The joint venture will expand the processing capacity of its Gramercy, LA sugar refinery in response to high demand.

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LSR Facility Image[1] copy.png
Image courtesy of Louisiana Sugar Refining (LSR)

Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC (LSR), a joint venture between Louisiana Sugar Growers and Refiners, Inc. (SUGAR) and Cargill, plans to expand the operation of its 207-acre sugar refinery in Gramercy, LA to process more Louisiana raw cane sugar to meet the increasing customer demand for an array of sugar products.

The expansion includes infrastructure enhancements to increase refinery capacity, such as increasing daily melt and production of more value-added products, and to improve its packaging capabilities. In addition, LSR is adding more rail tracks and expanding it loadout operations to move product faster and more efficiently. With these improvements, LSR is now equipped to be a leading processor for all of Louisiana’s raw sugar production.

“We’ve been able to creatively engineer our available space to increase efficiencies and reliability of most, if not all, of the plant’s components.  With investments in people and new equipment, new integrated control systems and now the infrastructure, LSR has the potential to be the first U.S. refinery to process 1.5 million tons of high-quality raw sugar,” said Larry Faucheux, LSR CEO.  “This investment is a testament to our commitment to driving continuous and future growth of LSR.”

The LSR team relies on its 400 local employees to help refine its more than 1 million tons of raw sugar annually, which represents more than two-thirds of the sugar grown in Louisiana.  Approximately 800 Louisiana growers, all located within a 110-mile radius of LSR, currently supply the refinery with all of its raw sugar needs through SUGAR, a cooperative of growers who patronize SUGAR’s eight sugar mills. Cargill markets the sugar produced at the LSR joint venture refinery.

“We remain committed to LSR’s vision and the people that have made this possible. We look forward to expanding LSR’s opportunities,” said Mike Comb, Chairman of LSR Board of Governors and General Manager of Louisiana Sugar Cane Cooperative, a member of SUGAR.

The project is expected to reach completion in 2023.

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Powder Bulk Solids Staff

Established in 1983, Powder & Bulk Solids (PBS) serves industries that process, handle, and package dry particulate matter, including the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical markets.

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