Project Partners:
FROM SUGAR CANE
TO BIOMASS Power generation at Corporaciรณn San Diego adds a layer of sustainability to its traditional duties in the sugar cane market
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orporación San Diego’s history begins in 1943, when the Vila family acquired the San Diego Sugarcane Mill in Guatemala. The company grew year-on-year with each harvest’s production and in 1987, the Trinidad mill was sold to the Vilas, becoming the company’s main operation. Seventy percent of San Diego’s sugar production is exported to the US, Canada, Taiwan and parts of Europe, mainly, while the rest is sold in Guatemala to end consumers and companies as well. San Diego is also, importantly, currently certified under ISO:001, ISO:17025, and ISO:22000 standards. “We are striving to obtain the Bonsucro certification, which will allow us to export farther into Europe,” adds
INGENIO SAN DIEGO
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Fraterno Vila, President of the Board of Directors at Corporación San Diego. Energy for the new millennium As the new millennium dawned, Corporación San Diego diversified its operations toward electricity generation from biomass fuel. San Diego only requires 20MW/h of the 90MW/h generated by its plant, with 50% of the remaining 70MW/h sold by Comercializadora de Energy San Diego (its affiliate for energy marketing) to the domestic spot market. The other half is sold to other industry sectors and clients from small and mid-sized businesses. In the last 30 months, power output from San Diego increased notably from the 2014-2015 harvest – by 100% and 150%. This resulted from investing in a new 46MW energy block, enabling Corporación San Diego to turn 2014’s 102,000KW into nearly 208,000KW for 2016 and more than 261,000KW during 2017. “This turned out to become a very important investment, supporting a production increase for each
“WE ARE STRIVING TO OBTAIN THE BONSUCRO CERTIFICATION, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO EXPORT FURTHER INTO EUROPE” – Don Fraterno Vila Girón, President of the Board of Directors at Corporación San Diego
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sugarcane tonne,” Vila explains. Corporación San Diego’s energy division sustains a solid, efficient operation that would undoubtedly benefit from larger investments in the country, along with regulations that would help permit more exports to neighbouring countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Investments in automation and engineering Corporación San Diego’s field operations are already supported
by automated processes, and large sums are also invested in precision engineering. “More than 70% of a sugarcane factory’s budget is in the fields. There’s where our focus is,” Vila comments. More than 80% of the sugar factory’s processes are already automated, and the power generation plant is totally automated already. Estimates for repairs and replacement parts are reviewed yearly along with possible reinforcements in machinery.
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4,943 Number of employees during harvest
IDEAL FOR THE CLARIFICATION PROCESS SPECIAL TYPE HYDRATED LIME FOR SUGAR MILLS High purity (>98%). High neutralizing power. Less consumption of lime.
1,650
Number of employees during the rest of the year
“AFTER THE GROWTH EXPERIENCED BY SAN DIEGO, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ACHIEVE CONSOLIDATING AND IMPROVING OUR PRODUCTIVITY” – Don Fraterno Vila Girón, President of the Board of Directors at Corporación San Diego Tech imports for Corporación San Diego are usually brought in from Germany, England and Japan. Focusing on safety The company’s Japanese vendors supply more than machinery and services able to optimise management of the power generation division.
Key suppliers from Japan send specialised personnel to the plant once or twice a year to help San Diego’s staff complete demanding training programmes. The energy plant is secured with temperature sensors and anti-inflammatory systems, and surveillance duties rely on a CCTV system. Improvements
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are staged according to assigned budget after each harvest season. “We have a complete protection and investment plan to help us take care of every detail in the factory,” Vila explains. Human resource management Harvesting demands at Corporación San Diego require the company to take on 4,943 employees, although repairs season reduces this number to 1,650. San Diego establishes different talent development programmes to
reduce turnover rates and invests in training for employees in every level. The company also contributes to personnel opting to attend college and, when operations require certain positions to develop certain skills, helps with this development of expertise. Social programmes San Diego’s “Feria de la Salud” (health fair) is a yearly event organised to provide medical care to the company’s employees, their families and neighbouring communities. The company’s suppliers and key partners also take part in bringing in doctors and other health specialists, providing dental check-ups and vaccines. Bringing continuum to its bonds with neighbouring communities, the company created the San Diego Foundation which delivers the “Better Families” programme, providing health and educational support. A desire for change The energy division at Corporación San Diego is still subject to regulatory laws which must be updated
to encourage investment, and thus, demand for electric power, besides being able to increase transactions within the Central American electricity market. The Mercado Eléctrico Regional (regional electrical power market) needs to change in order for Central American countries to make the most from their infrastructure and be able to adequately cover their populations’ needs. “After the growth experienced by San Diego, we are looking forward to achieving consolidation and improving our productivity while complying with quality standards to satisfy the markets we cater to,” concludes Vila.
Founded in
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13 calle 2-60 Zona 10 Edificio Topacio Azul Nivel 11 Guatemala, Guatemala, Guatemala Tel. +502 2421-3100 www.sandiego.com.gt