As the world grapples with the growing demand for protein and the urgent need to reduce environmental impact, the oilseed extraction industry faces pressure to deliver both efficiency and sustainability. CPM Crown has been pioneering innovative solutions that maximize oilseed extraction efficiency while minimizing energy use, waste, and environmental impact.

In an industry where margins are tight, and sustainability and efficiency are non-negotiable, CPM Crown has become the trusted partner for oilseed processors around the world. From full-scale plant development to retrofitting existing facilities, CPM Crown’s comprehensive solutions are rooted in decades of expertise and a commitment to advancing both productivity and environmental stewardship.

“Efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand,” says Gregg Haider, Global VP of Sales, Crush Segment, CPM Engineered Solutions. “Our clients know they can rely on us not just for robust, long-lasting equipment, but also for technologies that help them meet the global demand for protein while reducing their environmental footprint.”

CPM Crown’s track record speaks for itself. With a reputation built on reliability and continuous innovation, the company is at the forefront of developing oilseed processing plants that deliver results. Whether it’s optimizing solvent recovery, reducing steam consumption, or achieving near-complete oil extraction, CPM Crown’s solutions ensure that clients can operate efficiently, sustainably, and profitably — now and for decades to come.

Driving Efficiency at Every Step of the Process

At the heart of CPM Crown’s approach to oilseed extraction are several key innovations designed to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. These advancements, tested and refined at CPM Crown’s Innovation Center in Blaine, Minnesota, ensure that customers benefit from the latest in extraction technology while meeting their sustainability targets.

Flex Control Technology (FCT)

One of the standout features of CPM Crown’s extraction systems is Flex Control Technology (FCT). This cutting-edge solution allows operators to adjust plant operations in real time, optimizing extraction processes on the fly. As Matt Ducharme, Sales and Business Development Manager, Crush Segment, CPM Engineered Solutions, explains, “Every plant runs differently, sometimes even from one day to the next, based on operating conditions like temperature, plant vacuums, and hexane concentrations. FCT gives operators the power to fine-tune their system in real time, ensuring optimal performance and energy use every day.”

FCT plays a critical role in reducing sparge steam load by allowing operators to adjust key parameters, such as tray open area adjustment to optimize steam requirement for hexane removal. This not only cuts down on steam consumption but also reduces the overall energy footprint of the plant, translating into both environmental and cost savings.

Included with process flexibility, the FCT allows for real-time fouling correction, therefore eliminating emergency shutdowns that significantly contribute to plant inefficiencies and high emissions. 

Maximizing Steam Efficiency

Steam is a crucial component in oilseed extraction, used to strip hexane from the oil during the desolventizing process. However, steam production is also one of the largest energy consumers in a plant, typically relying on natural gas, electric, or biomass furnaces.

CPM Crown’s extraction systems are designed to maximize steam efficiency, ensuring that every bit of steam is used to its fullest potential. “Our systems provide guaranteed steam savings,” Ducharme notes. “By recovering as much energy as possible throughout the process, we help our clients lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions.”

These steam-saving features also contribute to the overall operational efficiency of the plant, reducing costs while keeping the plant within the tight regulatory limits of environmental permits.

Getting the Most from Every Seed: 99.5% Extraction Rate

Efficiency isn’t just about energy savings — it’s also about maximizing the yield from every oilseed processed. On a soybean basis, CPM Crown’s extraction systems are engineered to extract 99.5% of the oil by weight from oilseeds, leaving just 0.5% or less of residual oil in the meal while improving meal protein concentration.

“For a 3,000-ton-per-day plant processing soybeans, reducing the residual oil from 1% to 0.5% can result in significant savings,” Ducharme explains. “At an example wholesale price of $0.40 per pound of oil, that extra recovery can mean a difference of millions of dollars annually. And beyond the financial benefit, it’s simply a more sustainable use of the crop — extracting every possible bit of value from it.”

This high-efficiency extraction rate helps plants stay competitive in markets where even small gains in oil recovery can significantly impact profitability.

Automating for Maximum Efficiency

Automation plays a critical role in ensuring consistent performance and reducing labor costs. CPM Crown’s extraction systems incorporate advanced automation and controls, including in-house solutions developed in collaboration with CPM’s automation experts.

