Former Ineos exec to help build biofuels business

09 August 2006 16:04  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--American biofuels producer Blue Diamond Ventures said on Wednesday it has hired a former Ineos executive to assist in developing the company's biofuels trading division.

Robert Luiten, former chief operating officer and vice president of Ineos Phenol, a division of Ineos Americas, will work in a consulting capacity, Blue Diamond said. Luiten is now chief executive of Zenergy International.

Earlier this year, Blue Diamond announced plans to build ethanol and biodiesel facilities in Oklahoma and Belize.

Blue Diamond plans to initially construct a 3.5m gallon/year ethanol facility and a 5m gallon/year biodiesel facility in Belize. Blue Diamond chairman John Moaning said he envisions expanding the facility to 50m gallons/year as Belize farmers grow more sugar cane in anticipation of selling it to the ethanol facility.

Sugarcane and molasses will be used as the main feedstock for ethanol, Moaning said. The biodiesel will be manufactured from vegetable oils such as soybeans, canola and palm and from animal fats processed at Blue Diamond facilities, he added.

By: Heather McGuire Doyle
+1 713 525 2653

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