Set to come on-stream in 2002 in Blair, NE, the new facility will, at full capacity, handle 40ꯠ bushels of locally grown corn a day. It will be capable of producing 300 million pounds yearly of NatureWorks PLA (proprietary polyactide polymer), a new family of plastics derived entirely from annually renewable resources. Produced from natural plant sugars and processed like traditional thermoplastics, PLA can be used in a variety of consumer goods including cups, food containers and candy wrappers. Employment is expected to reach 100 at the plant, which is located adjacent to an existing Cargill corn wet milling operation. Cargill-Dow (Minnetonka, MN) is a 50:50 joint venture of Cargill Inc. and The Dow Chemical Co.
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