Aurora Cooperative, KAAPA merger finalized

    KAAPA Ethanol Holdings, LLC and Aurora Cooperative Elevator Company announced they have closed on a joint venture, forming a new company KAAPA Partners Aurora, LLC.
    The new company now owns and operates the ethanol and grain facilities located west of Aurora, Nebraska.
    KAAPA is the majority owner and operator of the facilities, with Aurora Cooperative retaining a minority interest in the new company.
    According to company officials, KAAPA Partners Aurora, LLC intends to make significant investments in the ethanol and grain facilities with the goal of increasing production and efficiencies so that the ethanol plant may remain a destination for area farmers’ corn for many years to come.
    Chris Decker, Aurora Cooperative’s CEO, said, “I am excited that we have closed the transaction so that we can move forward with making needed investments in the facilities to increase efficiency and capacity. We are looking forward to working with KAAPA to improve and expand these facilities for our area farmers.”
    Chuck Woodside, KAAPA’s CEO, said they are excited to enter the partnership with Aurora Cooperative and look forward to expanding its customer base to the Aurora region.
    “The collaboration with our existing plants, along with significant improvements to the facility will make this plant a great addition to KAAPA,” he said.
    KAAPA was formed as an ethanol company by a group of Nebraska farmers in 2001. Since then, it has expanded its ethanol production footprint and grain facilities.
    Aurora Cooperative has been a partner in agriculture for over 115 years, providing  products and services growers rely on every day. Headquartered in Aurora, Aurora Cooperative has more than 650 employees across 70 locations in six states where they provide products, services and expertise in grain, agronomy, animal nutrition and energy.  
    There are Aurora Cooperative locations in this area in Grant, and in Colorado at Wray, Yuma and Paoli.