Imperial Sugar Co., Sugar Growers & Refiners (SUGAR) and Cargill have closed a $100 million bond offering to finance construction of a sugar mill in St. James Parish, with building slated to begin immediately. The refinery, capable of producing 1 million tons of sugar per year, will be adjacent to Imperial’s existing Gramercy facility and will create 145 permanent jobs along with 500 construction jobs. For the project, priced at $120 million, Imperial Sugar, SUGAR and Cargill each will contribute an additional $30 million toward construction and operations and will own equal shares of the refinery under a new venture, Louisiana Sugar Refining. A spokesman for Imperial says under the agreement, SUGAR will sell raw product to the refinery, while Cargill and Imperial Sugar will market and sell the finished product. The refinery is set to open in 2011.—Emma James
Sugar refinery to create 145 jobs in St. James Parish
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