The plant will be capable of processing more than 40 million bushels of soybeans annually.
The plant will be capable of processing more than 40 million bushels of soybeans annually. It will increase the total soy processing capacity in Michigan to more than 50 million bushels per year, ZFS Ithaca said.
“We are not building and sizing the facility for today, but for tomorrow,” said Cliff Meeuwsen, president of ZFS Ithaca, LLC. “This is a long-term, 40- or 50-year investment in Michigan agriculture. We are building a legacy plant that will fulfill all of Michigan’s soybean processing needs for decades.”
The project is expected to create approximately 75 full-time jobs. Construction is slated to start in late 2016, with operations expected to begin in late 2018 or 2019. The project is contingent on permits, incentives and other customary approvals.
“This announcement is the latest example of the leadership and vision ZFS has always offered Michigan agriculture,” said Jim Byrum, president of the Michigan AgriBusiness Association. “Their commitment to growth and providing services and opportunities to Michigan farmers and businesses is well known, and their investment in Ithaca reflects that commitment. Just like the first soy processing plant in Zeeland that has been in operation for two decades, the new facility in Ithaca will boost local soybean prices for Michigan farmers, serve as a convenient, reliable source of soybean meal and hulls for livestock producers and allow Michigan’s agriculture sector to tap into growing markets at home and abroad for soy products.”
Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. is an agri-business service company with more than 65 years serving the agricultural industry. ZFS is a soy processor and vegetable oil refiner, with other business units in grain storage and merchandising, feed ingredients, commodity export and seed. The company currently has 4.5 million bushels of storage capacity for soybeans, corn and wheat. The company has been owned by the Meeuwsen family in Zeeland, Michigan, U.S., since its inception in 1950. Zeeland Freight Services, LLC, Nebraska Corn Processing, LLC, Pennsylvania Grain Processing, LLC and Anew Fuel Services, LLC are other affiliates in the transportation, grain processing, and convenience store and fuel station industries with operations in Michigan, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. ZFS and its affiliates collectively employ more than 425 people.
