SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Today near Marion, Ohio, POET held a groundbreaking ceremony for their second of three ethanol production facilities in Ohio. Dirt work at the site will start next week with construction expected to begin later this month and last 12-14 months. Once completed, along with three other projects slated to start construction this year, POET will have built 33 plants and have 27 under management.

The North Central Ohio community of Marion is located in Marion County 50 miles north of Columbus. POET Biorefining – Marion, a $130 million production facility, will be located on 284 acres approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Marion on Hillman-Ford Road.

POET Biorefining – Marion will annually produce 65 million gallons of ethanol and 178,000 tons of premium Dakota Gold Enhanced Nutrition Distillers Products™ from 21 million bushels of locally grown corn. Ethanol marketing for the facility is provided by POET Ethanol Products and byproducts are marketed by POET Nutrition. The facility will utilize rail service from CSX.

“As home to the Ohio Corn Growers, the Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association and the Ohio Corn Marketing Program, Marion knows better than most the benefits of the ethanol industry,” said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET. “Thanks to a strong partnership with the community, POET Biorefining – Marion is about one year away from producing 65 million gallons of ethanol that will strengthen the local economy, improve the environment and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Mike Wagner, executive director of the Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association and past executive director of the Ohio Corn Growers, said at the event, “It’s been a goal of the Corn Growers for several years to develop an ethanol industry in Ohio and POET Biorefining – Marion will serve as a cornerstone for that development in the state. We are proud to welcome one of the largest ethanol producers to the state of Ohio.”

Ohio Director of Agriculture Robert Boggs, who also spoke at the event, said, “We continue to move forward with biofuel-driven initiatives and POET Biorefining – Marion puts us one step closer to the next generation of agriculture-based energies. Ohio is paving the path to a green-energy future that will create jobs, support Ohio farmers, protect our environment, and reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign oil.”

About POET
POET, the largest dry mill ethanol producer in the United States, is an established leader in the biorefining industry through project development, design and construction, research and development, plant management, and marketing. Formerly known as Broin, the 20-year old company currently operates 20 production facilities in the United States with seven more in construction or under development. The company produces and markets more than one billion gallons of ethanol annually. For more information, go to http://www.poetenergy.com

# # #