Corn on the way to Raeford ethanol plant

RAEFORD - The state's first ethanol plant is expected to receive its initial shipment of corn Feb. 1, the company says.

Greg Carlisle, project manager for the $100 million Clean Burn Fuels plant in Hoke County, said production probably will begin sometime in February.

About 100,000 bushels of corn will arrive on 25 rail cars that will travel through Fayetteville on the way to the plant, which is about three miles south of Raeford in Dundarrach.

The rail cars will go through Fayetteville but aren't expected to cause many traffic problems, Carlisle said. The rail path includes downtown and crosses some of the city's major thoroughfares, such as Raeford Road at McPherson Church Road and Skibo Road near Cliffdale Road.

"It's only about 20 car loads at a time, instead of 75," he said. "And they'll try to do it in the evening sometime, or at least sometime that's not near rush hour."

In its first year, the plant is expected to make 60 million gallons of ethanol and 175,000 tons of dried distiller grains to feed pigs, chickens and cows.

At least 10 people already have been hired to run the plant, and about 30 more are expected to be hired in the next few weeks, Carlisle said.

Those who already have been hired include general manager, chief financial officer, controller, production manager, human resources manager, lab manager and office manager, Carlisle said.

More job offers are expected to go out this week, he said.

About 400 people showed up to the plant's job fair in Raeford in December, he said. The plant is expected to hire a total of 100 people as production increases.

The plant was supposed to begin production in January, but cold weather slowed the remaining construction at the plant, Carlisle said.

Construction began on the plant in May 2008, but the idea has been in the works for years.

"It's been a long time coming," he said.

source: fayobserver