeans annually.
A new 700-foot loading dock on the mile-long riverfront will allow the export of 20 barges of soybean meal from the complex each week, which will be about 1.5 million tons each year.
The soybean crush facility will generate significant employment opportunities during both the construction phase and the long-term operations of the facility, added Marquis.
Mark Marquis, Marquis’s CEO, said: “We are confident this facility will set new benchmarks in soybean processing excellence, safety and sustainability.”
Soybean oil produced at the new facility will be a key feedstock for clean-burning renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), he reported.
The Biden Administration, via the EPA’s recent revision of the three-year renewable fuel standard volume obligations, is sending a clear signal that it sees renewable diesel markets growing over the next three years, while renewable fuel-grade ethanol markets are expected to contract, noted the CEO.
US soy crush expansion
The Marquis plant is just one of many new or expanded soybean processing facilities pegged to come online in the US over the next few years.
The US currently has around 60 crushing plants with a total capacity of about two million bushels per year. To date, there have been announcements made for new builds along with existing processing plant expansions; they would add about 750 million bushels per year in processing capacity.
Potentially, there are 13 new sites coming on stream along with eight plants set to expand operations.
