Syngenta to build research center near DeKalb

Downers Grove-based agriculture company Syngenta said Friday it plans to build a new Innovation and Customer Experience Center in DeKalb County.

The 90-acre site in Malta, just west of DeKalb, was selected for its location, soil type and accessibility, the company said in a statement. The facilities will provide for large-scale events and engagement with growers on corn and soybean technology and innovation.

"This new site will enable us to accelerate our innovation in Seeds R & D while strengthening our focus on delivering new capabilities through investments in breeding and digital technologies," said Trevor Hohls, Global Head of Syngenta's Seeds Development. "This is a strong statement of our commitment to innovation and providing our scientists with the resources to bring the best products and technologies to solve the key problems that growers face."

The center is the third facility of its type in the U.S. for Syngenta. The company's global innovation center is n Research Triangle Park, N.C., and it opened a new $30 million Trait Conversion Accelerator in Nampa, Idaho in 2019.

Construction is expected to begin early next year, with the site scheduled to open by the end of 2022, the company said.