Micro-Refineries: The Sugaright Solution to Supply Chain Disruptions

Build them close to our customers. Build them fast. Build them sustainably.

CSC Sugar Refining was born out the request of a sugar trading partner who wanted an economical source of liquid sugar close to their manufacturing operation in El Paso, TX. During the next 16 years, by filling similar requests for a growing roster of food manufacturers, Sugaright became one of the major suppliers of liquid sucrose in the country.

Food manufacturers that could see the value of having suppliers in close proximity to their plants were attracted to our micro-refinery strategy. During the supply chain disruptions of the past two years, these modern day “prophets” managed to avoid many of the disruptions in supply chains that have plagued their competitors. Their plants kept running, keeping the grocery shelves full, and consumers happy.

In a recent publication of Rabobank’s Talking Points, a recent readership survey revealed that supply chains are more “fragile than flexible” and that the experiences of COVID are challenging commonly held beliefs on how to source and manage supply chains.

“The year 2021 showed, according to one responder, ‘how precarious the balance between supply and demand is. It takes very little supply chain disruption, or any other disruption, to cause a massive impact’. And another noted, ‘commodities always take time to react, but the physical disruptions showed that capacity hadn’t been parked but eliminated.’”

This led some to comment on how these disruptions had led to revisiting the idea of more local, shorter supply chains.

The current locations of our Sugaright micro-refineries were selected when a critical mass of customers and potential customers shared our belief that “more local and shorter” means less risk, less expense and less environmental impact. This value proposition has become even greater as freight and trucking costs have increased, and we have become no stranger to more frequent weather events.

Additionally, our minimally processed L350 requires less refining equipment; allowing our refineries to be built quickly, efficiently, and environmentally friendly.

Professionally (and personally!), short-term challenges often reveal long-term opportunities.

Is it time for your company to revisit its sugar sourcing strategy?

Are you thinking about relocating your plants to be closer to the consumer?

Do you need an innovative supplier to partner in your supply chain risk mitigation goals?

Contact us to learn more about how “sourcing local” could be your answer to solving your supply chain disruptions, today and into the future.