09.05.2008 -

MAN Ferrostaal has completed a plant for the production of biodiesel for its customer Lotos Biopaliwa sp. z o.o. After a construction period of just 22 months and with an investment volume of 23 million euros, the official handover of the biodiesel plant will be taking place in Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland, today. The biodiesel production is based on the so-called CD (continuous deglycerolization) process which guarantees high-quality biodiesel on a cost-effective basis. The annual plant capacity will reach 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel.

From the beginning of constructions to the turnkey handover, MAN Ferrostaal as the general contractor handled the planning, development and implementation of the plant in conjunction with Prochem S.A. "With the construction of this plant MAN Ferrostaal has succeeded in establishing itself in the market for biogenic fuels," said Dr.-Ing. Stephan Reimelt, Member of the Executive Board of MAN Ferrostaal. In 2007, a new Competence Centre for biofuels, focusing on biodiesel and bioethanol, had already been set up in Geisenheim.

MAN Ferrostaal holds a worldwide license from Ölmühle Leer Connemann GmbH (affiliate of the US ADM Group) for utilizing the CD process in the production of biodiesel. The CD process will also be used in the plant in Poland. The cost-effective technology produces a biodiesel quality which exceeds the European standard DIN EN 14214.

Treatment of the raw material to produce biodiesel is based on a simple chemical process. In the transesterification process, the triglycerides of the rapeseed oil are broken down by adding methanol and a catalyst, and converted to three methyl fatty acid esters and glycerin. The reaction products are separated and cleaned. The surplus methanol is recovered in a rectification column and is fed back into the process.

About MAN Ferrostaal AG:

MAN Ferrostaal is a worldwide supplier of industrial services for the construction of large-scale industrial plants and machine supply. As a general contractor for plant construction, the company offers project development, project management and financing solutions for turnkey plants in the areas of solar thermal power plants as well as biofuels, petrochemical and industrial plants. In ccoperation with manufacturers of machines and production lines, MAN Ferrostaal offers sales and services in the areas of automotive industries, print and packaging, piping, ships and transport solutions. With 4,200 employees MAN Ferrostaal is represented in more than 60 countries. The company achieved a turnover of EUR 1.4 billion in 2007.

MAN Ferrostaal is a subsidiary of MAN Aktiengesellschaft, Munich. The MAN Group is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of engineering equipment and vehicles, generating annual sales of around EUR 16 billion. MAN supplies products, systems and services to the capital goods industry and employs approx. 55,000 people worldwide. The core areas operated by the MAN Group, Commercial Vehicles, Industrial Services, Diesel Engines and Turbomachines, all hold leading positions in their markets. MAN is a member of the DAX German Share Index, Germany’s top 30 public limited companies.