Sugar Cane – from
field to mill
Sugar cane is a giant grass. It grows in tropical and
semitropical regions, up to three metres in height. Key ingredients for
successful growth are rainfall and sunlight. The majority of the agriculture
that supplies cane to Europe is not irrigated and relies solely on rainfall.
Harvesting is either manual or mechanical. In both cases the
cane is cut close to the ground and the leaves removed. The plant re-grows the
following year from the original root. The harvested cane is transported as
rapidly as possible to the sugar mill in order for the sugar to be extracted;
this maximises the content and quality of sugar in the cane.
The sugar from the cane is extracted at the sugar mill, which is
typically located close to, or in the sugar cane growing area to avoid delay
and reduce transport costs and related environmental impacts. The aim of the
sugar mill is to extract as much sugar as possible from cane. Juice is
extracted by crushing the cane between massive rollers. The juice is then
filtered before being crystallised. Energy is a key input to this stage of the
process.
The energy needs of the sugar mill are typically met by
converting the energy in the fibre (called bagasse) from the crushed cane stalk
into heat and electricity. The bagasse is used to fuel the boilers that power
the mill. In many cases the mill will generate electricity from steam, and a
surplus of bagasse often results in electricity being exported to local
electricity users.
The sugar mill will typically produce raw sugar for refining.
This raw sugar needs further refining before it can be used in the food chain.
In some cases sugar mills have been modified to enable production of direct
consumption sugars.
Raw Sugar – from mill
to our refineries
Raw sugar is shipped in bulk ocean-going vessels from the sugar
mill directly to our port-based refineries in London and Lisbon. The journey
can take from 2 weeks, from the Caribbean, to as long as 6 weeks from Asia and
Fiji. The wide geography of our supply base means that harvests are under way
throughout the year. When it arrives at our refineries, the sugar is unloaded
as quickly as possible by large grab cranes to minimise freight costs. At the
Thames Refinery each grab holds 16 tonnes of raw sugar.
From raw sugar to
customer – at the refinery
Our cane sugar refineries in London and Lisbon manufacture a
large portfolio of sugar products from the bulk raw sugar. The refinery removes
the remaining impurities and colour from the bulk raw sugar, and then tailors
the sugar to meet the customers’ requirements. A full portfolio of sugars is
produced in crystal, liquid and syrup form.
Highly skilled engineers, chemists and plant operatives are at
the heart of the operation, ensuring that the maximum amount of marketable
sugar is extracted from the raw material using as little energy as possible.
Around one-third of the sugar is sold through retailers under our own brands.
The rest is sold to food manufacturers, mostly in the EU but also in export
markets such as North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Manufactured sugar
products are shipped to over 2,000 customers across the world.
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