“The new Midwestern Customer Solutions office provides support and services, with a focus on regionally-based know-how to our Midwestern customer base,” says Jack Rogers, Marketing Manager at Novozymes.
The office, located at the Iowa State University Research Park in Ames, started to offer regional support and technical support to customers in April 2007.
“By strategically locating this office in Iowa, we’re better able to serve our customers through closer access to our experts, improved analytical support, and by providing a regional training centre,” says Tom Burns, Customer Solutions Manager at Novozymes.
The office in Iowa
This Midwestern facility helps Novozymes maintain and enhance service relations with customers as the office works in close coordination with the main Customer Solutions office in North Carolina, from where major projects continue to be coordinated.
“The office also offers a variety of services, ranging from general training in enzyme technology and the ethanol production process to laboratory analysis techniques and methods, and several levels of customised training for individual customers and plants,” says Tom Burns.
The focus of the office is regional, providing technically competent personnel dedicated to shorter-term projects with customers, including process maintenance, review and optimisation services.
The people in Iowa
A black belt in Six Sigma who can play the guitar, Cam Fowler is the Customer Solutions Group Leader, one of the team of four that will be based in Iowa.
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Cam Fowler (left), a Customer Solutions Group Leader, will be joined by chemical engineer Bill Whitlock at the new site in Ames, Iowa. |
“It’s important to be closer to our customers, and, based on how many plants there are in the area, it’s a nice fit for us and gives us much better access to our customers,” says Cam Fowler.
The immediate goals for Cam Fowler are to hire three more personnel - two scientists and one employee for the laboratory - and to quickly establish relations with customers.
“So far all the customer response we have received is very favourable,” says Cam Fowler. “They believe that this is a great opportunity for us to work much closer.”
Cam Fowler will be joined by Bill Whitlock, a chemical engineer who worked at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center before joining Novozymes. A chemical engineer with extensive knowledge of pilot plant process modification, Bill Whitlock has high hopes for the new office.
“While we can’t guarantee anything, the new office in Iowa should decrease our response time to customer service requests. Customer Solutions scientists stationed in Ames will be able to reach customer plants more quickly than scientists stationed in Franklinton. This will allow scientists in Franklinton less time in the airports and more time working on equally valuable projects,” says Bill Whitlock.
Worthy of presidential and gubernatorial praise
US President George W. Bush recently recognised Novozymes as a pioneer in applying advanced enzyme technology to the production of fuel ethanol from corn (maize) and agricultural residues.
The Customer Solutions office in Iowa underscores Novozymes’ commitment to provide technology with a focus on developing sustainable solutions for the future.
Iowa Governor Chet Culver applauded Novozymes’ ongoing efforts to not only enhance current technologies, but also connect that research to the public sector through expanded locations such as the new office in Ames.
“Public-private collaborations such as the Novozymes-Iowa State University project enhance Iowa’s leadership in the renewable energy arena and generate greater energy and economic security. The State of Iowa is pleased to be a partner in making this collaboration come to fruition,” says Governor Chet Culver.
All about serving the customer
The Midwest Customer Solutions office coordinates efforts with Novozymes’ North American headquarters in Franklinton, North Carolina, to offer Novozymes’ fuel ethanol customers the most efficient and effective customer service and support.
“We are committed to providing our customers with top-quality products combined with unparalleled technical support,” says Tom Burns. “This facility allows us, literally, to be a good neighbour to our customers by being more readily available to provide the highest level of technical support directly from our Customer Solutions team.”