December 12, 2007 Hickory
Flats, Virginia - State and regional
officials joined with local leaders in the Hickory Flats Industrial
Park to announce the coming of one of the state's first biodiesel
production facilities to Lee County.
Jonathan Belcher, Executive Director of the Virginia
Coalfield Economic Development Authority, dubbed the deal as "a
trend setting project for the region," he said. "We are
starting a trend because there are few of these things in the region,
or even the nation."
VCEDA announced in August that it had approved an
$800,000 loan to the Lee County Industrial Development Authority
to help purchase equipment and a building to help get the project
started. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization
Commission approved $487,000 from the Southwest Economic Development
Committee to assist with the purchase of the building.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked
with Lee County, the Lee County Industrial Development Authority
and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority to secure
the project for Virginia. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance
will support the project with training assistance through the Virginia
Jobs Investment Program.
The company will be operated by Synergy Biofuels,
a new company whose goal is to develop locally produced biodiesel
from waste vegetable oils. According to its website, the company
is dedicated to providing clean, renewable biodiesel fuel and is
on the cutting edge of bringing this home-grown fuel to Lee County
and the surrounding area.
Company President and CEO Ankit Patel said the company
will initially contract with an already established local company
that collects waste vegetable oils. They will focus their efforts
on businesses within a 100 to 150 mile radius of the plant. Once
the fuel has been produced, it will be marketed to local governments,
school boards, trucking companies, farmers, service stations, coal
mines and others who would normally use diesel fuel in the course
of their businesses. The fuel can be used as is or blended in varying
amounts with traditional diesel fuel and seldom requires any mechanical
conversions for engines to use the fuel.
The company will initially hire 8 to 10 employees
and run shift before ramping up production as customers are lined
up. They hope to add a second shift in two to three months and go
to three full shifts in four to five months. The pay scale for employees
will range from $9 to $25 per hour, depending on the job.
It is anticipated the company will begin production
by March 2008. "A new biofuels company that directly affects
our energy efficient needs is directly in line with my energy plan,"
said Governor Tim Kaine in a prepared news release. "Development
of biodiesel and other renewable fuels is critical to our nation's
longevity, and I warmly welcome Synergy Biofuels to Virginia."
For more information on Synergy Biofuels, visit www.synergybiofuels.com.
