DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Wilmington, Md., broke ground on a new site at the Leiden Bio Science Park in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands. The state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary facility will utilize the tools of modern biotechnology to make industrial processes more efficient and sustainable.

The bio-based solutions will help to reduce food waste and the environmental impacts of livestock farming, improve animal health and produce renewable fuels, among other environmental impacts.

The new site is projected to create an additional 100 jobs in research and development, application development, marketing, sales and customer service. The building will serve as the new EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters for DuPont Industrial Biosciences.

“Our Leiden scientists have been developing innovations that enable our customers to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their processes and products for many years,” says Simon Herriott, vice president and global business director for bioactives. “This new facility will enable our teams to do even more to improve the pace of biotechnology and the speed with which we can deliver it to market. The ecosystem of talent, academia and community we find in the Leiden Bio Science Park is ideal for our work and for keeping us globally competitive.”

DuPont partnered with Dura Vermeer, Sweden, to build the 7,250-square-meter addition, which doubles the capacity of the current facility. The project will also receive a BREEAM “Excellent” rating, and is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

“The design is in the service of the employees,” says Peter Krop, director of Dura Vermeer. "Ultimately, it is about creating the right inspiring and flexible working environment. We are proud to be able to add DuPont to our customer list."