Description of Downstream Products
Downstream product manufacture is a core activity of Illovo, fulfilling the group’s Strategic Intent to optimise the return on every stick of cane by adding value to its core commodity products: fibre, sugar and molasses. The group, out of its downstream production plants in South Africa, is a material player in most of the world markets in which it participates, and exports furfural, furfuryl alcohol, diacetyl, 2.3-pentanedione, natural methanol, ethanol and lactulose to 81 countries. The group has also developed and is commercialising a range of agricultural products derived from furfural. Crop Guard® and MultiGuard Protect® are nematicides. Protect® is a nematicide and fungicide whilst BioMass Sugar® is classified as an organic fertiliser, phytofortifier or soil improver dependent upon the country-specific regulations where it is sold.
Sezela Downstream plant
| Product produced | Uses | | Furfural | Mainly for the production of furfuryl alcohol and in lube oil refineries as an extractive solvent in the purifi cation of base oils. It is also used for specialist applications such as the manufacture of grinding wheels, friction pellets for brake pads, crucible manufacture, and to a small extent as a flavour ingredient. | | Furfuryl Alcohol | Used to produce a resin used in the foundry industry as a polymeric binder for foundry sands. It is also used for wood treatment, to produce acid resistant coatings and certain pharmaceuticals, and as a flavour ingredient. | | Crop Guard®
MultiGuard Protect®
Protect® | Used as an agricultural contact nematicide, at plant and within the growing season.
(Developed and marketed by Illovo’s “Agriguard” business as an agricultural chemical under the trade names Crop Guard® in South Africa and MultiGuard Protect® in the USA.)
Used prior to plant, as a nematicide and fungicide
| | BioMass Sugar® | Used as phytofortifiers/soil improvers or as a liquid organic fertiliser | | Diacetyl | Used as an ingredient in butter flavourings. | | 2.3-pentanedione | Used as an ingredient in butter flavourings and as an intermediate in the manufacture of pyrazines. | | Natural Methanol | Used in the manufacture of natural flavour ingredients. |
Merebank Downstream plant
| Product produced | Uses | | Ethanol
Potable Extra Neutral
Alcohol (ENA) – 96.4%* | A very high quality potable alcohol used by liquor industries for the production of branded alcoholic drinks (e.g. canes, vodkas, gins, rums, liqueurs and aperitifs). | | Anhydrous Alcohol – 99.9% | Used in the pharmaceutical industry to produce pharmaceutical intermediaries and products (e.g. in cough mixtures, alcohol is used to dissolve ingredients not able to be dissolved by water). Also used in surgical spirits, medical disinfectants, and in the production of solvents for use in the printing ink and flexible packaging industries. | | Rectified Extra Neutral Alcohol (REN) – 96.4% | Also has pharmaceutical applications but used mainly in the personal care industry to produce cosmetics, hair care products, toiletries, fragrances and perfumes. In the food industry, it is used to produce flavours and spirit vinegar which is used in various pickling processes and in the production of condiments (e.g. tomato sauce, chutney, mayonnaise and salad dressings). | | Industrial Alcohol – 95% | Used in the production of methylated spirits, solvents and thinners. | | Lactulose ** | Mild, natural laxative. | * Potable Extra Neutral Alcohol is also produced at the Glendale Distillery on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast ** Lactulose, a mild, natural laxative, is produced at Merebank utilising Illovo’s significant fermentation technology expertise
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Furfural
Furfuryl Alcohol
Diacetyl
2,3 - Pentanedione
Methanol
Ethyl alcohol (Ethanol)
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