PORTAGE, Ind. – Ports of Indiana has selected Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), a leading global merchant and processor of agricultural goods, to operate the grain export facility at its Lake Michigan port.

 

Considered one of the world’s “big four” global agri-commodities companies, LDC reported net sales of $50.6 billion in 2024. Over the years, the Burns Harbor grain terminal has enabled exports of more than 500 million bushels of corn and soybeans between opening in 1979 and closing in 2023.

 

“We’re very pleased to partner with LDC to revitalize one of the most important agricultural shipping facilities in the state,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “Combining LDC’s extensive resources with one of the most robust grain export facilities on the Great Lakes provides critical access to global markets for regional farmers. This is one of only a few places in the Midwest where you can load 1 million bushels of corn onto an ocean vessel for export while simultaneously unloading an 85-car unit train and hundreds of semi-trucks from local farmers.”

 

LDC was founded in France in 1851, established operations in the U.S. in 1909, and today operates the country’s largest, fully integrated soybean crushing and biodiesel plant in Claypool, Ind.

 

“LDC is excited to join forces with Ports of Indiana, whose commitment to growing the midwestern economy is aligned with our own, long-standing growth journey in the state,” said Gordon Russell, LDC’s U.S. Head of Grains & Oilseeds. “Burns Harbor is well-positioned at the southern shore of Lake Michigan, with access to multiple regional grain markets. The port will be a strategic asset for LDC to expand market access for regional farmers and serve customers in North America and abroad.”

 

Northern Indiana boasts the largest U.S. port with access to the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway and U.S. Inland River System, and it also provides multimodal connections to 16 railroads in the Greater Chicago market. The port’s grain operation includes storage capacity for 7.2 million bushels of grain, 200 railcars and 20 barges.

 

“LDC’s extended global network and business portfolio will support export growth and expand our reach across the agribusiness spectrum,” said Burns Harbor Port Director Ryan McCoy. “This terminal is one of the leading export facilities in the Midwest, with the capacity to load up to 90,000 bushels per hour into an ocean vessel or laker and unload 30,000 bushels per hour from a unit train. LDC’s investment will sharpen its competitive edge and help our region expand its multimodal capabilities and grow global trade.”

 

LDC is expected to begin operating the terminal in early 2026.

 

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About Louis Dreyfus Company: Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods, founded in 1851. We leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world, delivering the right products to the right location, at the right time – safely, reliably and responsibly. Our activities span the entire value chain, from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines (platforms): Coffee, Cotton, Food & Feed Solutions, Freight, Global Markets, Grains & Oilseeds, Juice, Rice and Sugar. We help feed and clothe some 500 million people every year by originating, processing and transporting approximately 95 million tons of products. Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries across six geographical regions and employs approximately 19,000 people globally. For more information, visit www.ldc.com and follow us on social media.

 

Media Contact: media@ldc.com

 

About Ports of Indiana: Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system, and by serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade and multimodal logistics. Ports of Indiana annually contributes $8.7 billion to the state economy and supports approximately 50,000 jobs.

 

Information: www.portsofindiana.com
Media Contact: Eric Powell, (317) 233-6231 or e-mail