Bayer CropScience invests USD 20 million in new BioScience greenhouse at North American headquarters

Bayer CropScience plans the construction of a new greenhouse at its North American headquarters located in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina, for about USD 20 million. The new state-of-the-art greenhouse will be a key facility in support of the expansion of BioScience research and development activities within the United States.

The greenhouse will be designed to conduct GM and non-GM trait research, and also will support discovery research for molecular breeding and the development of data packages for trait deregulation. The total area of the building will be about 5,600 square meters, with about 2,800 square meters of greenhouse space, and will accommodate 25 staff members.

"We continue to expand our activities in seeds traits. With the BioScience Innovation Center in Morrisville and the construction of the new greenhouse, the RTP area is rapidly becoming a major research hub for our company," said Sandra E. Peterson, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer CropScience.

In 2010, BioScience moved ahead strongly and saw a 36.6 percent rise in sales to EUR 687 million (2009: EUR 503 million). The business unit achieved double-digit sales growth in each of the main crops cotton, canola, rice and vegetables. The largest increase was in the cotton seed business in North America.