Soybean company invests in new equipment

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

A soybean supplier to the global soy-food industry will use a $1.7 million federal loan to buy new processing equipment to handle a greater variety of soybeans.

The company, Sevita International Corporation, receives, cleans, sorts and packages soybeans destined for international markets.  The new equipment will enhance traceability, improve safety and quality and help the company introduce new soybean varieties in the marketplace, it says in a May 25 federal government press release announcing the funding.

The company contracts the production of specialty, non-genetically modified soybean varieties from more than 250 growers in Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island. The new equipment will be installed in the company’s processing facilities in Inkerman and Woodstock, both in Ontario, and its facility in PEI. The equipment will provide greater efficiency and lower production costs while creating up to nine new jobs, the press release says.

The capital improvements Sevita is making to its conditioning facilities will allow it and its soybean growers to sustain their position as preferred suppliers in Japan and Asia, the release states. It will also enable Sevita to commercialize new soybean varieties along with advancing food processing and product manufacturing in its own community.

The loan is arranged under the federal government’s Agricultural Innovation program.

Sevita representatives couldn’t be reached for comment. BF