Syngenta debuts expanded ‘next-level’ operations in Greensboro – Greensboro News & Record

The expansion symbolizes Syngenta making a major capital investment commitment to its North American crop protection headquarters. It is the number 1 supplier of crop protection products in the United States.

Syngenta, which sells agricultural chemicals and conducts biotech research, said that since the Swing Road site was established in the mid-1960s, renovations or relocation were a necessity.

The manufacturer has been discussing its options for a new site since mid-2019, including other sites in Guilford County as well as Research Triangle Park, Chicago, Minneapolis and other areas.

At the time, the company was planning a capital investment of $68 million.

In choosing to expand in Greensboro, Syngenta has kept a workforce of more than 700 people on campus, adding at least 50 people since committing to the project.

Syngenta won more than 220,000 square feet of new or renovated space, including upgrades to its 100,000-square-foot laboratory, at its 70-acre site off Interstate 40. The expansion is located on the north side of the property.

Vern Hawkins, president of Syngenta Crop Protection, said the new facility is a sign to farmers, both in North Carolina and globally, that the company will partner with them to develop and implement new techniques.

Hawkins said during a video released at the event that the new facility “brings all of our different skill sets together under one roof.”

“We know there are things we can do to improve soil and plant productivity that are great for the environment and for farmer productivity … to take U.S. farmers to the next level.”

Hawkins said the COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays in the company’s evaluation plans and changed its design priorities for the new offices and labs. This includes the ability for some workers to continue with a hybrid work schedule.

Syngenta jobs in Greensboro pay an average of more than $100,000 a year and include researchers and business executives in agriculture.

Syngenta, which is based in Switzerland, has been a fixture in Greensboro and North Carolina for decades, with more than 1,000 employees nationwide.

Brent Christensen, president and CEO of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, said Syngenta “certainly (has been) a staple in our community.”

“We are excited to see how this investment in cutting-edge technology and talent will drive growth and collaboration, both locally and globally.”

“Choosing to redevelop and expand here is truly a milestone for Syngenta, Greensboro and Guilford County and shows their unwavering commitment,” Christensen said.

In January 2020, the Greensboro City Council and Guilford County Board of Commissioners approved an incentive package totaling $3.6 million for Syngenta.

To fully qualify, Syngenta had to retain its local workforce of 650 employees and invest at least $68 million in expansion.

A no-stakes retention requirement for new hires remains a relatively rare economic development package in the Triad.

Sean Harding, president of the NC Farm Bureau, said Syngenta’s innovation is critical to helping farmers, “because we all know that the answer to the world’s hunger problems lies in emerging technologies as the agricultural community is forced to produce more and more and more’.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, D-6th, said Syngenta’s expansion “puts our region at the forefront of agricultural innovation … a crossroads where research produces real-world applications.”

“Here, brilliant minds will continue to collaborate to develop solutions that empower farmers and tackle the critical challenges we face today, from climate change to biodiversity.

“A lot of people don’t know that, and we need to sing this story louder so that more people understand the important role that Syngenta plays not only for this area, but for the entire country.”