Dallas-based Panda Biotech has signed a contract with an international equipment manufacturer for construction of the largest hemp decorticator in the US. The 10-tonne/hour decorticator is the first of the two planned for Panda Biotech’s flagship industrial hemp processing facility to be located in Texas. The first decorticator is currently under production.

At full production, the two decorticating lines for processing textile-quality, high-grade fiber, premium hurd and cellulose are expected to generate $30,000,000 per year for Texas agricultural producers. Panda Biotech’s top mechanical engineers, along with key members of the team, conducted a worldwide search to inspect equipment in operation and evaluate manufacturing capabilities to determine the best equipment for its first Hemp Gin facility. The purchase of the decorticating lines was based, in part, on the reputation and calibre of the selected company and the reliability of its equipment that has been proven successful for decades. Panda then worked with the firm’s engineers to “super-size” their existing line of decorticators. Once installed, each line will have a maximum processing throughput of 88,000 tons a year.

Panda expects the manufacturing of the second decorticator to begin upon completion of the first line. This will increase the maximum throughput of the Hemp Gin to 176,000 tons of industrial hemp per year and serve as a redundant backup that will allow the facility to reliably operate on a 24/7 basis.