Chief Ethanol Announces Strategic Partnership with Fluid Quip Technologies and Whitefox Technologies to Advance Innovation at Hastings Facility
Chief Ethanol announced today their strategic partnership with Fluid Quip Technologies (FQT) and Whitefox Technologies (Whitefox) to revamp, modernize, and innovate the equipment and process systems at its Hastings, Nebraska ethanol facility. Under the partnership, Fluid Quip Technologies will serve as the primary engineering, integration, and construction partner, delivering its proprietary Low Energy Distillation (LED™) technology while Whitefox will supply its Integrated Cartridge Efficiency (ICE®) technology platform and advanced membrane-based technology as a key component of the upgraded process systems. By bringing together two of the most respected technology leaders in the ethanol innovation and equipment space, Chief is positioning Hastings at the forefront of next-generation, energy-efficient ethanol production.
This collaboration reflects Chief Ethanol’s long-term commitment to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and leadership in ethanol innovation. Rather than relying on conventional system upgrades, Chief intentionally assembled a best-in-class technology partnership to deliver a more advanced, lower-energy solution designed to push performance beyond traditional industry benchmarks.
Through this partnership, FQT and Whitefox are working together to provide a fully integrated distillation, dehydration, and evaporation system that materially reduces energy demand while improving overall plant efficiency. The integrated approach combines advanced process engineering with proprietary membrane technology to redefine what is possible in ethanol plant design and operation.
“Chief has always believed that leadership in our industry requires investing in the right stakeholders and the right technology,” said Wayne Garrett, General Manager of Chief Ethanol. “By bringing together Fluid Quip Technologies and Whitefox Technologies, we are intentionally leading a collaborative approach that allows us to modernize our Hastings facility with solutions that are not only more efficient today but better positioned for the future of ethanol production.”
The partnership originated from Chief Ethanol’s need for a solution that exceeded the capabilities of conventional distillation and dehydration systems. Recognizing that no single provider could deliver the optimal outcome alone, Chief facilitated a collaborative effort between FQT and Whitefox to develop a tailored, integrated solution aligned with the company’s operational and sustainability goals.
Fluid Quip Technologies brings extensive experience in process engineering, system integration, and technology development, while Whitefox Technologies contributes deep expertise in process development and its proprietary membrane-based separation technology. Together, these capabilities support Chief’s objective to reduce energy and water consumption while improving reliability and long-term performance at its plant.
“Our goal with every project is to deliver the best possible solution to truly meet the needs of our clients,” said Neal Jakel, President of Fluid Quip Technologies. “Working alongside Chief and Whitefox allows us to integrate advanced system technology and membrane expertise into a novel, low-energy solution that raises expectations for distillation and dehydration performance in the ethanol industry.”
“Membranes are ushering in a new era of distillation, dehydration, and evaporation by dramatically reducing energy and water consumption,” said Gillian Harrison, CEO of Whitefox Technologies. “Chief’s leadership in assembling this partnership allows us to combine our process experience with Fluid Quip Technologies and deliver high-performing, future-ready solutions for ethanol producers.”
With this initiative, Chief Ethanol is reinforcing its role as an industry leader—driving innovation not just through equipment upgrades, but through strategic partnerships that elevate efficiency, sustainability, and long-term competitiveness.
About Chief Ethanol
Chief Ethanol is a leading ethanol producer and a brand of Chief Industries, Inc., headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Chief Ethanol operates ethanol production facilities in Hastings and Lexington, Nebraska, and is committed to operational excellence, continuous improvement, and long-term investment in advanced technologies that enhance efficiency and performance. Chief Ethanol focuses on optimizing plant operations, reducing energy and resource use, and positioning its facilities for sustained success in an evolving biofuels marketplace. For more information, visit www.chiefethanol.com.
About Fluid Quip Technologies
Fluid Quip Technologies® (FQT) is a premier technology and process engineering firm based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. FQT’s skilled engineering and technical teams have been developing new technologies and providing unique process engineering solutions to the beverage, biofuels and bio-chemical markets for more than 30 years. For more information, visit www.fluidquiptechnologies.com.
About Whitefox Technologies
Since 2000, Whitefox has specialized in technology development and innovation based on its proprietary membrane solutions to enable industry to be more sustainable by reducing costs, energy, water and carbon. Whitefox’s solutions use membrane-based technology to produce ethanol and other chemicals to the highest market standards in the most energy and water efficient way. Whitefox provides solutions for different types of organic solvents, biofuels, and renewable chemicals across markets and continues to develop solutions for different industrial separations. www.whitefoxtechnologies.com.
