Four Cargill Corn Milling North America locations – Blair, Neb.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Eddyville, Iowa; and Wahpeton, N.D. – have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting the environment through energy efficiency. These are the first Cargill facilities to receive this award.
Earning the Energy Star highlights the Cargill Corn Milling facilities in Blair, Cedar Rapids, Eddyville and Wahpeton, within the top 25 percent of wet corn milling plants in the nation, with regard to energy performance.
"Improving the energy efficiency of our nation's industrial facilities is critical to protecting our environment," said Jean Lupinacci, director, Energy Star Commercial & Industrial Branch. "From the plant floor to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their facilities more energy efficient and earning EPA's Energy Star."
EPA's Energy Star Energy Performance Indicators allow companies to measure their energy performance against others in the industry while achieving breakthrough improvements in energy efficiency. A plant that scores a 75 or higher on EPA's 1 to 100 scale is eligible for the Energy Star.
"Strong energy performance is a key part of the success of Cargill Corn Milling. Over the past 10 years, we have achieved greater than a 20 percent improvement in energy use efficiency," said Alan Willits, president, Cargill Corn Milling North America. "This is an honor for Cargill and we are very proud of this great achievement."
An Energy Star-qualified facility meets strict energy performance standards set by the EPA and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its peers.
Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 131,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business.