Solfuels USA LLC, which recently started production of biodiesel at its retrofitted facility in Helena-West Helena, celebrated the loading of its first railroad tank on Tuesday.
The 40-million-gallon-a-year plant the company bought in December 2016 is served by the Arkansas Midland Railroad, which connects to the Class 1 Union Pacific Railroad in Lexa. The tank will be sent to a new customer in Phoenix this week.
Also, CEO Henri Bardon is working with John C. Edwards, general counsel and economic development director of Helena Harbor, to advocate for increasing the rail weight limits on the line serving Helena.
“After years of stagnation, rail use is now on the upswing in Helena,” Edwards said in a news release. “We must plan now to have the capacity for more and heavier traffic in the future. It is a good problem to have.”
Edwards also said that SolFuels has hired 16 people to work at the plant and four people to work at its commercial sales office in Helena. The company is sponsoring the King Biscuit Blues Festival that begins next week.
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