Germany-Based Plant Science Firm, KWS, Invests $13.7 Million To Locate Research Facility In St. Louis, Missouri
06/16/2014
KWS, headquartered in Germany, has been breeding crops for temperate climates for more than 150 years. The company provides seed cultivation of sugar beets, corn, grains, feed, oil and protein plants, vegetables and potatoes and related activities. KWS has more than 4,400 employees in 70 countries.
In St. Louis, KWS will operate in the Danforth Center’s BRDG Park. The company will immediately begin the process to renovate 19,150 square feet of the BRDG Park’s Building One to fit custom lab and office space. Adjacent to Building One, the company will also construct a dedicated greenhouse complex to conduct research and development. Over the next few years, KWS will hire a team of at least 75 research and administrative personnel.
“With the establishment of the KWS Gateway Research Center we are now present in two of the world’s prime locations for plant research: USA and Germany. Located in the BRDG Park, in the middle of a cluster of universities, institutes and startups, the planned new facility is scheduled to strengthen the position of KWS in global plant research, offering proximity to one of the key markets and major centers of excellence in plant research,” said Léon Broers, KWS Member of the Executive Board responsible for research and breeding. “This will be supported by existing facilities in the BRDG Park as well as by an excellent infrastructure and a top-quality science platform.”
“When we first developed Missouri’s Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth in 2010, we recognized that supporting the bioscience industry would be vital to the future of our economy,” Governor Jay Nixon said. “Since then, we have seen tremendous growth in this industry as more and more bioscience companies are choosing to make their home in Missouri, strengthening the state’s reputation as a bioscience powerhouse. I welcome KWS to the Show-Me State and look forward to building on this success.”
To assist KWS with its expansion to St. Louis, the Missouri Department of Economic Development offered a strategic economic incentive package that the company can receive if it meets strict job creation and investment criteria. The St. Louis Economic Partnership and the St. Louis Regional Chamber also partnered with KWS to help make its expansion possible.
Project Announcements
Canfor Expands Fulton, Alabama, Production Operations
04/22/2024
Tucker Door & Trim Plans Henrico County, Virginia, Operations
04/19/2024
Zekelman Industries Expands Blytheville, Arkansas, Operations
04/19/2024
Fibrebond Corporation Expands Webster Parish, Louisiana, Operations
04/19/2024
Master Steel Expands Hardeeville, South Carolina, Operations
04/19/2024
L3Harris Technologies Expands Orange County, Virginia, Operations
04/18/2024
Most Read
-
2023's Leading Metro Locations: Hotspots of Economic Growth
Q4 2023
-
2023 Top States for Doing Business Meet the Needs of Site Selectors
Q3 2023
-
38th Annual Corporate Survey: Are Unrealized Predictions of an Economic Slump Leading Small to Mid-Size Companies to Put Off Expansion Plans?
Q1 2024
-
Making Hybrid More Human in 2024
Q1 2024
-
Manufacturing Momentum Is Building
Q1 2024
-
20th Annual Consultants Survey: Clients Prioritize Access to Skilled Labor, Responsive State & Local Government
Q1 2024
-
Public-Private Partnerships Incentivize Industrial Development
Q1 2024