Archer Daniels Midland to move into BTBC Expansion Facility


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LAWRENCE – Archer Daniels Midland Company, one of the world's largest agricultural processing companies, has established a research center in Lawrence to reinforce its ongoing relationship with University of Kansas researchers.

ADM has leased space at the Bioscience and Technology Business Center (BTBC) Expansion Facility, located at 4950 Research Parkway. The company will initially have one full-time employee onsite and occupy 1,200 square feet of space. ADM plans to move into the building by Aug. 1.

The office is the latest development in KU's ongoing research partnership with ADM on projects related to chemical biorefining – the process of converting agricultural materials into chemicals for consumer products such as plastics, packaging, cosmetics and household cleaners. ADM has worked extensively with KU's Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis (CEBC) for more than eight years.

"KU has a great research partnership with ADM," said Bala Subramaniam, director of the CEBC. "ADM's decision to locate a research operation next door to us is the next step in this partnership, and it will accelerate development of new technologies."

In 2011, ADM and the CEBC were jointly awarded a $5.6 million federal grant for their collaborative work on chemical biorefining, a project to which ADM contributed an additional $1.4 million. In 2009, ADM matched a $1.2 million grant from the Kansas Bioscience Authority to the CEBC for similar research.

ADM is one of eight CEBC industry partners, which include some of the world's leading chemical companies. Subramaniam said he's optimistic that other companies will follow ADM's lead and establish a presence in Lawrence, ideally as part of an "innovation hub" in which corporations and KU researchers can collaborate.

"Given our research expertise and our facilities, KU certainly has the infrastructure to recruit a number of corporate partners to Kansas," Subramaniam said. "That's the goal – to attract companies here to work with each other and with KU, and to make KU a leader in chemical biorefining research."

ADM is the third company to locate in the BTBC Expansion Facility, joining bioscience companies CritiTech and Mencuro. ADM is the 21st company to locate in the statewide BTBC incubator system, which comprises the BTBC Expansion Facility and three other buildings – the BTBC Main Facility, the BTBC St. Andrews Facility and the BTBC at KUMC. ADM becomes the second Fortune 500 company to lease space through the BTBC, joining insurance leader Assurant, which has an office in the BTBC Main Facility.

"It says a lot about KU and the great facilities we have at the BTBC that ADM, one of the world's largest companies, has established an office here," said Matt McClorey, executive director of the BTBC.

BTBC at KU background
The BTBC at KU incubator system provides state-of-the-art wet lab and office space, access to KU and KUMC resources and research expertise, and business support services such as capital-raising and consulting services from incubator staff. The BTBC system was launched in August 2010 and comprises four facilities, totaling nearly 70,000 square feet of space. The BTBC is a partnership of the Lawrence-Douglas County Bioscience Authority, University of Kansas, City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas Bioscience Authority, KU Endowment and Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

ADM background
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve vital needs. Today, 30,000 ADM employees around the globe convert oilseeds, corn, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses. With more than 265 processing plants, 400 crop procurement facilities and the world's premier crop transportation network, ADM helps connect the harvest to the home in more than 160 countries. More information about ADM and its products is online.

 

Thu, 07/19/2012

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Joe Monaco

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