Valent BioSciences to expand suburban facility

LIBERTYVILLE - Valent BioSciences LLC has announced significant investments at several of its key research and development facilities, including its Libertyville headquarters.

These enhancements are in addition to the recently announced expansion of the company's manufacturing facility in Osage, Iowa.

A major expansion is planned for the Biorational Research Center in Libertyville. Opened only four years ago, the facility's improvements will include new laboratory and pilot plant areas, office and meeting space, and an additional greenhouse.

Valent BioSciences is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., and is the worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of biorational and biostimulant product innovations.

Valent's subsidiary Mycorrhizal Applications LLC, also will be expanding its research facilities at the Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis.

The additions in Iowa include new production-scale fermentation and recovery equipment, a new pilot plant facility and expanded laboratory space. The company is also restoring 34 acres of native prairie land adjacent to the Osage facility that will sequester approximately 170 tons of carbon dioxide annually, helping mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases in the environment. In addition, a 1.5-megawatt alternating current solar field being constructed on land adjacent to the prairie will provide approximately 8% of the Osage facility's total annual electricity usage.