ICM Inc., the premier biofuels process technology provider delivering innovative technologies, solutions, and services to sustain agriculture and to advance renewable energy throughout the world, is pleased to announce an opening of a regional office in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

As an industry-leader in the development and optimization of ethanol technologies, ICM is in the process of hiring a team of employees to service the needs of the region.  

ICM’s plans to develop enhanced operations in Brazil were initiated by the transformation taking place in the country. Today, Brazil’s strong agricultural economy, favorable growing conditions producing record corn yields, infrastructure development, and local demand for grains use in livestock productions and ethanol use are aligning to bring great opportunities within the country.

The demand for ethanol versus the current low production has created a gap of approximately 3 billion liters that is expected to grow to 5 billion liters by 2022.  The solution to meet the bioenergy fuel needs of the country of Brazil can be found in areas with an abundance of corn. ICM believes a typical corn ethanol biorefinery in Brazil, based on local demand and infrastructure, can be constructed to produce 200 to 400 million liters of ethanol per year. This would indicate an opportunity for at least 25 corn ethanol biorefineries in Brazil complementing ethanol produced from sugarcane.

These type of biorefineries can bring an expected 100-plus new jobs to the communities where they reside in the region as well as numerous indirect jobs and significant labor positions during its construction.  At full rate, one 200 million liter biorefinery will originate over 500,000 metric tons of corn sourced primarily from the local area.

With a history dating back to the 1970s, ICM has been a pioneer in the biofuels industry, and today we are leveraging our intellectual property to provide customers around the world with the quality, integrity, service and innovation that can only come from the industry leader. ICM has designed and/or built over 100 plants in North America with an expanding presence in South America.

Most recently, ICM designed the FS Bioenergia ethanol biorefinery located in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s Corn Belt, near the city of Lucas do Rio Verde. ICM’s scope of work included providing technologies, engineering, proprietary equipment, and services. Technologies comprised the corn to ethanol process and two patent-pending processes to increase ethanol and oil yields, Selective Milling Technology™ and  Fiber Separation Technology.  Services included on-site representations throughout the build, installation, start-up, and commissioning processes.

ICM looks forward to continued collaboration with FS Bioenergia to promote the economic growth of the region and Brazil by providing our process technologies and services to advance renewable energy.

“We see enormous business opportunity for both the agricultural community and the renewable fuels industry in Brazil,” said Tim Allen, vice president of finance. “ICM has built relationships in the country evaluating the opportunities and are currently working with the financial markets and investors within the country to discuss the lucrative opportunities that exist.”