Domino Sugar's Louisiana Sugar Refinery Reaches New American Manufacturing Milestone

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- American manufacturing reaches new heights as Domino Sugar's Louisiana sugar refinery becomes the nation's first to reach the one-million-ton production mark in a single year.

Domino Sugar's Chalmette Refinery, located in St. Bernard Parish just outside New Orleans, proved there is no substitute for experience, as the more than 100-year-old sugar factory reached an amazing new milestone – surpassing one million tons of sugar processed in one year.

"Processing a million tons of sugar in a single year is a huge accomplishment for any refinery," said Mickey Seither, Senior Vice President of Operations of American Sugar Refining, Inc., the world's largest sugar refining company and owner of Domino Sugar.  "To have a refinery that's more than a century old still breaking production records, now that's something all of our employees, our growers and our community can really be proud of and celebrate."

Domino Sugar's Chalmette Refinery – the largest of American Sugar's four domestic refineries – processes roughly 900,000 tons of sugar a year.  Last October, at the start of the 2011-2012 sugar year, the refinery set its sights on being the country's first refinery to process one million tons a year.

Utilizing modern upgrades and its depth of sugar know-how, Domino Sugar's nearly 400 employees ran the factory in the most efficient manner possible.  At the end of the year, Domino's workforce had a million reasons to celebrate. 

The Chalmette Refinery has been a stable job provider and a pillar of Louisiana's manufacturing industry since it began operating on May 17, 1909.  Today, the refinery processes about 60 percent of the raw sugar produced by Louisiana's sugar cane farmers. 

"We've been fortunate to have the Chalmette Refinery right here in our backyard for more than 100 years, because it's been like old faithful for Louisiana's sugar growers and millers," said Dan Duplantis Sr., Executive Vice President and General Manager of Raceland Sugar Mill.  "Our mill has been processing its sugar at Domino for 32 years, and witnessing this record being shattered gives us a strong sense of security for our sugar going into the future."

The Chalmette Refinery's final annual production was 1,003,607 tons or 2,007,214,001 lbs.

American Sugar Refining, Inc. is the world's largest cane sugar refining company.  The company produces a full line of consumer, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products.  Across North America, American Sugar owns and operates six sugar refineries, specialty sweetener production facilities and a strategic warehousing and distribution system that provide seamless production and delivery of its products to customers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in England and Portugal. The company markets its products through its premier brand portfolio: Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle's Golden Syrup®, Sidul® and Sores®. American Sugar is owned by Florida Crystals Corporation and Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, two Palm Beach County-based companies who farm, mill and refine sugar in Florida.

Contact:
Marianne Martinez
561-366-5193

SOURCE Domino Sugar