Refinery Reopens: Sugar Shipments Resume

Tanker trucks, loaded with tons of refined sugar for industrial customers, are rolling once again from the temporarily silent Savannah Sugar Refinery. Renewed sounds of commerce now fill the air.

Speaking with employees, community leaders and media at its reopened Port Wentworth refinery in Georgia, Chief Executive Officer and President John Sheptor said recently: “Our competitors told our customers that we did not have the will to rebuild or the fortitude to continue. Looking around us, it is obvious that they were wrong.”

Imperial Sugar’s chief executive added: “Dixie Crystals brand is stronger than ever and better prepared to compete than ever before. We did not let our loyal customers down nor did we ever consider it.”

“We end today Port Wentworth’s absence from industrial channel sales, the silence from our crippled refinery, empty truck gates and empty rail tracks, refinery operations insurance claims and zeros on our production ledgers,” Sheptor said.

He praised the leadership of Brian Harrison, vice president of technology in charge of the rebuild, and senior project manager Dwayne Zeigler – along with hundreds of employees and contractors – for building “one of the most modern and safest sugar refineries in the world.”

Only eight days into his job as chief executive, Sheptor was touring the refinery when the explosion occurred. Dealing with the disaster and its aftermath, Sheptor’s responsiveness, openness and compassion became his trademarks, earning him respect from employees and their families, as well as civic and community leaders.

“We are the new sugar factory in Port Wentworth, Georgia, and we stand strong together to face an unknown future with impassioned solidarity born through tragedy,” Sheptor said. “I am proud to be a member of this employee family and I rejoice with your success today.”