Ethanol production has become a key market for U.S. corn, but margins are often tight. New technology would allow existing ethanol plants to convert a part of their production into making plant-based chemicals that have higher values, with profits that could be passed along to corn growers. “We know that ethanol today is a commodity that has been really pressed …
Adding Value with Identity Preservation
Identity preservation (IP) is a popular way to add value to a grower’s corn crop, but it takes some attention to detail. “Identity preservation is a mindset,” said Chuck Hill, specialty products manager for AgriGold Hybrids. “You’re not producing corn. You’re producing an ingredient that goes into a variety of things, and that’s what the buyer wants.” Hill presented at …
Keeping Up With Corn Research
While the content shared during sessions at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference was very technical, it was valuable to Mark Sponsler, Executive Director of the Colorado Corn Growers Association. “Behind any market development effort, and at the root or the base of any new technology that represents market demand, there has to be a foundation of solid research,” …
Technology Continues to Evolve for Corn Sweeteners
Innovations in the corn sweetener industry were among those on display at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis. Companies like Novasep were on hand to present the latest information and technology they have on processes like glucose/fructose separation. “We have made and work on drastic changes and optimization of this technology which opens new areas of …
Growing Corn for Future Generations
Corn quality and related research and production techniques were among topics on the agenda at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis. The future of the industry is a favorite subject of Dennis Maple, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association‘s Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team. “I think we’re still going to have a big pile …
Iowa Corn Growers Attend CUTC
Members of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board attended the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis to showcase a current research project on developing monoethylene glycol (MEG) from corn. MEG is used in products like antifreeze, plastic soda bottles and polyester clothes. It provides a renewable product and expands the market for corn. …
Making Chemicals From Ethanol
Participants in the 2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference in St. Louis were largely interested in expanding the market for ethanol, and not necessarily in conventional ways. “We’re hoping to provide alternatives to the sale of ethanol into the fuels market,” said Ron Cascone, principal with Nexant, Inc. “The theme of what I’m doing here is to show that there …
New Processes Create Opportunities in Biochemical Industry
Companies like Dedert Corporation are watching technologies they’ve used in the petrochemical industry for years now being applied to the biochemical industry in exciting ways. The company provides thermal systems to the starch and ethanol industry, with a focus on drying solids and concentrating liquids. “For us, the most interesting thing is seeing what’s happening with in particular the bio-based …
#CornTech18 Poster Contest Winners
A graduate student from Iowa State University took home the top prize in the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Utilization and Technology Conference 2018 Poster contest held in St. Louis, Mo. this week. Joseph P. Polin, from Iowa State University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, received top honors in the Gary Lamie Student Poster Competition, sponsored by the Indiana Corn Marketing …
Filter Technology Key to Corn Milling Process
The sifting and separation process is an important one when it comes to corn and wet milling. Sefar is a global company headquartered in Switzerland, whose specialty is precision weaving synthetic fabrics used in a variety of applications primarily for filtration, including in corn and wet milling plants. “We have a lot of partnerships and ongoing businesses with the corn …