Plantations International News

At the German biodiesel quality management group’s (AGQM) general assembly in Berlin in November, members elected their new board of directors.

Following the resignation of AGQM Chairman Juergen Fischer (then with ADM Research GmbH) last April, Deputy Chairman Georg Pollert was elected interim Chairman. In November, the general assembly officially elected him next chairman of the board.

Rolf Sieber (SBE BioEnergie Handelsgesellschaft mbH) was confirmed as deputy chairman and Ruediger Brautzsch (Cargill GmbH) was elected second deputy chairman.

AGQM members also confirmed Frank Kohl (NEW Energy West GmbH), Elmar Baumann (VDB, Verband der Deutschen Biokraftstoffindustrie e.V.) and Henning Bohne (Louis Dreyfus Commodities Wittenberg GmbH) as members of the board. Jeremie Groos (ADM Research GmbH) was voted on the board as new member.

AGQM was founded in 1999 by leading biodiesel producers and traders to assure the quality of their products. Currently 14 biodiesel producers are AGQM members with a production capacity of 2.9 million tons per year (more than 870 MMgy). AGQM carries out unannounced member samplings and audits, and organizes a round robin test for biodiesel and vegetable oil in cooperation with FAM (Fachausschuss für Mineraloel- und Brennstoff-Normung). AGQM also organizes the testing and suitability of additives for biodiesel. In addition, AGQM is heavily involved in the national and international standardization of fuels, and conducts joint projects on biodiesel with the petroleum and automotive industries along with research institutes.

Biodiesel Plantations International