Kearney, Nebraska
March 28, 2008
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced the expansion
of the company’s DEKALB® seed corn production facility in
Kearney is on track for completion later this year.
The Kearney facility began construction on the expansion in 2007
as part of a $155 million investment by Monsanto to more than
double corn seed production operations in Nebraska. The
investment is expanding the Kearney facility and building a new
corn seed production plant in York County, Nebraska.
The expansion will add one new high-capacity dryer, green corn
receiving line, bulk storage and an additional 60,000 square
feet of warehouse space to the Kearney facility. The new
additions are estimated to boost overall production by more than
30 percent.
The Kearney facility is located on nearly 42 acres and has been
conditioning DEKALB corn seed for more than 50 years.
Monsanto also held a ceremonial groundbreaking event today on
the future site of the company’s new DEKALB seed conditioning
facility located just outside the townships of Waco and Utica,
Nebraska.
Tom Schaffran, the Kearney site lead for the past 8 years, was
tapped to oversee construction of the new facility and will
serve as the site lead for the completed facility which is
slated to swing into production in 2009.
Jeff Tremel was named the new site lead for Kearney. In this
capacity, Tremel will oversee the final construction details at
the Kearney facility and will bring the expanded facility into
use later this year.
“Increased demand for our corn seed products has given us the
opportunity to invest in our existing facility at Kearney and
build a new plant in York County,” said Kent Martin, corn seed
production lead, Monsanto Company. “These expansions have
created exciting new career opportunities for our current
employees, like Tom and Jeff, and others that would like to
become a part of the Monsanto family.”
Martin added, “We’ll be adding new full-time and seasonal
employment opportunities in Kearney and at the new facility in
York County. These are good jobs for good people.”
Tremel began his career with Monsanto in 1997 at the company’s
Mason City, Illinois soybean facility. Most recently, Tremel was
the site manager of the soybean seed production facility in
Marshall, Missouri.
A native of Iowa, Tremel holds a degree in agribusiness from
Iowa State University. He lives in Kearney with his wife, Emily,
and two children, Dawson, age 6, and Natalie, age 4.
Monsanto currently conducts business in three other facilities
in Nebraska located in Stromsburg, Gothenburg and Blair.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity and food quality. |
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