Beck's Hybrids made news once again recently by announcing a $60 million expansion project that will spread over the next four years. Unlike other recent projects, this expansion will occur primarily at the company's main location near Atlanta, Ind.
Sonny Beck, company president, says it includes investment in processing, production, research and distribution facilities.
"Over the last few years we've experienced significant growth across our marketing area with new sales territories, new facility locations and new employees," Beck says. "With this expansion we're not just investing in our future, but in the future of Midwest farmers."
Two new, 4,000-square-foot greenhouses primarily for breeding and trait insertion purposes will be added to the existing greenhouse complex. The relatively new Biotechnology building will be expanded to add more space for research and development both by Beck's and other companies. Four machinery storage buildings will also be added this year.
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One of the gems of the expansion will be a new seed processing tower that will be built in the future. Beck says it should process one million bags of seed in its first year of operation. New seed drying and storage will be added as growth continues.
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture, joined the Beck family for the announcement of expansion plans. "Through their work, companies like Beck's Hybrids are creating more jobs and more opportunities for Hoosiers, just part of what help makes Indiana a state that works for business," she says.
Both Ellspermann and Governor Mike Pence have made bringing new businesses in agriculture to Indiana and expanding the ones that are here as key goals for their administration. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture working with the Indiana Economic Development Council has helped encourage expansion at Beck's Atlanta facility before. This is the latest chapter in the company's success story.
For the current project, Beck's entered initiatives with the Indiana Economic Development Council and Hamilton County. In return Beck's intends to add 100 new jobs at the company headquarters in northern Hamilton County by 2017. The company currently employs 400 people.