AKRON, OHIO, US – Three Rivers Energy announced on June 22 that will expand corn-based ethanol production at its plant in Coshocton, Ohio, US in partnership with GOJO Industries, which plans to increase production of PURELL disinfectant products.

Ethanol is an ingredient used in products such as hand sanitizer, surface spray and wipes, which have been in high demand since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic which began in March 2020.

GOJO Industries, based in Akron, Ohio, US, said having a dedicated source of ethanol will not only enable it to meet current demand but will allow it to rapidly scale up production of PURELL products in case of a future surge so it can provide more widespread access to its products.

"To ensure we can meet demand for our trusted PURELL products no matter what, we have removed constraints that limited production during the early days of the pandemic, such as access to bottles, pumps, and now, high quality ethanol," said Carey Jaros, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of GOJO Industries. "Our partnership with Three Rivers Energy will not only have a positive impact on Ohio corn farmers, but it is good for public health – ensuring that even during major surges in demand, hospitals, businesses, and consumers will have sufficient supply of PURELL products and won't have to settle for the unsafe, ineffective, or unpleasant alternatives that flooded the market this past year."

Work will begin on the expanded facility this fall and is scheduled to be complete by fall 2022. Terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.

"We are delighted to announce our partnership with GOJO Industries, which will expand and diversify our product portfolio at our biorefinery in Coshocton," said Jim Galvin, president and CEO of Three Rivers Energy. "This is a unique initiative between two Ohio companies that will enable us to produce high purity, low carbon alcohols for PURELL products while also allowing us to continue the production of biofuels, protein feeds, and corn oil at our facility.

“This is a welcome announcement for the local Coshocton community and farm families across the region, and we look forward to developing this unique partnership with GOJO in the years ahead."

Three Rivers Energy is located 70 miles east of Columbus, Ohio, US, and is part of the larger Lakeview group of companies. The plant produces 55 million gallons of ethanol and 16,5000 tons of dried distillers' grains soluble.

All fuel grade ethanol is sold locally through refineries and retail outlets in Ohio and neighboring states. The dried distillers' grain is sold to local animal feed markets as a valuable source of protein and fiber.