DuPont to expand Johnston facilities
DES MOINES – DuPont announced plans in late-March to expand its cutting-edge plant genetics research to help farmers increase agricultural productivity.
DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred will expand its presence in central Iowa with additional lab facilities and jobs focused on advanced plant genetics.
The planned investment will include new research facilities and space for 400 new research positions based in Johnston.
This increased investment in research will help meet the global challenge to double agricultural productivity by 2050 and will provide a significant boost to the economy in Iowa.
“First-class research facilities and people are required to deliver innovative solutions to farmers worldwide, and we have both,” said Paul E. Schickler, Pioneer president. “Our planned expansion will take Pioneer’s R&D capabilities to the next level, which is critical to meet the growing demand for agricultural products.”
The proposed $40 million facility will include state-of-the-art laboratories in multiple connected buildings covering approximately 200,000 square feet. Construction is anticipated to begin in September with occupancy early in 2012.
Pioneer has expanded by more than 130,000 square feet of office and laboratory space in central Iowa in the past two years alone.
During that period, Pioneer’s central Iowa workforce grew by approximately 500 employees and today numbers about 2,400. Pioneer employs more than 9,500 people worldwide.