CJ Bio’s most recent investment, a $20 million expansion of its plant to produce amino acids for livestock feed, was celebrated Friday at a ribbon cutting with company executives, employees and local community leaders.

“From the inception of our first plant in 2012, the plan has always been to continue to grow and expand in amino acids as feed additives and this is just one more step along that journey of adding more and more products in our portfolio at this site,” said Luke Palmer, CJ Bio America director of environmental, social and governance.

This expansion — called G2 — got its start in 2019, when CJ Bio was working on producing granular threonine amino acids to be used in feed for swine and poultry. The amino acids promote better muscle growth in the animals and are made from fermented dextrose from the corn processed at the Cargill ethanol biorefinery plant next door.

“That product was the first of its kind in the world, and because our sales and marketing team did such a good job introducing it to the market and showing the benefits of how we do it, it took off really fast,” Palmer said. He said it was quickly after production started that they realized they would need an expansion.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Hans Hyunsoo Shin, CEO of CJ America, spoke during the ceremony celebrating the $20 million expansion project at CJ Bio America on Friday.

“G2 added additional processing equipment for granular threonine production, as well as potentially other granular amino acids,” Palmer said.

Construction on the expansion of the plant started in April 2021 and was completed in May 2022, nearly doubling the facility’s capacity for granular amino acids and adding 10 new jobs to the plant.

“So from the inception of our first plant in 2012, the plan has always been to continue to grow and expand in amino acids as feed additives and this is just one more step along that journey of adding more and more products in our portfolio at this site,” Palmer said.

During the startup and stabilization process for the new expansion, there were opportunities for employees to take on more and new responsibility, growing alongside the company, Senior Refinery Manager Scott Stevens said.

“CJ’s commitment to innovation, growth and excellence has created a strong team here in Fort Dodge, a team that I am proud to be a member of,” Stevens said. “I am confident that as a team, we will continue to succeed and grow, benefitting not only CJ and its employees, but also the community and the state that we call home.”

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Scott Stevens, senior refinery manager at CJ Bio America, delivers remarks at the ribbon cutting event for the new $20 million expansion of the plant's facility in Webster County on Friday.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was scheduled to attend Friday’s ribbon-cutting, but had to stay in Washington, D.C., for Senate business.

“I extend my congratulations to everyone at CJ Bio. By bolstering production of a key amino acid used in livestock feed, this expansion has created new jobs and will benefit farmers across the state. I’ll continue supporting policies that ensure businesses like CJ Bio can help Iowa’s economy thrive,” Grassley said in a statement.

CJ America, the parent company of CJ Bio America, is focusing on making more investments in the future, CJ America CEO Hans Hyunsoo Shin said.

“Over a decade ago, CJ Bio decided to put down roots here in Iowa because this is the center of America’s food supply chain,” Shin said. “The amino acids produced at this site are made from the corn grown right here in Iowa and around the Midwest. Pork and poultry farmers in Iowa and across America use our amino acids in their feedstock. We are so proud of the role the CJ Bio team plays in feeding America.”

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Luke Palmer, director of ESG at CJ Bio America, right, shakes the hand of Dennis Plautz, CEO of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance. Webster County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark Campbell is at left.