Syngenta's 25 -- and Still Hiring
What economic crisis?
Syngenta Biotechnology Inc. is proof you don't need to develop a swell swine flu vaccine or a cancer drug to be a biotech powerhouse.
In fact, even as it celebrated 25 years of biotech breakthroughs at its Research Triangle Park research headquarters Friday, SBI is hiring workers, buying land and launching products.
One of the world's leading agribusiness research facilities since it was founded in 1984 by Mary-Dell Chilton, Ph.D., the current Swiss-based company came from the agribusiness marriage of Novartis and Astra Zeneca in 2000.
World's First Genetically Modified Plants
Chilton, who led the research team that produced the first genetically modified plants, remains active in her lab in a building bearing her name. She was joined by SBI's new president, Michiel van Lookeren Campagne,Ph.D., and Roger Kemble, Ph.D., global head of crop genetics research, in addressing anniversary celebrants.
As part of the event, media and invited guests were guided through the campus to learn about the company, its history and aspirations:
- 120,000 square feet of labs
- 50,000 square feet of greenhouses
- 27,000 square feet of offices
- More than 400 employees
- Parent company Syngenta employs 24,000 people in more than 90 countries
Stretching Out
During the past month, SBI has leased an additional 100,000 square feet of space and signed an agreement to buy another 50 acres of RTP land for future expansion.
Syngenta's North American headquarters for its insecticide and herbicide business, Syngenta Crop Protection, is just over an hour down the road in Greensboro.
Most of the company's work is in soybeans and corn, though an increasing amount of research activity is going into developing genetic enhancements to make corn and sugarcane more efficient sources of ethanol.
In fact, last year, during the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing in Chicago, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the Biofuels Center of North Carolina presented Syngenta the third annual Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Award.
The selection committee cited Syngenta's commitment to innovative biotechnology research leading to enzymes useful in developing biofuels, its support of agriculture, education and community service, and its involvement in the World Congress.
Coincidentally, 2009 is also the 25th anniversary of the Biotechnology Center.