Ethanol plant in northwest Iowa idles citing negative margins
July 29, 2019
BY Erin Krueger
Plymouth Energy, a 50 MMgy corn ethanol plant located in Merrill, Iowa, posted a notice to its website July 24 announcing it has idled production. The company cited negative margins and other economic factors as the reasons for its decision.
“The ethanol industry continues to operate in negative margins, absent a deal with China or a serious pullback in production, we do not see a recovery in the near future,” said Eamonn Byrne, CEO of Plymouth Energy in the statement. “The board of Plymouth Energy has decided to suspend production until further notice. All existing corn contracts on the books will be honored.”
Within the statement, Byrne also expressed hope the margin environment will improve soon, allowing the facility to resume production.
Byrne confirmed to Ethanol Producer Magazine that the facility “is in hot idle awaiting a return to positive margins.”
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