Advanced Energy Group buys Maryborough Sugar Mill

The Maryborough Sugar Mill is in the process of being bought and resurrected, with a prominent organisation announcing its plans for the factory, and what it means for the region’s canegrowers, 18 months after it was closed.

A brand new future beckons for the former Maryborough Sugar Mill after Advanced Energies Group announced it was in negotiation to buy the factory.

According to a statement from AEG, the organisation intends to purchase the mill and create a bioenergy hub.

“This will only serve to advance the region by strengthening further investment into current farming practices, bringing back jobs and increasing the economic outputs of the region,” AEG said via a statement.

“AEG have identified that greater opportunity exists to deliver continuous growth and value within the sugar industry and that is to diversify the capabilities of the mill.

“In basic form this means also assigning the mill for alternate energy production in using all of the cane material as well as the implementation of new energy cane varieties.

“The purchase only seeks to further benefit the growers for the long term, giving security to the 126 year legacy that presides.”

The purchase of the mill is expected to be completed within the next month, with the recommission of the factory to start immediately for the purpose of being ready to crush cane for the 2023 season.

It comes after canegrowers in the region were forced to transport cane to the Isis Sugar Mill when the Maryborough factory was closed by MSF about 18 months ago.

Under the new ownership, the annual crush would return to Maryborough, in positive news for the region’s growers.

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders said the company was investing $100 million in the city.

“I’m very happy to have Advanced Energy Group here in Maryborough,” he said.

“To get a company get a company like this investing in Maryborough is brilliant, it means jobs for locals.

“It’s great for our city – I’m so happy.”

The statement from the company said the project “is a joint venture between Australian and Japanese professionals who share the same vision of creating a sustainable economic outlook for the industry”.

“Although the mill has not operated for approximately 18 months, risk assessments and conditional evaluations give confidence that this short period will incur no impediment in bringing the mill to full capacity in preparation for the next crush,” the statement read.

A general view of the MSF sugar mill in Maryborough.

“As the project is supported by a number of very large multinational corporations, this will only contribute to enhancing the region by rolling out a number of unprecedented technologies which will be a global first.

“AEG’s view is that there needs to be a close relationship with not only the growers but also the entire region to ensure longevity of the project. It is believed that such an engagement will support and encourage continued investment for further capability development.

“This type of partnership is the cornerstone of our company.

“Over the coming months there will be further announcements as the project progresses in preparation for next year’s harvest.

“We are excited with anticipation in developing our relationship with the community as well as growers to what we see as being a positive step forward for everyone.”

Canegrowers Queensland chairman Owen Menkens said it was “certainly exciting”, adding that if the factory reopened it would be “a big help to growers”.

When asked if the sale was a positive thing to see given a tough few years for cane growers with the pandemic, Mr Menkens said “we don’t like to see assets like that just sitting idle”.

“It will continue the industry in those regions, it’s certainly been tough on those growers”

Sending their cane to Isis to be crushed had been an additional challenge for growers.

“So if they do get the mill up and running, it will make it easy for them to send their cane to the mill.”

Cameron Waterson, manager at Maryborough Canegrowers, said the organisation was “pretty excited” about the opportunity.

He said it was the “first time in history” that a sugar mill would reopen in Australia.

Mr Waterson said growers went through a “long” and ”drawn out process” when the mill closed, which caused a lot of uncertainty, particularly with the following two years making arrangements to send the cane to Isis.