Governor Matt Bevin and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer joined company and community officials to cut a ribbon on Eurofins MWG Operon LLC, an industrial-scale genomics lab in Louisville.
The area’s shipping and distribution infrastructure helped draw the 130 job, $12.5 million facility, an investment by a division of Eurofins Genomics, a global provider of genomic products and services including DNA/RNA synthesis and DNA sequencing.
“We are pleased to welcome Eurofins Scientific to Kentucky and excited about creating jobs in the promising career field of genomics right here in Louisville,” said Governor Matt Bevin. “We are glad they will be taking advantage of the many logistical capabilities that are unique to Kentucky. This is a testament to the quality of Louisville's workforce and further indication that Kentucky is open for business.”
Eurofins built a 65,800-square-foot manufacturing building at 12701 Plantside Drive for a central genomics laboratory in North America. The operation will include up to 110 new employees, including lab technicians, chemists and biologists as well as positions in customer service, logistics, information technology, administration, finance and accounting.
Additionally, another subsidiary of Eurofins in the food microbiology sector will operate a microbiology lab in the new facility and hire up to 20 employees. The company chose to locate in Louisville based on its logistics services, unparalleled accessibility to major U.S. cities and the presence of UPS and FedEx facilities.
“We are proud to open our newest genomics competence center in Louisville, Kentucky,” said Dr. Gilles Martin, CEO of Eurofins Scientific Group. “Our ambition is to make it the most modern and innovative facility of its kind in the world. This state-of-the-art laboratory reflects the Group’s commitment to quality, innovation and to contributing to the advancement of scientific research and health sciences around the globe.”
“Eurofins is a great example of the type of global leader our city wants to attract,” Mayor Fischer said. “A modern, innovative company that delivers, bringing together two of our five main economic development clusters – logistics and lifelong wellness and aging care. Our city’s central location, with world-class logistics, will help Eurofins get their products in, tested and returned more efficiently than anywhere else. This is a big win for Louisville as we continue to attract and support leaders in these industries.”
Eurofins Scientific Group, parent company of Eurofins Genomics and Eurofins MWG Operon, employs more than 22,000 people in 225 laboratories in 39 countries. Founded in 1987 in Luxembourg, it initially provided scientific analysis to verify the purity of several types of foods and beverages. Through various subsidiaries, Eurofins’ product and service range now includes environmental and pharmaceutical products testing, DNA/RNA synthesis, agro science, genomics and central laboratory services. It is also an emerging player in specialty clinical diagnostic testing in Europe and the United States.
Kentucky ranks among the nation’s logistics leaders, located within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population and personal income. Nineteen interstates and major highways, 13 freight railroads, 1,490 miles of commercially navigable waterways, five commercial airports and dozens of regional airports make the Commonwealth an ideal location for companies focused on exports.
Add in Louisville’s UPS air and ground shipping hubs, multiple large-scale FedEx facilities throughout the state and a DHL Express shipping hub in Northern Kentucky, and the attraction for companies requiring fast, reliable global logistics becomes clear.
“This expansion by a global leader in its industry will further energize our regional economy and provide 130 additional jobs for hard-working Kentuckians,” said Sen. Paul Hornback, of Shelbyville. “I welcome the news and thank Eurofins for its investment in our state.”
“The presence in Kentucky of a company like Eurofins is a testament to the logistical benefits of our geographical location and the attractive business environment,” said Rep. Jerry T. Miller, of Louisville. “It’s very good news for the Commonwealth when industry leaders like Eurofins make a commitment to do business in Kentucky. Good things happen when our government leaders work to create an appealing business climate. I commend Governor Bevin and all involved to make this happen.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $2.3 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Additionally, KEDFA approved Eurofins for $250,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing equipment.
Eurofins can also receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies are eligible to receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. Last year, the Kentucky Skills Network trained more than 84,000 employees from more than 5,600 Kentucky companies.
For more information on Eurofins MWG Operon Inc., visit www.operon.com.
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