Illovo Sugar Africa

Downstream Products

As part of Illovo’s Strategic Intent to optimise the return on every stick of cane, a wide variety of niche, high-value downstream products are produced and marketed from the core commodity products of sugar cane-fibre, sugar and molasses. Downstream products include ethanol, furfural and furfuryl alcohol, diacetyl, 2,3-Pentanedione, BioMass Sugar®, agricultural nematicides and an increasing supply of electricity. Lactulose is also produced at the Merebank site in South Africa.

Safety and Technical Data Sheets

Sezela Downstream

PRODUCTS PRODUCED	USES
Furfural	Mainly for the production of furfuryl alcohol and in lube oil refineries as an extractive solvent in the purification of base oils. It is also used for specialist applications such as the manufacture of grinding wheels, friction pellets for brake pads, crucible manufacture, and to a lesser extent as a flavour ingredient.
Furfural Alcohol	Used to produce a resin used in the foundry industry as a polymeric binder for foundry sands. It is also used for wood treatment to produce acid-resistant coatings and certain pharmaceuticals, as well as a flavour ingredient.
AGRIGUARD BUSINESS PRODUCTS
Crop Guard®	Used as an agricultural contact nematicide, at plant and within the growing season.
MultiGuard Protect®	Developed and marketed as an agricultural contact-nematicide under the trade name MultiGuard Protect® in the USA.
Protect®	Used prior to planting, as a nematicide and fungicide.
BioMass Sugar®	Used as phytofortifiers/soil improvers or as a liquid organic fertiliser.
FLAVOURANT PRODUCTS
Diacetyl	Used as an ingredient in butter flavourings.
2,3-Pentanedione	Used as an ingredient in butter flavourings and as an intermediate in the manufacture of pyrazines.
Natural methanol	Used in the manufacture of natural flavour ingredients.

Merebank, Glendale and Tanzania Ethanol Distilleries

PRODUCTS	USES
Ethanol Potable extra neutral Alcohol (ENA) – 96.0%	A very high quality potable alcohol used by liquor industries for the production of branded alcoholic drinks (e.g. canes, vodkas, gins, rums, liqueurs and aperitifs).
Anhydrous alcohol – 99.9%	Used in the pharmaceutical industry to produce pharmaceutical intermediaries and products (e.g. in cough mixtures, alcohol is used to dissolve ingredients not able to be dissolved by water). Also used in surgical spirits, medical disinfectants, and in the production of solvents for use in the printing ink and flexible packaging industries.
Rectified extra neutral Alcohol (REN) – 96.0%	Also has pharmaceutical applications but mainly used in the personal care industry to produce cosmetics, hair care products, toiletries, fragrances and perfumes. In the food industry, it is used to produce flavours and spirit vinegar, which is used in various pickling processes and in the production of condiments (e.g. tomato sauce, chutney, mayonnaise and salad dressings).
Industrial alcohol – 95%	Used in the production of methylated spirits, solvents and thinners
Lactulose	Mild, natural laxative syrup.