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Company Information for VeraSun Energy
Company stock charts - 12 Month chart
 NYSE; VSE
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Company Statement
At VeraSun, our mission is to be a leading producer of renewable fuels for the benefit of our shareholders, communities and country.
Our Values
Commitment to Safety—We will build and maintain a safe workplace, and give the highest priority to protecting our employees, contractors and communities.
Integrity—We will conduct ourselves and our business to reflect the highest ethical standards.
Teamwork—We will foster a teamwork environment while never losing sight of individual contributions.
Responsibility—We will fulfill our duties and commitments to our shareholders, customers, employees, communities and the environment.
Leadership—We will take a leadership position to promote positive growth and development of the industry.
Passion to Succeed—We will instill a can-do attitude in our employees, challenging them to achieve uncommon results.
The company founders have worked together for more than a decade, successfully starting and running technology companies in Brookings, SD. After exiting their last technology venture, the founders decided to embark on a venture that would provide benefits to the local, regional, and national communities.
Having grown up on a farm in eastern South Dakota, Don Endres, CEO, became acquainted with ethanol production through his investments in Glacial Lakes Energy of Watertown, SD, and Badger State Ethanol of Monroe, WI. In 2001, after evaluating several business opportunities, Endres and the other founders chose to pursue ethanol production. VeraSun went in search of like-minded investors. They found a partner in Bluestem Capital, a Midwest-focused venture-capital firm based in Sioux Falls, SD.
Company Diagram
Ethanol Production Process
The process of converting corn into ethanol results in approximately 2.8 gallons of denatured ethanol and 18 lbs. of Distillers Grains from every bushel of corn. This process is described below.
Operations and Technology
Ethanol
Ethanol is a high-octane, anhydrous (water-free) alcohol produced by fermenting converted starch from corn with yeast. Ethanol can help reduce global warming because less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere than with conventional gasoline. Because it is an environmentally friendly source of high-octane fuel, it is widely used as a blending ingredient in gasoline—more than four billion gallons per year.
Today, all car manufacturers approve the use of ethanol in their warranties. Ford Motor Company, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler recommend its use for environmental reasons. A growing number of cars and trucks designated as FlexFuel Vehicles can use ethanol blended up to 85 percent with gasoline.
E85
E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) is an approved motor fuel that can be used in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV's). Today there are more than 6 million FFV's on U.S. roads manufactured by domestic and foreign automakers. VeraSun launched VE85™, its branded E85 product, in May of 2005. VE85™ is now available at select retailers in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and Kentucky. VeraSun also brought the first E85 retail fueling location to the nation's capital in Washington, D.C.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a clean-burning renewable fuel, commonly derived from natural vegetable oils. While it contains no petroleum, biodiesel can be easily blended with petroleum diesel to run in all existing diesel engines. Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly fuel source because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is readily biodegradable and non-toxic. Since it is made from corn and soybeans produced in the United States, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.
VeraSun plans to be the first company to extract oil from Distillers Grains (DDGS), a co-product of the ethanol production process, for use in biodiesel production thereby creating two biofuels from the same feedstock. Removing oil from distillers grains not only increases the value of the oil for fuel use, the process also enhances the resulting distillers grains as a livestock feed by concentrating protein and reducing fat content.
Distillers Grains
The product remaining after the ethanol is removed from the fermented corn mash is Distillers Grains. It contains the non-fermentable components of the corn and is rich in cereal proteins, fat (energy), minerals, and vitamins. Distillers Grains are an excellent digestible protein and energy source for all ruminants and can comprise 20 percent to 30 percent of a ration's dry matter. It is also being used in poultry and swine applications. Distillers Grains from the VeraSun ethanol plants in Aurora, Fort Dodge, Charles City and Linden are available in two forms:
• Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS), containing 90 percent dry matter, and
• Modified (wet) Distillers Grains with Solubles (MDGS), containing 50 percent dry matter.
Corn Distillers Grains are a valuable livestock feed ingredient. The majority of Distillers Grains are blended with solubles (syrup) and dried to produce distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS).
VeraSun also markets wet Distillers Grains also know as Modified Distillers Grains which is an excellent addition to beef and dairy rations for more local feeders. Adding Distillers Grains often reduce feed costs while providing excellent performance.
Geographical Spread
VeraSun owns and operates production facilities that are among the largest and most efficient dry-grind ethanol plants in the United States. Our biorefineries use state-of-the-art technology and are designed to run continuously - 24 hours per day, 7 days per week - throughout the year. With a focus on maximizing production yields and product quality, VeraSun facilities utilize the latest process control systems and biotechnology, and require highly-skilled and trained teams for operation. Because we take great pride in our communities and care for our employees, we have designed some of the most environmentally friendly and safe facilities in the industry today.
Board of Directors and Key Management
| Don Endres | Chairman, President and CEO |
| D. Duane Gilliam | |
| Jack Huggins | |
| Paul Schock | Vice President, Corporate Development |
| Steven T. Kirby |
Company AddressVeraSun Energy100 22nd AvenueBrookings
|
Additional Address/Key ContactPrimary IR Contact: Patty Dickerson, Director of Investor Relations |
Related News
05/07/06 - VeraSun Blazes An Ethanol Trail Along Interstate 55Most Recent Statement
04/09/07 - VeraSun Energy to Promote VE85™ Thursday04/09/07 - VeraSun Energy to Present at Lehman Brothers
28/08/07 - Kroger Becomes First National Retailer to Sell VeraSun's Branded E85
26/08/07 - VeraSun Energy Names Patty Dickerson Director of Investor Relations
19/08/07 - VeraSun Energy Closes Acquisition with ASAlliances
13/08/07 - VeraSun Energy Invests in Cellulosic Ethanol Technology Company