AURORA, Neb., April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aurora Cooperative and Aventine
Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc., announced today that they signed a Letter of
Intent to develop a new ethanol plant one mile west of Aurora. This 220
million gallon per year plant, with the first phase being 100 million, will be
constructed on a 135-acre site adjacent to the property of the Nebraska
Energy, LLC ethanol plant. Aventine is the majority partner/owner of Nebraska
Energy, LLC. The letter of intent is subject to a number of significant
conditions, including the negotiation and approval of definitive documentation
for the transaction. A starting date will be determined as permits and a
builder are secured.
"The Aurora Cooperative has been our partner for over ten years, reliably
supplying grain and marketing syrup and WDGS for our current facility," said
, President and CEO of Aventine. "We look forward to expanding the
volume of this relationship with the proposed construction of the new plant."
Ownership and expense of the plant will be Aventine's; however, the Aurora
Cooperative will be the exclusive grain supplier to the new facility, as well
as the exclusive marketer of syrup and wet distiller's grain with solubles
(WDGS).
"In addition to the ethanol project, we are also pleased to announce the
first ag-bio multiplex in ," said George Hohwieler, President and
CEO of the Aurora Cooperative. The 135-acre site named will also
include a state-of-the-art grain handling facility, a fertilizer complex, and
a double loop railroad system to accommodate grain, fertilizer, ethanol, and
DDG shipments accessing the Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF) mainline
railroad. The plan calls for a multi-million bushel grain storage and handling
facility to receive and deliver area producers' grain to end users in the
ethanol, feed, and food industries. The fertilizer complex will have the
ability to expand based on the continued market growth the Aurora Cooperative
is experiencing.
will also be home to a 75,000 sq. ft. warehouse leased by
Syngenta Seeds, Inc., that will occupy six acres and have the ability to hold
a half a million units of seed corn.
"The project, with its contemporary and multi-dimensional
uses, has the possibility of becoming the cornerstone for a visionary, ag-bio
research and development campus that Congressman has supported for
years," Hohwieler added. " introduced the strategy at our 2006
Annual Meeting, and now this idea has a potential, future home in Aurora."
Total value of the multiplex could exceed a quarter of a billion dollars.
Hohwieler also noted, "We believe the long-term success of the facility,
and the Aurora Cooperative's leadership role, will be enhanced because of our
growing relationship with Aventine, the U.S. ethanol industry, and policy-
makers such as Congressman Osborne."
Based in Aurora, Neb., since 1908, the Aurora Cooperative is a world-
class, multi-purpose agricultural cooperative providing service and expertise
in grain, agronomy, feed and energy. The Aurora Cooperative has locations in
29 communities in south central Nebraska and northern Kansas. For more
information, visit http://www.aurora.coop .
Aventine is a leading producer and marketer of ethanol in the . Through Aventine's production facilities, marketing alliances with
other producers and purchase and resale operations, Aventine marketed and
distributed approximately 530 million gallons of ethanol in 2005. Visit
to learn more about Aventine .
Certain information included in this press release may be deemed to be
"forward looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this
press release, are forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements
are not guarantees of Aventine's future performance and are subject to risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business
decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward looking
statements. Aventine disclaims any duty to update any forward looking
statements. Some of the factors that may cause Aventine's actual results,
developments and business decisions to differ materially from those
contemplated by such forward looking statements include the following:
SOURCE Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc.; Aurora Cooperative

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