Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is appointing Juan R. Luciano as executive vice-president and chief operating officer (COO) from April 12.

Luciano will lead the company's global operations and commercial activities. He will report to ADM's Office of the Chairman, which includes Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Patricia Woertz and Vice-Chairman John Rice.

Luciano joins ADM from The Dow Chemical Company where he was an executive vice-president of the company and president of the performance division.

"I am very pleased to have Juan join our senior executive team and partner with us as we grow the value, earnings and size of our company," said Woertz. "As our new COO, Juan will bring global manufacturing experience and a track record of operational excellence and profitable growth to accelerate our success. His extensive process and systems expertise will complement ADM's world-class commercial capabilities. He joins an exceptional team that continues its focus on delivering shareholder value as we serve vital needs for food and energy."

"This is a wonderful chance to join a company with unprecedented opportunities for growth," said Luciano. "From its unmatched global asset base to the deep experience and expertise of its people, ADM is extremely well positioned to capitalize on growing global demand for agricultural products. I look forward to joining my new colleagues and working with them to deliver profitable growth."

Also, in other ADM news, ADM Agri-Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of ADM, announced that it is doubling canola seed receiving capabilities and storage capacity at the company's Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, processing facility.

ADM also announced that the company's joint venture with Baltic Grain Terminal (BTZ), Baltic Logistic Holdings, will construct a new grain warehouse in the Port of Gdynia, Poland, on the Baltic Coast.