Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 30, 2024 – Today, Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) inaugurated the expansion of its cotton gin plant in Quimilí, Santiago del Estero province, Argentina. The event was attended by central, provincial, and city government officials, members of the local producer community, as well as LDC’s management and employees.
Juan José Blanchard, LDC Group COO and Head of Latin America Region, stated: “This investment is another positive step in LDC’s cotton business growth strategy, as we continue to expand our sourcing capabilities in this key production area.” He added, “We work closely with producers to bring sustainably grown, high-quality Argentine cotton to global destinations, meeting the growing demand from both domestic and export markets.”
Pablo Yezdrich, Head of South and West Latin America Cotton at LDC, said: “Our continued investment in Quimilí demonstrates LDC’s commitment to enhancing both the quality and capacity of our cotton ginning services, while also facilitating local and global market access for producers in the region.” He further noted, “In the decade LDC has operated the plant, we have transformed our approach by not only producing cotton fiber but also byproducts from the crop such as seeds, cotton linters, and hulls, always prioritizing operational safety and sustainability.”
The investment in the plant includes new technology and infrastructure to optimize ginning services, doubling storage capacity and increasing annual processing capacity to 60,000 tons. These improvements will also allow for the utilization of 100% of the raw cotton, including its byproducts for feed and biomass, thus minimizing waste in line with LDC’s global sustainability efforts.
The expansion coincides with the start of the plant’s 10th cotton campaign under LDC management and includes the implementation of a new modern automatic press, a new preprocessing line, new offices, a sorting room, a nursery and first aid room, night lighting towers, improved fire protection systems and infrastructure, as well as atmospheric protection equipment.
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About Louis Dreyfus Company
Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading marketer and processor of agricultural products. We leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve customers and consumers around the world, delivering the right product to the right place, at the right time – safely, reliably, and responsibly.
COTCO is an agent of cotton supplier LDC in Viet Nam