Monsanto says it is planning a new cotton seed processing facility in Lubbock, Texas. Construction of the $140 million facility is expected to begin in March and be completed in the second half of 2017.
The facility will employ about 40 full-time personnel and will be Monsanto’s primary U.S. hub for all commercial cotton seed processing operations, including cleaning, treating, and bagging. Existing processing facilities will transition to support storage and warehousing, precommercial operations, and research.
“Bringing people, processes and technology together at a new, state-of-the-art cotton facility in Lubbock will boost collaboration and efficiency within our manufacturing organization,” says Dave Penn, cotton manufacturing lead at Monsanto. “Furthermore, its geographic location in Lubbock, Texas, will allow for better alignment with the cotton industry and help us better serve customers across the Cotton Belt.”
Advanced technology at the new hub will also allow for better data capture, and automating processes will improve both manufacturing effectiveness and personnel safety, Penn adds.
Existing cotton seed processing facilities in Arizona, Mississippi and Texas will continue to support manufacturing operations until summer 2017, at which point they will transition to support storage and warehousing, precommercial operations, or research. Manufacturing employees who are offered the opportunity to relocate will also have the option to receive a severance package in the event they choose not to relocate.
By Rebecca Coons
Source: Chemical Week
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