Louis Dreyfus in Claypool Adds Lecithin Plant to Facility

Louis Dreyfus Company celebrated the opening of a new plant in Claypool, Indiana earlier this month. They say the opening of their new soy liquid lecithin plant positions the site as the country’s largest facility integrating soybean processing, biodiesel production, and glycerin and lecithin refining operations, as well as a food-grade packaging line and canola oil distribution terminal.
So, what is soy liquid lecithin?
“It marries oil and water in food ingredients. And so, it’s a binder. It keeps things together,” says Thomas Dirmyer, North America commercial manager for LDC’s food ingredients business. “Anything from chocolate to shelf stable brownies and muffins and treats through salad dressings and prepared gravies and things like that. There are also some personal care applications, etcetera. It can be used as an antioxidant and a flavor enhancer. It’s a utility infielder, if you will, of food ingredients.”
Dirmyer says the support from local government officials in Kosciusko County, state officials in Indiana, and others, has allowed for the continued growth of the LDC complex in Claypool.
We’ve got great support from [The Indiana Soybean Alliance]. Everyone’s interested in what we do, they’re supportive with anything that we need, and we’re excited to grow up the job base here. We’re adding new jobs. This plant doesn’t run itself. We’re very excited about that. And so, there were no other considerations than Claypool for us to make an investment here for this company.
For more on what soy liquid lecithin is and the potential growth for that market, listen to the interview with Dirmyer below.