Business Briefs

Fluid Quip Process Technologies has announced the addition of Neal Jakel, who will lead the company’s strategy and technology growth efforts. In this role, Jakel will oversee the company’s current growth plans with the primary focus on bringing a broad array of technologies and solutions to the biorefinery and renewable chemical industries. He previously served as the general manager of Illinois River Energy and has more than 20 years of technical and operations expertise.

Red River Energy LLC has signed an ethanol marketing agreement with Noble Mansfield Commodity Services, a marketing organization jointly owned by Mansfield Oil and Nobel Americas Corp. Energy Management Solutions, a subsidiary of ICM Inc., is managing the day-to-day operations and activities of the 25 MMgy plant located in Rosholt, South Dakota.

Compagnie Industrielle de la Matière Végétale has signed a collaboration agreement with Dyadic International Inc. to commercialize second-generation biofuel and biobased chemical technology. Taurus Energy AB cooperates with both companies and will provide the yeast.   

The European renewable ethanol association, ePURE, has appointed Robert Wright as its new secretary general. Wright has a more than 20 years of experience working in EU public policy and public affairs. He has worked for the EU Commission and in the energy and technology sectors. Wright replaces Rob Vierhout, who officially stepped down from secretary general of ePURE in September.

U.S. Grains Council recently announced the members of the organization’s 2014-'15 Advisory Teams (A-Teams). This year, the USGC’s A-Team structure has changed to include an Ethanol A-Team, which is designed to give a better focus and more in-depth attention to the USGC’s new ethanol export promotion program. Raymond Defenbaugh of Big River Resources LLC has been named leader of the Ethanol A-Team.

Alan Germain has joined Blue Ocean Brokerage LLC in a business development role. A veteran trader at Hess Corp., Germain has been instrumental in the development and growth of the U.S. biodiesel, ethanol and RIN (renewable identification number)over-the-counter markets.

Syngenta has announced 52 new corn hybrids for the 2015 planting season, including six new Enogen corn hybrids. Enogen corn is bioengineered to enhance ethanol production. It enables ethanol plants to purchase alpha amylase enzyme in the form of high-quality grain directly from local farmers, increase ethanol yield and throughput, and decrease costs associated with natural gas, electricity, water and chemical usage.

The Renewable Fuels Association elected new leadership at its annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, in October. Randall Doyal, general manager and CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel, has been selected as the next chairman of the board of directors. Mick Henderson, general manager of Commonwealth Agri-Energy, will serve as vice-chairman. Walter Wendland of Golden Grain Energy LLC was elected treasurer. Bob Dinneen, CEO of the RFA, was re-elected president.  

Ceres Inc.’s board of directors has elected Cheryl Morley to serve as its chair. She has served on the company’s board of directors since 2011. From 2003-2009, Morley was senior vice president of corporate strategy with Monsanto Co. She will replace Walter De Logi, former chairman of the board and co-founder of Ceres. The company also announced that former director Pascal Brandys has rejoined the board and will assume the chair of the company’s audit committee, a position previously held by Morley.

Joule has announced its engineered photosynthetic biocatalyst has been shown to divert 95 percent of fixed carbon, normally converted to biomass, directly to fuel. The achievement was made at the company’s demonstration facility in Hobbs, New Mexico. Joule also recently entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Scatec Solar ASA. Terms of the MOU anticipate that Scatec Solar will become a preferred supplier and operator of photovoltaic power installations for Joule plants. A separate MOU was announced with DNV GL, a provider of technical assurance and advisory services to the energy industry. DNV GL and Joule will define specific areas of collaboration to accelerate the production of carbon dioxide-neutral fuels.

Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits has announced that Craig Ammann has been promoted to director of sales for the North American region. He is responsible for leading, communicating and directing the regional sales, technical, and product managers within this group. Ammann will also manage and direct new start-up business in the region and manage key customer groups. He has more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience, including experience working for a major biofuels project management and engineering company emphasizing the development of cellulosic ethanol production and optimization of existing ethanol production facilities.

A new publication featuring spray guns and a detailed technical reference section on spray technology is available from Spraying Systems Co. GunJet Catalog 75 provides specific information on hundreds of low-, medium- and high-pressure GunJet spray guns that are widely used for cleaning and rinsing applications.