Geneva gets new science facility through state help

Geneva will soon be home to the science and technology campus of a French company that already has a facility in Gurnee. Roquette America will break ground on the new campus in spring of 2009. Once open in the fall of 2010, the business is expected to create 25 jobs for area workers.

Roquette America is a subsidiary of Roquette Freres and processes corn and other grains for the pharmaceutical, nutrition, paper, fermentation and industrial markets. The facility in Gurnee is a manufacturing plant. The new facility in Geneva will focus on the creation and enhancement of existing products, provide employee training and seminars and reach out to customers.

The company comes to Geneva through $825,000 worth of tax credits and exemptions approved by Gov. Rod Blagojevich through his Economic Development for a Growing Economy Program. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administers the program.

"Illinois is the perfect location for companies looking to stay ahead of the curve," said DCEO Director Jack Lavin in a written statement. "Through our partnership with Roquette America, we're helping to ensure the company can remain innovative and flexible, which is an absolute necessity in our increasingly global economy, and helping to ensure good paying jobs remain in the state. We are happy to welcome their expanded presence in Illinois."

Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns could not be reached to comment on where in Geneva the facility will be built.