Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, broke ground today and revealed architectural renderings for a new quality control laboratory (QC lab) that will be built onsite at its worldwide headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.
The new lab will include 15,000 square feet of functional showcase labs to exhibit Kemin's advanced analytical capabilities, which ensure the activity, potency and specificity of Kemin's finished goods. The lab will be a working space for Kemin teams and available for customers.
Maintaining the highest quality ingredients is critical to the company and key to achieving its vision by 2042. The lab is an $8 million investment and will open in mid-2021.
"Building a new QC lab reinforces our commitment to delivering on our promise to customers and consumers that what they receive from Kemin is the result of our scientific expertise, innovative technologies and dedication to doing more to make our world better," said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin. "Last year, we set an ambitious vision to transform the quality of life for 80 percent of the world, and with the continuing support of our valued customers, Kemin can make that vision a reality."
More than 30 scientists from Kemin's human and animal health and nutrition, food technologies and pet food business units will join the Central Analytical Laboratory for Target Analytes and Xenobiotics (CALTAX) lab which manages the testing of raw materials' hazards, including dioxins, pesticides and antibiotics.
Bringing together Kemin experts from different specialties into one space will improve efficiency and collaboration of analytical analysis. Kemin used the same strategy in 2017 when it completed a five-year, $125.5 million overall investment at its worldwide corporate headquarters in Des Moines.
Due to Kemin's COVID-19 policies, the groundbreaking event was not open to the public. A larger-scale ribbon cutting ceremony will be held in 2021 when the QC lab opens.