AMARILLO, Texas — A new refinery in the Texas Panhandle will soon process a different kind of oil—one that’s edible.
According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, a $12.3-million lard refinery is planned in Amarillo, with construction potentially starting in May and continuing through September 2027.
The planned 15,600-square-foot refinery will be built as an expansion of a facility by Coast Packing Company at 9400 Centerport Boulevard. The broader complex, which broke ground in February, will manufacture and package edible fats and oils.
The refinery itself will be a four-level steel structure with insulated panels rising about 80 feet high. The site will also include a boiler house with 12 carbon-steel tanks for storing raw materials and a 36,000-square-foot packaging and warehouse building.
“Our new state-of-the-art facility in Amarillo will allow us to continue leading the industry in animal fat shortenings while creating new opportunities for local families, supporting economic growth and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability,” said Eric R. Gustafson.
The first phase of the facility is expected to open this summer, initially creating about 30 jobs, with plans to expand the workforce to around 60 employees in the future.
Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley welcomed the project, saying the investment would boost the local economy and strengthen the city’s reputation as a business hub.
The facility is being developed in partnership with Food Tech Inc., a company specializing in planning and constructing food processing plants and cold storage facilities.