October 4, 2016
BY Renewable Energy Group Inc.
Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced Oct. 4 that it has signed an agreement with Wells Fargo Bank Capital Finance, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, and Fifth Third Bank to expand the company’s line of credit to $150 million from $60 million.
Fifth Third Bank joins Wells Fargo as a lender under the line of credit, which has been renewed through September 2021. Wells Fargo and Fifth Third are joint lead arrangers and joint book runners, each providing $75 million of the line of credit. Along with the increase in the borrowing capacity to $150 million announced Oct. 4, the company will also have the right to request additional loans, if consented to by the lenders, in order to further expand the credit facility by up to $200 million. Wells Fargo initially provided two REG wholly owned subsidiaries a $40 million line of credit in 2011. That line was expanded to $60 million in June 2015.
Advertisement
“Just as the original line of credit helped REG grow to become North America’s leading biomass-based diesel producer and marketer, this major credit expansion better positions us for future growth,” said Chad Stone, REG chief financial officer. “We are grateful for the continued trust and commitment our lenders have given REG and we will use the capital to build an even stronger company as we move forward.”
“We have supported REG through our working capital line for the last five years and we look forward to furthering the relationship by supporting them through this increased line of credit over the next five years,” said Barry Felker, relationship manager with Wells Fargo Capital Finance. “As a bank we have supported REG since 2006.”
Advertisement
“We have known REG since 2008 relating to our loan for their Danville, Illinois, facility and we have discussed ways to expand that relationship,” said Mary Ann Lemonds, vice president and commercial relations manager with Fifth Third Bank. “This line of credit does exactly that, by providing up to $75 million of additional working capital for the next five years.”
A video on how the line of credit has helped REG’s marketing and logistics operation expand over the years, which is part of an ongoing series celebrating REG’s 10-year anniversary as an independent company, can be viewed here.
The USDA on March 25 announced it will release previously obligated funding under the Rural Energy for America Program To receive the funds, applicants will be required to remove “harmful DEIA and “far-left climate features” from project proposals.
BIO, in partnership with Kearney, a global management consulting firm, on March 24 released a report showing the U.S. bioeconomy currently contributes $210 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy, excluding healthcare.
Airbus is taking a significant step toward scaling the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by testing a new “Book and Claim” approach. This initiative aims to boost both supply and demand for SAF worldwide.
Signature Aviation, the world’s largest network of private aviation terminals, has announced the expansion of its blended SAF offering at six new locations across Europe following multiple blended SAF supply agreements.
China’s exports of used cooking oil (UCO) reached a record high in 2024 but fell sharply in December after the Chinese government eliminated the 13% export tax rebate for UCO, according to a report filed with the USDA.