The new facility will be located on a 30-acre property at the Biorefinery Campus in Blair, approximately 25 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska. Novozymes expects to break ground in 2008 and start operations in late 2010.

"When locating a new production facility, proximitly to your customers means a great deal, " says Per Olesen, Vice President and project chairman at Novozymes.

The search begins
“The search for the perfect location started 18 months ago,” says Per Olesen, Vice President and project chairman at Novozymes. “Our objective was to find the most economical and efficient area from which to supply our American fuel ethanol customers. To begin with we didn’t limit our options; we started looking across the whole world for possible sites.”

The project team quickly narrowed the possibilities - first to the Americas, then the US, then the Midwest, and finally to Blair, Nebraska.

“We found that proximity to our customers means a great deal,” says Per Olesen. “There are many excellent sites around the world to place a new enzyme manufacturing facility. But when we looked at the entire package, the Midwest was the best match. There were many variables to consider, including raw material sourcing, utilities supply, transportation costs, construction costs, infrastructure, and the availability of a skilled workforce. In Blair we identified a site where all of our needs could be met in the most optimal way.”

Enthusiasm all around
“The US is an attractive and competitive market for us to invest in,” explains Peder Holk Nielsen, Executive Vice President at Novozymes. “The new location will allow us to sustain our close cooperation with bioethanol customers across the Midwest and provides us access to a well-educated workforce and a good infrastructure.”

The state of Nebraska also warmly welcomes the new facility. Nebraska State Governor Dave Heineman says, “Nebraska is pleased that Novozymes has selected Blair for its world-class biotech facility.”

Initially the facility is planned to bring approximately 100 new jobs to the state. Further development could increase the number significantly.

“This is one of the most exciting investments and job announcements we’ve had in recent years.”

- David G. Brown, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce,One piece of a larger plan

 

One piece of a larger plan
The new facility in Nebraska is just one of the important initiatives that Novozymes is taking to grow with the American biofuel industry.

A sketcg of the new enzyme plant which is planned to be completed in 2010.

Earlier in 2008, one of the first steps was taken to meet Midwest customers’ needs by opening an office and laboratory facility in Ames, Iowa, another city in the heart of the Corn Belt. The main focus of the Ames office is to develop strong relationships with Midwest customers and provide quick-response technical support.

Expansion of both R&D facilities and production is also taking place at Novozymes’ enzyme facility in Franklinton, North Carolina.

Growing with the industry
With the American biofuel industry growing so quickly, Novozymes wants to have the necessary capacity to grow together with it. The expansion initiatives being implemented right now are key to preparing Novozymes for the inevitable requirements of tomorrow’s biofuel industry - not just in the US, but worldwide.