It was only a little more than a decade ago when the Sunoco ethanol plant sat vacant. But thanks to more than $200 million worth of investments, it was transformed into facility that now processes corn into more than 85 million gallons of ethanol every year. Attis Industries, a company involved in renewable energy and healthcare technologies, is now acquiring the plant and the adjacent 1886 Malt House for $20 million.
Company CEO Jeff Cosman says once that sale is finalized, the plant will become the centerpiece of a grand design.
"This is the first stage," Cosman said. "We envision taking this one facility and creating the greatest - the biggest green tech renewable fuel campus in the United States. We feel like we have an opportunity to acquire additional land and buildings around the facility or close in the upstate New York area that we can bring in other additional green types of energy."
Cosman says Attis plans to invest in a research and development facility on site and bring in feedstock in addition to corn that is used to produce the biofuel. With its patented process, Cosman says they believe they can produce this renewable energy at a lower cost than their competitors. If all goes well, he says the Fulton campus will serve as a platform for the company's expansion nationwide.
The company plans to add 100 or more jobs to the site. A spokesperson for Sunoco says their employees at the plant have been offered continued employment, and the company has entered into a purchase agreement to buy the ethanol that's produced there over the next 10 years.
