VILLETA, PARAGUAY — Archer Daniels Midland Co. on May 10 celebrated the official ribbon cutting of its new soybean processing facility in Villeta. The plant has a daily capacity of 3,500 tonnes and has provided 160 direct jobs in the area. The new plant, which was constructed adjacent to an existing ADM fertilizer-blending facility in Villeta, expands ADM’s South American oilseed crush capacity by more than 20%. The location of the complex, near a port facility on the Paraguay river, allows for efficient crop-origination and export capabilities, ADM said.

“The strategic location of our complex in Villeta enables the full integration of our logistics,” said Juan Luciano, executive vice-president and chief operating officer for ADM. “Our barges arrive here with inputs for the production of fertilizers and leave loaded with our soy products. Trucks arrive with soy sourced from different regions of the country, and return to the field with fertilizers designed to meet the many and varied demands of productive, modern farmers.”

Additionally, ADM said the facility’s construction includes several elements designed to improve sustainability, including an integrated water treatment system, and biomass-fueled electric power generation.