U.S. Soybean Processing Maintenance Leads to Millions in Third-Quarter Spending

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Written by Eric Funderburk for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

More than 20 maintenance events are planned at soybean-crushing facilities throughout the U.S. in the third quarter, with Indiana taking the lead in both number of projects and investment amount.

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Key Maintenance Time

Late summer, particularly August, is a key time to perform maintenance at U.S. soybean processing plants in preparation for the fall harvest. Industrial Info Resources is tracking more than 20 maintenance events scheduled at U.S. soybean-processing plants in the third quarter of this year, leading to tens of millions of dollars in maintenance spending.

Geographic Leader

While the 22 third-quarter maintenance projects span the U.S., the heaviest concentration is in the Midwest, with Indiana taking the lead for both the number of maintenance events and the overall investment required.

The majority of Indiana's third-quarter soybean maintenance spending comes from Bunge, which is responsible for two projects. These include two- to three-week shutdowns at Bunge's plants in Morristown and Decatur. A look at the long list of items to be inspected and possibly repaired or replaced at the Morristown plant indicates the scale of these operations. Such equipment includes receiving conveyors, aeration fans, storage bins and silos, aspirators, milling and grinding equipment, dryers, coolers, boilers and much more.

Another third-quarter Indiana maintenance shutdown is on the books in Clinton County from Archer Daniels Midland Company, which leads the U.S. in soybean maintenance spending this quarter.

Company Leader

In addition to its Indiana project, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is planning soybean maintenance this quarter at plants in Illinois, Iowa, Georgia and Missouri. One of these projects is set for the ADM's largest plant and one of the largest soybean-crushing facilities in the world, the Decatur, Illinois, facility, which can process 200,000 bushels per day. The plantwide maintenance is expected to last about two weeks.

Other ADM projects include a maintenance shutdown in September at a smaller plant in Valdosta, Georgia, ADM's only facility that processes both soybeans and cottonseed at the same location.

Third-Quarter Capital Projects

No large capital projects in the U.S. soybean sector loom in the third quarter or, in fact, for the rest of the year. ADM may begin modernizing the control systems at its Decatur plant later this year, which could be followed by further updates of the refining controls systems in 2027. A few substantial soybean projects are presently underway, most notably Louis Dreyfus' 1.5 million-ton-per-year grassroot soybean processing plant in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, which is expected to be completed later this year.

Key Takeaways

• Industrial Info is tracking 22 maintenance events planned at U.S. soybean plants in 3Q26, valued at more than $50 million.
• Indiana takes the lead position for both the number and investment in soybean maintenance, while Archer Daniels Midland leads other agricultural companies in spending.
• No large soybean project starts are planned in the U.S. for the remainder of the year, although some substantial capital activity is presently underway.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).