TROY, Va., /PRNewswire/ — BIO-CAT Microbials, LLC — a Virginia-based leading microbial solutions company — recently announced a $35 million investment to significantly expand its Troy, Virginia facility to include fermentation capabilities. The company will be breaking ground on an initial 53,800 square-foot expansion phase in March of 2022, with potential future expansion up to an additional 100,000 square feet.
The expansion — anticipated to be completed in May of 2023 — will allow BIO-CAT Microbials to continue to scale its high-tech microbial fermentation production by adding state-of-the-art fermentation manufacturing facilities, quality labs, and a research and development center. It will also include custom-designed fermentation equipment that will allow for both small and large batch manufacturing. This expanded capacity will provide the potential for BIO-CAT Microbials to grow its current fermentation production by more than 400%.
“This expansion will be a huge boon for our fermentation capabilities, allowing us to further scale our production to supply customers and partners, both old and new, with the best microbial products on the market,” BIO-CAT CEO and Co-Founder Chris Schuler said. “The plans we have in place will make our Troy facilities truly best-in-class. We’re looking forward to breaking ground and getting started.”
Already one of the industry’s leading microbial manufacturers, BIO-CAT Microbials currently manufactures a dozen proprietary Bacillus microbial strains for the human probiotic, production and companion animal, and crop science markets. It sees this investment and corresponding state-of-the-art expansion as an opportunity to cement BIO-CAT Microbials as the premier source for breakthrough microbial solutions across a myriad of industries.
The company currently performs all fermentation in its Shakopee, Minnesota manufacturing site, but the expansion of the Troy, Virginia facility will provide BIO-CAT Microbials’ customers with manufacturing redundancy that will further solidify supply chain reliability, which has become increasingly important in today’s market.
The company’s model will revolve around the continued development, blending and contract manufacturing of Bacillus strains for customers in its Minnesota and Virginia facilities. BIO-CAT Microbials has also identified an additional 13 high-performing Bacillus strains that are currently in development, with several on target to launch within the next 12 months.
An added benefit of BIO-CAT Microbials’ new, state-of-the-art facility will be attracting some of the best talent to work with the industry’s microbial leader. The company plans to create an additional 20 full-time roles in its manufacturing, R&D, and quality departments during the initial expansion phase.
“To continue to be viewed as a premier employer, we need to continually look at ways to attract and retain the best talent, and some of the campus improvements are perfect examples of these efforts,” Stephen Schuler, AVP of Operation at BIO-CAT Microbials, said. “This investment reflects both our confidence in the team we have assembled, as well as our commitment to providing our customers with the very best product and service in the industry.”
In addition to the new production and manufacturing facility, BIO-CAT’s 25-acre campus will also include walking and running trails, sand volleyball courts, and a technology-enabled employee pavilion for outdoor meetings and other gatherings.
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