Syngenta Crop Protection, part of the global agricultural giant Syngenta Group, has completed a $140 million expansion of its North American headquarters in Greensboro, N.C. The company dedicated the revamped facilities at its 70-acre campus on Swing Road, near I-40. More than 700 employees work there, earning an average salary of $110,000.
Construction involved more than 220,000 square feet of new or renovated office and laboratory space, including upgrades to a 100,000-square-foot lab and 36,000 square feet of new lab space. The project expanded the total footprint to 473,000 square feet spanning 17 buildings.
“Farmers all over the world must feed, clothe and fuel more people than ever before,” said Vern Hawkins, president of Syngenta Crop Protection North America. “The Greensboro-area team does important work helping American farmers protect their crops sustainably. This team remains committed to living and working in the Triad and supporting community organizations that benefit our friends and neighbors.”
The grand opening came after four years of collaboration by city, county, state and company leaders following Syngenta’s announcement in 2020 that it was reassessing the Greensboro campus and considering options elsewhere. The company ultimately decided to remain in Greensboro and broke ground on the expansion in March 2022.
"The grand opening of Syngenta’s North America Crop Protection Headquarters is a testament to the strength and potential of Greensboro as a hub for innovation,” said Brent Christensen, president and chief executive officer of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. “Syngenta has long been a pillar of our community, and this state-of-the-art facility solidifies their commitment to the region and positions us as a leader in the agricultural technology sector. We’re excited to see how this investment in cutting-edge technology and talent will drive growth and collaboration, both locally and globally.”
The expansion was initially expected to cost $68 million, but the actual price nearly doubled to $140 million due to added enhancements and inflation.
The campus houses the company’s headquarters, much of its research and development, and sales, marketing and administration.
The company also has a crop research lab in Research Triangle Park that includes high-tech greenhouses for precisely controlling the growing conditions for crop plants farmed around the world.
About 1,000 people work for the company across the state.
Syngenta Crop Protection develops and sells herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, biological controls and seed treatments -- all intended to improve crop yields. Its 145 products are used in more than 200 crops nationwide. The business unit reported $15.5 billion in sales in 2023.
It is the largest business unit of the Syngenta Group, based in Basel, Switzerland. Syngenta Group has 60,000 employees in about 100 countries working to transform how crops are grown.