Louis Dreyfus Company to build new sunflower, soybean processing plant in Bahía Blanca, Argentina

Photo: Louis Dreyfus Company

Louis Dreyfus Company announced June 8 a strategic investment in the construction of a new plant to process sunflower seeds and soybeans at the site of its existing facility in Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, for integration with its storage, logistics and deep-water port infrastructure at the site.  

This investment will expand LDC’s industrial network in the country, reinforcing oilseed-processing capabilities in one of Argentina’s most prominent sunflower-production regions, to address growing global demand for vegetable oils across food and biofuels applications.  

“This investment reflects Argentina’s role as a strategic market for LDC, combining a strong agricultural production base with industrial, logistics and export capabilities to connect local production with global markets,” said Michael Gelchie, LDC’s group CEO. “Representing one of the company’s largest investments in Argentina over the past decade, and its first greenfield development in that time, the expansion of our capabilities in Bahía Blanca reflects our long-term commitment to supporting the country’s agro-industrial development, including through investments that strengthen export competitiveness in Argentina and the region.” 

Upon completion, the new facility is expected to reach a daily crushing capacity up to 4,000 tons of sunflower seeds or soybeans, contributing to year-round operational optimization, greater flexibility to process multiple crops and increased connectivity with international markets for regional growers.

Construction is expected to begin by the end of this year.   

“With this new development in Argentina, expanding our oilseeds-processing capacity, we underline our long-term commitment to a region that is crucial to the growth of our global sunflower business,” said Juan José Blanchard, LDC’s group chief operating officer and head of Latin America. “Expected to be one of the largest sunflower-crushing plants globally, it reflects LDC’s commitment to continued investment in efficient, integrated and reliable industrial capabilities, strengthening our role as a trusted partner to both growers and downstream customers.”   

The investment includes the installation of equipment specifically designed for efficient oilseeds processing, including preparation systems for cleaning, dehulling, conditioning and flaking, as well as high-capacity presses and high-efficiency solvent-extraction technology.

The plant will also benefit from an integrated area for seed reception and loading of processing byproducts (meals, pellets and oils), as well as enclosed product-conveyor systems designed for continuous operation and enhanced emissions control.  

The future plant will also benefit from advanced automation and integrated material-handling systems, as well as highly efficient thermal-energy infrastructure based fully on renewable biomass (sunflower husks), with a goal to optimize energy usage and reduce operational carbon emissions.  

According to LDC, this investment further reinforces its presence in the global sunflower market, complementing its new high-oil-content seeds-crushing line in Timbúes, Santa Fe Province, Argentina, as well as its recently acquired multiseed crushing and refining plant in Foktő, Hungary.