SOMERSET, Ky. — Continental Refining Co. (CRC), a leading fuels refiner and distributor in Somerset, has expanded its biorefinery product line to include soybean meal and hulls. It is a milestone in the company’s growth by delivering high-quality products and excellent customer service.
CRC is fully operational in its soybean processing facility, with the ability to process 330 tons of soybeans into 250 tons of high-protein meal daily and the potential to expand production to over 500 tons per day. The product is widely recognized as an essential animal feed supplement and is commonly used in pet food due to its exceptional nutritional value. CRC’s crushing process also yields hulls, which are a valuable feed ingredient for livestock and poultry. These products are extracted from the outer layer of soybeans during the crushing process, enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of CRC’s production methods.
“We are steadfast in our pursuit to expand our product line with these superior soybean byproducts,” declared Demetrios Haseotes, CEO of Continental Refining Co. “We have no doubt that our customers in the central Kentucky region will appreciate the accessibility of locally produced, premium feed ingredients.”
The purchasers of soybean meal and hulls include livestock producers, poultry producers, pet food manufacturers, and feed mills. The market size for soybean meal and hulls in the central Kentucky region is estimated to be approximately 250,000 tons per year, with demand spread throughout the regions of Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana.
In 2017, the last year for which final statistical data has been compiled, domestic animal agriculture in Kentucky consumed 652.2 thousand tons of soybean meal, according to the Kentucky Soybean Board, making it the largest source of meal demand in the state and placing Kentucky as the 17th largest consumer of meal in the nation. Animal agriculture in Kentucky also consumed 21,228 tons of soy hulls.
The expansion of the soybean meal and hulls product line enables the plant to process almost four million bushels of soybeans per year (84,000 tons) into vegetable oil and soybean meal and hulls for livestock and poultry feed. Additionally, the company’s biodiesel refining division is expected to generate up to five million gallons per year.
CRC operates a 77-acre ag and petroleum industrial complex that processes raw soybeans and other feedstocks to create a range of feed products, such as the high-quality mechanically extruded meal and crude degummed oil. CRC produces soybean oil that meets the highest standards of quality and purity before it is fed into their biodiesel plant where pure biodiesel and their UltraBurn diesel blends are processed. CRC’s UltraBurn F20 is blended with 20 percent CRC produced biodiesel, 80 percent petroleum diesel and special additives are added to the blend to increase lifespan and performance of the fuel.
“We are pleased to continue serving our valued customers with these exciting new products, while contributing to the local economy,” stated Haseotes. “We remain dedicated to expanding our long-established reputation as a reliable supplier and distributor of fuel products.” Continental Refining Co.’s steadfast commitment to quality and customer service is an unwavering hallmark, and the company’s expansion serves as a testament to its resolute commitment to excellence.
