Chevron REG to close biodiesel plant in DeForest, Wisconsin

Brian Coker, plant manager for Chevron REG's DeForest, Wisconsin, biodiesel production facility in 2019 celebrating upgrades completed at the site. (Photo: Chevron REG)

The Chevron Renewable Energy Group biodiesel production facility in DeForest, Wisconsin, will be closing, according to a LinkedIn post from plant manager Brian Coker.

“I am very sad to be announcing this today, but the Chevron REG biodiesel plant located in DeForest, Wisconsin, is going to be closing indefinitely due to market conditions,” Coker posted Feb. 29.

He said Chevron REG is offering the 26 DeForest employees positions elsewhere within Chevron and REG.

“I may be biased, but I believe we have one of the best teams anywhere,” Coker said. “These are not the kinds of employees you will see out looking for jobs every day, they are the ones you want to keep, and hold on to, and we have been fortunate to have them here. We are offering them positions within Chevron REG and Chevron, but for those who do not want to relocate, I will be working with them to connect them with jobs.”

The last day of employment for the plant workers at the 20-million-gallon-per-year biodiesel manufacturing facility is April 12, according to Coker.

Chevron REG's 20 mgy biodiesel plant in DeForest, Wisconsin (Photo: Chevron REG)

REG purchased the biodiesel plant in DeForest from Sanimax in 2016.

In 2019, REG celebrated the completion of improvements to the facility, including a new entrance and logistics upgrades.

The new entrance provided direct access to the biodiesel plant for truck traffic.

In addition to the entrance and logistics upgrades completed in 2019, the company added eight permanent jobs and made several other improvements to the plant.

Two years ago, in late February 2022, Chevron announced its plans to acquire REG—including its 10 biodiesel plants in the U.S. and Europe and one renewable diesel facility undergoing expansion in Louisiana—in an all-cash deal worth $3.15 billion.

The acquisition was completed in June 2022.

Chevron REG confirmed the pending closure of the DeForest plant with Biobased Diesel Daily®.

The company also said it plans to close its biodiesel facility in Ralston, Iowa.

For more information on the Ralston plant closure, click here.