Solar Field Comes Online at Grain Processing Corporation
MUSCATINE, Iowa (April 21, 2023) – Grain Processing Corporation (GPC), a subsidiary of the family-owned KENT Corporation, announced today a collection of onsite solar panels are online and generating energy for its biobased Muscatine manufacturing facility. GPC makes high-quality, plant-based products and ingredients from corn, chickpeas, soy and other pulses, for some of the world’s most iconic brands. GPC has invested in an excess of $100 million in sustainability upgrades in its Midwest facilities over the last decade.
“I am proud of our team for taking this, inside-the-gates, solar power concept from idea to reality in order to diversify the energy portfolio of our operations, right here, where we make our agricultural-derived products,” said Jimmy Kent, President of GPC. "Renewable energy technology continues to evolve, and we understand it will take exploration, collaboration, and innovation to find solutions that benefit all our stakeholders. Installing solar panels on our property is just one of the latest ways our family business continues our process improvements to utilize renewable energy, and ultimately reduce GPC’s carbon footprint.”
The project builds upon its earlier long-term anchor commitment on a large solar field set to be completed in 2025 in Muscatine, Iowa. From Field to Family™ GPC sources corn predominantly within a 75-mile radius of its plants in Muscatine, Iowa, and Washington, Indiana to make products for diverse markets including food and beverage; nutraceutical and pharmaceutical; personal care; animal and pet nutrition; and industrial.
From Left to Right: GPC's Andrew Temple, Electrical Engineer, and Jason Gregory, VP of New Product Commercialization & Industrial Starch, are photographed above. Both Andrew and Jason played a large role in making the solar field a reality.
Though GPC’s origins date back to Christmas Eve 1943, a major pillar of its sustainability efforts has been the continual modernization and upgrading of its facilities. Since 2014, GPC has reduced emissions at its Muscatine manufacturing facility by 93%. GPC uses the entire kernel of corn, which is renewable and sustainable, to make its premium products.
About Grain Processing Corporation
GPC's primary products include high-purity alcohols, corn starches, maltodextrins, and corn syrup solids. GPC sells to customers that use GPC ingredients for beverage alcohol, food products, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and industrial starch applications.
About KENT Corporation
With origins in the livestock feed business, today KENT Corporation is a diversified, family-owned company headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa (USA) with operating subsidiaries involved in corn wet milling, the production of animal feeds, and the manufacture of food, beverage, and pet products. KENT is led by third generation family member, Gage A. Kent. KENT serves customers across the world and employs approximately two thousand people in 40 locations across 20 states and seven countries.