The group stopped by after concluding their annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, the day before.

Among the attendees were Russell Mauch, president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association and Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the Association.

Markwart was impressed with all the precautions taken and new technology used in dealing with combustible dust issues. “What they have built is really fantastic,” Markwart said. “I’ve been through a number of mills, and it was interesting to see how they married together state-of-the-art technology on the packaging side with the older refinery. It’s a great refinery.”

Don Gilbert, director of commodities and logistics for Imperial, welcomed the group, and Thomas Rathke, Imperial’s Port Wentworth plant manager, gave an overview of the recently modernized facility.

Participants were guided through various parts of the refinery, with a focus on the plant’s new packaging and bulk loading facilities.

According to Rathke, several people commented on the “excellent” and “outstanding” housekeeping throughout the plant.

Imperial Sugar’s Chief of Commodities Management Pat Henneberry, who helped organize the tour, said the company has invited sugar industry representatives to see the plant in the past in order to share what it has learned about combustible dust hazards and the new innovations implemented to make it safer and more productive.

New innovations include modernized packaging machines, dust suppression on loading devices, and the latest X-ray detectors.

The American Sugarbeet Growers Association unites sugarbeet growers in the United States and promotes the common interests of state and regional beet grower associations, which include legislative and international representation and public relations. Member associations represent 10,000 family farmers in all 11 producing states.