“With automation, you can almost run an entire extraction plant with a single operator monitoring the process,” says Ducharme. “It reduces the need for constant manual adjustments, enhances safety, and ensures the plant operates at peak efficiency around the clock.”

The automated systems also integrate with preventative and planned maintenance schedules, maximizing uptime by identifying potential issues before they lead to breakdowns. This proactive approach minimizes downtime, ensuring plants can maintain near-continuous operation throughout the year with only brief planned shutdowns for maintenance.

Maximizing Solvent Recovery and Reuse

The efficient use and recovery of hexane — a key solvent in the extraction process — are critical for both operational sustainability and environmental compliance. CPM Crown’s systems are designed to maximize hexane recovery, ensuring that as much solvent as possible is recycled and reused within the system, rather than being lost as waste.

“Our systems are engineered to minimize solvent loss, which directly affects both environmental impact and operational cost,” explains Ducharme. “We guarantee our clients a specific solvent loss figure, ensuring they remain compliant with environmental regulations while reducing their operating costs.”

By recovering more hexane and reducing the amount needed for each extraction cycle, CPM Crown’s systems provide substantial cost savings over time, while also lowering the environmental impact of solvent use.

Developing & Testing Technology at the CPM Crown Innovation Center

One of the key reasons why CPM Crown continues to lead the market in oilseed extraction is their commitment to research, development, and rigorous testing of new technologies before they reach the field. At the heart of this process is the CPM Crown Innovation Center — a state-of-the-art facility located in Blaine, Minnesota. This innovation hub is where new ideas are put to the test, ensuring that every advancement in extraction technology is not only innovative but also proven, reliable, and effective.

The 15,000-square-foot Global Innovation Center is a fully functional pilot plant that allows CPM Crown to simulate real-world production processes, from benchtop lab scale to multiple tons per day.

“Our Innovation Center allows us to simulate real-world conditions,” says Matt Ducharme. “We can scale processes and test new technologies in a controlled environment, making adjustments and improvements before these solutions ever reach a customer’s plant. This eliminates risk for our clients and ensures that when they implement a new system, it works exactly as expected.”

At the Innovation Center, CPM Crown works closely with clients to fine-tune processes, test seed varieties, and explore ways to optimize equipment. This collaborative approach allows for customization that ensures a perfect fit for each plant’s specific needs. Whether it’s improving solvent recovery, enhancing steam efficiency, or working on advances the company is still keeping under wraps, every breakthrough is fully tested and refined before entering production.

The center is also instrumental in supporting new industry trends, like the growing demand for renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, and high-protein animal feed. By testing non-standard seeds or fine-tuning extraction processes for unique applications, the Innovation Center helps CPM Crown stay ahead of the curve, ensuring their clients are always equipped with the latest and most efficient technologies.

Oilseed Extraction Innovation in the Real World: Platinum and Norfolk Crush

The success of CPM Crown’s extraction technologies can be seen in real-world applications like the Platinum Crush and Norfolk Crush soybean processing plants in the Midwest. These two state-of-the-art facilities, completed in 2024, were designed to process a combined 77 million bushels of soybeans annually, producing 900 million pounds of soybean oil and 1.6 million tons of soybean meal.

Both plants leverage CPM Crown’s efficient oil extraction systems to achieve maximized solvent recovery and near-complete oil extraction from soybeans. In addition, they were built with automation and steam-saving technologies to ensure they operate sustainably and cost-effectively for years to come. As Matt Ducharme highlights, “These plants are proof that our technologies work at scale. They are helping meet global demand for protein and renewable fuels while minimizing waste and reducing environmental impact.”

Sustainable Solutions for a Growing World

As the global demand for protein and renewable energy continues to rise, CPM Crown remains at the cutting edge of sustainable oilseed extraction. With innovations like Flex Control Technology, automation, steam efficiency, and highly efficient solvent recovery, CPM Crown ensures that oilseed processing plants operate profitably and meet the highest standards of environmental stewardship.

“Whether we’re building a brand-new plant or retrofitting an older one, our goal is always the same: to help our clients achieve maximum efficiency while reducing their environmental footprint,” Ducharme concludes. “Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword — it’s built into every solution we provide.”