Colombian feed additive player opens US headquarters
“We decided to open our research and development international department in North Carolina,” Paula Barngrover, director of development and innovation for Premex, told FeedNavigator.
The Columbia-based nutrition company started looking at locations for an innovation center based in the US about two years ago, she said.
However, work on the newly opened site started a year ago.
The firm is focused on improving productivity and nutritional efficiency, providing a range of products from feed ingredients like amino acids and vitamins to nutritional plans and feed additives for multiple production species, said Premex.
Location, location, location
The new facility is set to conduct research for feed additives, said Barngrover. The location was selected for its proximity to potential research partners.
“We will be able to interact with companies that are developing products around how to produce more protein or more quality at lower cost,” she said.
The location is near the Research Triangle Park, the company said. Premex has established a partnership with North Carolina State University.
The public-private research hub partnership is reported to be the largest research park in the US, and home to more than 250 businesses. The research hub has proximity to Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Product innovation and market development
The Premex facility has several research focuses for feed additive development, said Barngrover. Premex is looking at helping producers generate more animal-based protein in a cost-effective manner, she said.
The company is aiming to support industry in developing animal products of a higher quality with a low cost, she said.
“We’re working to find a solution to help us help our customers produce their proteins and reduce the use of antibiotics and maintain the cost [of production],” she said. “There are many solutions, but those increase costs.”
The focus at this point is for products that work with poultry and swine production, she said.
Additionally, the new location is part of the company’s ongoing effort to become a part of the US market, said Barngrover.
“Right now we’re in South America and Southeast Asia,” she said. “This opening is the first step of our positioning in the US market.”
