Frequently Asked Questions
Purchasing Refined Corn Products
Q. Who do I contact to purchase corn refined products (starch, syrup, sweeteners, etc.)?
A. Please contact the corn wet milling companies directly. A list of CRA Members with information about which products each company produces and links to their Web sites where you can find contact information is available. Please click here.
Note: If you are looking to export refined corn products (corn oil, corn gluten feed, etc.), please follow the link above and contact the appropriate CRA Members.
Q. Where can I get information on purchasing corn for export?
A. The U.S. Grains Council lists a number of providers of commodity corn as well as details on purchasing specifications. Please see their Web site at http://www.grains.org/.
Markets
Q. Which corn refining company has the greatest share of the corn sweetener market?
A. The CRA does not track information related to product pricing, market share or individual companies. Industry analysts such as Credit Suisse, LMC International, McKeaney-Flavell, or SK Patil and Associates can provide detailed reports on product markets, pricing, market share, and other market-related information.
Note: None of the analysts noted above have an affiliation with the CRA, nor does the CRA recommend or endorse any particular analyst. The list is informational only and not comprehensive.
Q. How much corn does the industry use?
A. In 2012, the wet milling industry used approximately 1.8 billion bushels of corn. The total corn crop in 2012 was 10.8 billion bushels.
Q. How much does the corn refining industry produce?
A. CRA Member shipments in 2012 were:
starch: 5.9 billion pounds
high fructose corn syrup: 19.2 billion pounds
corn oil: 1.1 billion pounds
corn gluten feed/corn oil meal: 10.4 billion pounds
corn gluten meal: 2.2 billion pounds
steepwater: 1.7 billion pounds
Corn Refining
Q. What kind of corn does the wet milling industry use?
A. Corn wet millers typically use #2 yellow dent corn. Some refiners use waxy or high amylose varieties of corn to make starches with very specific qualities and end uses.
Q. I want to build a corn refining plant. Where do I start?
A. A corn wet milling plant represents a major investment. Fully understanding the corn refining process is the first step. To learn more about the corn wet milling process and how refined corn products are manufactured, please see our technical booklets on starch, sweeteners, corn oil, and feed products.
Please note that the CRA does not conduct feasibility studies, nor do we recommend specific firms or machinery. Many of the exhibitors at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference provide the wet milling industry with a variety of supplies including machinery. We have compiled a list of exhibitors from several past conferences. It does not represent all suppliers to the industry and does not constitute endorsement by the CRA. It does list several companies that specialize in plant construction and project management. Each company’s area of specialization is described. Click here to download the list.
Membership
Q. Can I become a member?
A. CRA represents only those companies that wet mill corn. The association does not have any individual or associate memberships.
Q. Who are your members ?
A. The CRA represents companies that refine corn using the wet milling process. CRA members include: Archer Daniels Midland Company; Cargill, Incorporated; Ingredion International; Penford Products Co.; Roquette America, Inc., and Tate & Lyle Americas.
Products
Note: If you have questions about the functionality or technical specifications of a particular refined corn ingredient, please contact your product supplier. They will be able to answer your questions.
Q. Where can I get information on ethanol?
A. For information on ethanol, contact the Renewable Fuels Association, 425 Third Street, SW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20024; telephone 202-289-3835; fax 202-289-7519. You can visit the RFA web site at http://www.ethanolrfa.org.
Q. Where can I get information on corn flakes, corn grits, and cornmeal?
A. Corn flakes, corn grits, and corn meal are made using the “dry milling” process. For information on corn dry milling, contact the North American Millers’ Association, 600 Maryland Ave., S.W., Suite 825-West, Washington, D.C. 20024; telephone 202-484-2200, fax 202-488-7416. You can visit the NAMA web site at http://www.namamillers.org.
