Sugar Land-based Imperial Sugar Co. has begun shipping products again from its rebuilt Port Wentworth, Ga., plant, which was heavily damaged in a fire and explosions in February 2008.
The company announced this week that it shipped its first load of bulk granulated refined sugar from the plant.
The Wentworth refinery began limited truck shipment of liquid bulk sugar late last month, “and completed production through the reconstructed granular and dry bulk loading stations last weekend, said Imperial President and Chief Executive John Sheptor.
“The commissioning of the bulk loading station is a major milestone in our quest to fully restore production at Port Wentworth,” Sheptor said. “We can once again begin serving a substantial portion of our industrial customer base from our Georgia refinery. This is a very proud day for all our employees who have worked so diligently to make this possible.”
The company has said it expects complete packaging cabilities to be restored at the refinery by fall.
Fourteen workers died and about 40 were injured in the industrial disaster, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed an order levying $8.76 million in fines against Imperial.
Cleanup, repairs, continuing refinery payroll and other costs related to the accident cost the company nearly $15 million by early this year, although the bulk of that amount was paid by Imperial’s insurer.
This week, Imperial said it had spent about $102 million in Wentworth construction costs through June 30. It expects total construction costs at the plant will reach $200 million to $220 million.
The company indicated much of those costs also will be borne by its insurance provider.
