April 25, 2014
Novozymes to open new US research and development centre
Novozymes will establish a new research and development centre in the United States dedicated to its bioagriculture business, and will invest US$36 million over the next three years.
The centre will be located near the Research Triangle Park in Cary, North Carolina.
"The world needs sustainable agricultural solutions now more than ever before. By boosting our research and development of environmentally-friendly microbial technology, we will help farmers meet this demand sooner rather than later," said Thomas Videbaek, executive vice president of business development. "The new R&D centre in North Carolina is a concrete step to help speed our technology to market from a state with a long history of agricultural innovation."
Scientists at the new centre will research and develop beneficial soil microorganisms. The resulting technology will focus on improved crop yield, fertility and pest control for growers around the world. The significant expansion of R&D resources will enable Novozymes''scientists to pursue more and better biological solutions for the ever-changing challenges facing global agriculture.
"Novozymes and North Carolina have been good partners since we opened the doors to our North American headquarters here in 1979," said Adam Monroe, president, americas. "We look forward to opening our new facility in a state that has worked hand in hand with us over the years to help our business thrive."
The location of the new facility will give Novozymes access to one of the largest biotech clusters in the United States. Established in 1959, the Research Triangle Park (RTP) was created to attract and grow research and development operations in North Carolina. RTP is home to more than 170 global companies that foster a culture of scientific advancement and competitive excellence and is located between three major universities: Duke University in Durham, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.