Global bioscience company invests in Kansas jobs
TONGANOXIE (KSNT) - A global health and nutrition company is investing in Kansas by creating new jobs in Tonganoxie.
Patrick Lowry with the Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC) said DSM plans to build a next-generation nutritional premix plant in Tonganoxie, a move expected to create 28 new jobs in the area. This new location will supply the pet food industry with high-quality nutritional premixes for use in branded pet food products around the world. The plant is expected to break ground in July 2023 and be open for business in early 2025.
The pet food industry has been looking for a better source for the highest quality, traceable and reliable nutritional ingredients for their products and we are thrilled to be able to deliver for the industry and for ‘pet parents’ with this new facility in Tonganoxie,” said DSM Co-CEO, Dimitri de Vreeze.
Lowry said the new plant will be located in the KC Animal Health Corridor near many of the industry-leading pet food manufacturers.
“We're excited to learn more about DSM becoming a new corporate neighbor in our community,” said Tonganoxie Mayor David Frese. “This is another smart growth opportunity to continue building our future with high-quality jobs and sustainable development.”
The facility will feature precision micro-batching capability, allowing for precise automated micro-addition of numerous ingredients to premixes in a fully traceable manner, according to Lowry. This is expected to support the use of a broader range of DSM and third-party ingredients. This will allow DSM to create more inclusive and unique premix offerings to meet the needs of the pet food industry and create peace of mind for customers.
The increased process automation of this new plant will allow for more traceability, accuracy and automated weight verification, according to Lowry. This will allow the company to provide the speed and accuracy in high demand by customers in the pet food industry.
“As the highest concentration of animal health assets in the world, the Kansas City region is home to a robust industry network, as well as abundant manufacturing and distribution resources,” said Kimberly Young, president of the KC Animal Health Corridor. “The region continues to attract top companies in the industry, and we’re proud that DSM has selected the Corridor for this state-of-the-art, innovative new facility.”
The new facility is designed with sustainability in mind, according to Lowry. The plant's automated mixing vessels will reduce waste by decreasing flushes necessary for sequencing and will operate on 100% renewable electricity.
DSM is described as a global, purposed-led company in health, nutrition and bioscience, applying science to improve the health of people, animals and the planet, according to Lowry.