Syngenta Adds $94M to RTP Labs, Offices, 150 Jobs

Rendering shows courtyard view of Syngenta complex with $94 million R&D and office expansion. CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR MORE IMAGES OF THE PROJECT. Photo courtesy of Syngenta Biotechnology.

Just two years after breaking ground on a $70 million, 147,000-square-foot R&D expansion at its sprawling Research Triangle Park campus, Syngenta Biotechnology has announced another $94 million addition to the site.

Basel, Switzerland-based Syngenta has 1,130 employees in North Carolina, but plans to add 150 more from now until 2019 with the latest expansion of laboratory and office facilities at its RTP Innovation Center.

The company is ranked consistently among top employers, and plans to maintain that reputation, in part, with average salaries of $81,624 plus benefits.  The average annual wage in Durham County is $66,602. 

'Extraordinary growth' for NC ag

“This is an extraordinary time of growth for agriculture in North Carolina,” said Michiel van Lookeren Campagne, president of Syngenta Biotechnology.  “We thank all of the economic development partners from the state of North Carolina who worked so hard to help us attract this investment here.”

Those partners include NCBiotech, the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, N.C. Department of Transportation, Durham County, Durham Chamber of Commerce and Duke Energy Progress. 

Norris Tolson, president and CEO of NCBiotech, appeared with Syngenta executives in late June to encourage Durham County commissioners to approve up to $375,000 in incentives to land the Syngenta expansion.

The county leaders unanimously agreed. The project was also supported in part by an award to Syngenta that could approach $3 million from the state Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program.

NC competed with other sites

North Carolina was competing with other Syngenta sites in Iowa and Minnesota as well as those in Brazil, China, London and France.

“We are proud to be a part of the region’s growing agricultural technology cluster,” said Campagne of the Syngenta board’s decision to put the addition in RTP.

“North Carolina has its roots in agriculture and we’ve become one of the top states for hi-tech agribusiness research and production,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “The growth of Syngenta in our state solidifies that economic sector and is an example to others of the strong talent pool and attractive quality of life that characterizes the Research Triangle.”

Sharon Decker, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, added, “We applaud the management team and their commitment to re-invest in North Carolina and expand their global footprint with us.”

(Editor's note: For more information on GMO crops and foods, Please visit the website GMOAnswers.com).

(Editor's note: For more information on GMO crops and foods, Please visit the website GMOAnswers.com). - See more at: http://www.ncbiotech.org/article/teachers-asu-workshop-debate-benefits-gmos#sthash.ypy7Ms9n.dpuf
scroll back to top of page