Safe Handling Opens Maine’s First Ethanol Terminal

FOR RELEASE AFTER 12/13/07 10am

CONTACT:
Andy Meyer, VP Sustainability
Safe Handling, Inc
(P) 207-783-1020 x138
(F) 207-783-1020
meyer@safehandling.com
www.safehandling.com

Safe Handling Opens Maine’s First Ethanol Terminal

Safe Handling Inc. announces the opening of a new biofuels terminal, which includes the first ethanol transloading facility in the state. With direct rail access to the Midwest farm belt, this terminal gives Maine’s fuel wholesalers rapid and economic access to domestically grown biofuels.

Maine’s primary importer of biodiesel, Safe Handling, has now opened the state’s first ethanol terminal. This rail-to-truck transloading terminal is the first step towards making ethanol-blended gasoline available at retail stations.

The new facility was constructed in response to strong interest from biofuel producers, marketers and wholesalers who needed a cost-effective way of importing product into the state. The terminal is located in Auburn, Maine and offers uniquely efficient and direct rail service from biofuel producers located in the Midwest and Canada. The terminal has been equipped with state-of-the-art transloading equipment, spill containment, and fire suppression systems.

Safe Handling President Ford Reiche noted: “Our facilities have grown to handling nearly 4,000 railcars and 12,000 truckloads of industrial raw materials per year, primarily serving Maine’s paper industry. Two years ago we started planning for this new growth opportunity into bio-fuels and today we handle virtually all the biodiesel imported into the state. “

Reiche is quick to point out that this terminal doesn’t mean that ethanol-blended gasoline will immediately be available at retail pumps. Gasoline wholesalers will first have to develop blending capabilities. “As with biodiesel, we’ve made the first move, and now fuel wholesalers can make their investments knowing that if they can blend ethanol into their gasoline, we can supply it.”

He says, “Corn ethanol is a step towards our ultimate goal of providing Maine-made, cellulosic ethanol to fuel wholesalers.” To achieve this long-term goal, Safe Handling has partnered with the University of Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Research Initiative (FBRI) and Red Shield Environmental to demonstrate producing ethanol from a pulp mill.
“Ethanol-blended gasoline is a cleaner burning fuel, and it reduces our dependence on foreign oil. This new terminal will give retailers more options and has the potential to have a positive impact on fuel prices,” Governor John Baldacci said. “Safe Handling continues to show leadership in the biofuels sector, and the company’s efforts reflect well on Maine and the resourcefulness of our people.”
According to Matt Jacobson, executive director of Maine & Company, who assisted in developing efforts on the project, “given the lack of pipeline and shipping infrastructure from the Midwest, this transportation capability enables Maine to more quickly adopt domestically grown biofuels.”

“We are a strategic link between this region and the vast Canadian National Railroad network and are pleased to be involved in this important project,” said Ed Foley, VP of Marketing for the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad.



ABOUT SAFE HANDLING - Safe Handling was founded in 1989 in Auburn, Maine and currently employs nearly 100 people. Safe Handling operates this new 150-acre transload facility; a 55-acre transload, warehouse, and toll processing facility on Rodman Road in Auburn; and a 60-acre transload and warehouse terminal near Pittsburgh, PA.


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