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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Dow AgroSciences Dedicates Seed Research and Development Facility At Purdue Research Park

04/26/2012
Dow AgroSciences, a developer of crop seed protection and plant biotechnology solutions, dedicated its 35,000-square-foot seed testing lab in the Innovation Center Building at Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Indiana.

The seed testing lab is an addition to other Dow AgroSciences research and development projects being conducted at the 725-acre Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, 1281 Win Hentschel Blvd., which includes 15,000-square-feet of additional research and development space and an 11,000-square-foot greenhouse complex leased by Dow AgroSciences for life sciences research. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. provided a $2.2 million grant to the Purdue Research Foundation to assist with construction of the greenhouse Dow AgroSciences is using.

Sixteen full-time and 32 part-time employees will staff the new seed quality control lab, working on seed germination testing, genetic purity testing and trait purity testing, with an overall goal of improving seed quality for crops.

"Dow AgroSciences is committed to developing technologies that help address the challenges of feeding the world's growing population, and the move to the Purdue Research Park underscores our relationship with Purdue University while supporting our overall growth strategy," said Antonio Galindez, president and Chief Executive Officer of Dow AgroSciences. "The new seed quality lab allows us to implement additional testing technology and capabilities, and provides closer collaborations with scientists at our Indianapolis world headquarters.

"The important partnership among Dow AgroSciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette and Indiana is exemplified in the opening of the new seed lab and in the success of Dow's other research facility and greenhouse in the Purdue Research Park," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and Chief Operating Officer of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the Purdue Research Park. "We look forward to this expanded collaboration with Dow AgroSciences the ongoing opportunities this provides for Purdue and for the State of Indiana."

Jay Akridge, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, said "Dow AgroSciences is a premier company in agricultural research and development and we are fortunate to have them in Indiana and close to Purdue, Indiana's land-grant institution. We work closely on many agricultural research projects with Dow AgroSciences and have several Purdue students working as interns with Dow AgroSciences in the Purdue Research Park."

"As a nationally recognized hub for the life sciences, this new facility will provide our state's entrepreneurs with ground-breaking technology to foster continued growth and advancement in Indiana," said Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the IEDC. "

West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis said that the Dow AgroSciences Seed Quality Control Lab enhances to the economic diversity of the city. The city provided over $300,000 in lease and tax abatement incentives to bring the facility to the area. Tippecanoe County provided $20,000 in job training and recruitment as part of a program administered by Greater Lafayette Commerce.

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