Web exclusive posted Sept. 3, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. CST

Monarch Petroleum Inc., a company that stores, processes, and bottles reclaimed used lubricant oil products, has announced that it will begin processing crude glycerin for biodiesel producers at its 20,000-square-foot facility in Detroit, Mich.

Monarch is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Voyager Petroleum Inc. According to Voyager, Monarch's process will separate glycerin, fatty acids, and biodiesel from crude glycerin, as well as neutralize catalysts and remove water and alcohol from the crude. The company will charge a tolling fee for its services.

According to Sebastien C. DuFort, chief executive officer for the company, Voyager has successfully laboratory tested the process and has started processing and producing results that comply with a specific customer's requirements. However, DuFort declined naming the customer and would not comment on the Detroit plant's glycerin processing capacity.

DuFort said Voyager may expand its process to further refine the separated glycerin so that the refined glycerin might be sold at higher margins to manufacturers that utilize higher-grade glycerin for products such as cosmetics, food ingredients, industrial- and food-grade lubricants, as well as hair-care products.

"Due to the overall market conditions, refined glycerin currently has had quite substantial price increases," DuFort said. "Imported material has been scarce and susceptible to quality issues, tariffs, and lead times which present an opportunity for Monarch to enter into the market successfully."