COAMO Agroindustrial Cooperativa selects ICM for design and engineering of new corn biorefinery in Brazil
COAMO Agroindustrial Cooperativa, the largest agricultural cooperative in South America, has selected ICM Tecnologia em Biocombustíveis Ltda. (ICM) to provide professional services and equipment for a new dry-mill grain ethanol production facility at the COAMO industrial site in Campo Mourão, Paraná.
ICM will deliver a comprehensive suite of services, including engineering, construction review, training, commissioning, and project management, to support the development of this Greenfield Corn Biorefinery. The design and engineering services include two phases. The facility’s initial construction phase will have a nameplate capacity of approximately 249 million liters of anhydrous ethanol per year, by grinding 1,700 metric tons per day of corn, with plans for a second phase that will double production capacity in the future.
This project will also integrate three ICM proprietary technologies: Base Tricanter System (BTS), Selective Milling Technology (SMT), and FOT Oil Recovery (FOT). The latter two technologies are protected in Brazil with issued patents and pending patents applications.
SMT increases starch exposure for enhanced ethanol yield while preserving optimal particle sizes for improved downstream separation. BTS employs advanced three-phase centrifuge technology to maximize oil recovery from the syrup stream. FOT, which is being installed in Brazil for the first time, has been setting a new benchmark for distillers’ corn oil recovery performance across plants in the United States by improving solids separation in the whole stillage and significantly recovering oil that would otherwise be lost in the decanter cake. Together, these technologies contribute to greater energy efficiency, enhanced operational performance, and overall cost savings in corn-based ethanol and animal feed production.
“We thoroughly analyzed different corn-based ethanol technologies before selecting ICM,” said Divaldo Corrêa, Industrial Director of COAMO. “Their proven track record of success in Brazil, along with their fully staffed office in the country, gave us the confidence that ICM is the right partner to deliver a high-performance, efficient, and reliable facility.”
COAMO's investment in ethanol production enhances its vertical integration strategy, adding value to its members' corn production by processing it into biofuel and animal feed. This initiative strengthens COAMO’s role in the renewable energy sector while supporting agricultural sustainability in Brazil.
“Partnering with COAMO on this project is an exciting opportunity to work alongside a leader in South America's agricultural sector as they expand into corn-based ethanol production and animal feed markets,” said Chris Mitchell, President and CEO of ICM. “We are committed to delivering the most advanced and efficient technologies to drive long-term success for our customers. This project represents a strong alignment between COAMO’s vision and our expertise, and we look forward to bringing our best-in-class solutions to support their goals.”
This facility is expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026, representing a key step in COAMO’s corn-based ethanol production journey.
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