In conjunction with the inaugural Forbes AgTech Indianapolis Summit, EnviroKure, a high-value liquid biofertilizer company, announced plans to establish operations in Indiana, making a significant investment in a new Wells County facility.
“With our strong agricultural tradition and booming tech sector, Indiana offers an ideal environment for companies like EnviroKure that are at the intersection of AgTech,” Gov. Eric J. Holcomb said. “EnviroKure has already been a great partner to Indiana and the industry, joining our agbiosciences delegation on an economic development trip to Israel earlier this year.”
The Pennsylvania-based producer of biologic amendments and organic fertilizers will invest more than $10 million to build a full-scale manufacturing plant in Bluffton. When complete, the 80,000-square-foot facility will house state-of the-art equipment to extract soil-building microbes from chicken manure and cultivate field-proven biofertilizers and biostimulants. The process was developed and patented by EnviroKure.
Construction planning is underway, and the company plans to be fully-operational at the new site in late 2019. As part of its growth, the company plans to add up to 17 well-paying jobs by 2020. The company will begin hiring the on-site management team in early summer and filling manufacturing positions in the fall of 2019. New positions are expected to offer competitive salaries, benefits and incentive stock options.
“We are pleased to be building our flagship facility in Bluffton,” said Mark Lupke, president and CEO of EnviroKure. “Indiana’s business climate has made this possible. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation, along with the Northeast Indiana Partnership and Wells County Economic Development, has worked hard to help us identify the ideal location and navigate the state and local construction permitting process. I appreciate the strong support for food and agricultural innovation from Gov. Holcomb and the vision and leadership of AgriNovus Indiana to elevate the state’s agbioscience sector.”
This announcement comes at the kickoff of the inaugural Forbes AgTech Indianapolis Summit, organized and sponsored in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and AgriNovus Indiana. The Summit is bringing together global agriculture leaders and entrepreneurs to tackle the world’s most critical challenges by focusing on solutions that growers and processors can use in their fields and plants, as well as showcase the latest innovations for farmers, investors and stakeholders in the agbiosciences.
EnviroKure is a partner of AgriNovus Indiana as part of the company’s commitment to engage in the broader agbiosciences community.
“AgriNovus enthusiastically welcomes EnviroKure to the Indiana agbioscience community,” said Beth Bechdol, President and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “In preparation for building their new facility here, we have supported their team in developing meaningful relationships in northeastern Indiana and across the state with key business partners and industry leaders. Together, IEDC and AgriNovus and our stakeholders make for an impactful public-private partnership that is successfully attracting growing companies to Indiana.”
EnviroKure technology produces proven biologic amendments and fertilizers that provide strong return for farmers. The company transforms nutrient-rich raw poultry manure into premium, pathogen-free, organic fertilizers. The company’s mission is to bring a sustainable solution to improving soil quality, while reducing the potential problems caused by chicken manure.
“EnviroKure is a forward-thinking, innovative business and we welcome them to our community,” said Bluffton Mayor Ted Ellis.
The IEDC offered EnviroKure up to $165,000 in conditional incentives based on the company’s job creation and investment plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Bluffton has offered additional incentives.
About EnviroKure
EnviroKure is a Philadelphia-based fertilizer company that has developed a proprietary aerobic digestion technique for converting chicken manure into high-value, pathogen-free liquid biologically active fertilizers and biostimulants.
The Company’s technology is commercialized for conventional, organic and hydroponic use with sales in 42 US states and is protected with a growing IP estate, including three patents, three patents pending, broad trade secrets and a strategic IP pipeline. The EnviroKure developed technology provides a significant leap toward a fully sustainable food production system.
For more information about EnviroKure, visit www.envirokure.com.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.