About Us

Chairman

Peter Starling has been involved in the ethanol industry for 35 years, having started his career with the NCP division of Sentrachem Ltd in 1986. Peter moved with the business when it was sold to Alco Finance of Belgium in 2001 and he is now the managing Director of AlcoNCP (Pty) Ltd in Umgeni , Durban.

Vice Chairman

Haydn Rencken joined USA Distillers in 2005, having returned from 6 years overseas working for a multinational pharmaceutical company. Haydn has a financial background, having done his auditing and accounting internship with Ernst & Young, and today holds the position of Regional Executive Director for USA Distillers in Eswatini, working alongside the Founder and Chairman J.B. Caldeira who is based overseas.

ETHANOL PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Membership of this Association is available to any entity that manufactures ethanol in Southern Africa. The Association currently consists of 6 members and their capacities and ethanol type are tabulated below. Further background information on each member follows below that

ILLOVO SUGAR-MEREBANK

This sugar producing corporate has a downstream operation at Merebank where its own molasses is converted to ethanol and other products. The distillery commenced operation in 1915 and was known as The Natal Cane By Products. Later it became C G Smith and today is known as Illovo Sugar SA – Merebank.

AlcoNCP

This distillery is located on the banks of the Umgeni river in Durban. Sugar cane derived ethanol (as rum) was first produced here in 1868. The operation later became NCP (Natal) Pty Ltd and together with NCP (Transvaal) Pty Ltd, was acquired by Sentrachem Ltd in 1968. Following the acquisition of Sentrachem by Dow Chemical, this division was sold to Alco Finance SA of Belgium. In 2021, the operation was expanded and the raw material feed converted to maize. As a consequence, AlcoNCP now produces distillers dried grains and solubles (DDGS) for the animal feed industry, as well as ethanol.

Royal Eswatini Sugar Corp.

The Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation Limited (RESC) is located in north-eastern Eswatini and operates two sugar mills and a refinery. The company produces two-thirds of the country’s sugar, and ethanol from its 32 000 kilolitre per annum capacity distillery adjacent to its Simunye sugar mill. Most of the ethanol is exported as potable grade, as Eswatini has a preferential status in the European Union. RESC is listed on the Eswatini Stock Exchange.

SASOL SOUTH AFRICA

Sasol Limited has operations at Secunda and Sasolburg in South Africa, and various sites in Europe, USA and Asia. Sasol Ethylol 95 is a synthetic, fully denatured, industrial grade ethanol which is produced in the Sasol Fischer Tropsch process in Secunda South Africa. This stream is purified to produce high purity ethanol as well as various grades of synthetic ethanol which are marketed locally and internationally. Sasol high purity ethanol is used in pharmaceutical applications as well as hand sanitizer production. Sasol ethanol products are also used in inks, paints, coatings, surface sanitizer and adhesives applications.

USA Distillers

USA Distillers is a family owned operation that has been in operation since the year 2000. The distillery is situated on the banks of the Usuthu River, in the Eswatini sugar belt. The distillery is well positioned in relation to a sugar mill which provides the raw material, molasses. The main product is potable alcohol which is exported to regional markets.