FRANKFORT, Ky. — Neogen Corp., a leading manufacturer of animal and food safety products, is investing $6 million to relocate in Lexington and add 70 full time jobs.
The project is converting 20,000 s.f. of unutilized floorspace into IOS 8-level manufacturing space at 1847 Mercer Road in Lexington. The investment included building improvements and manufacturing equipment. The project will initially generate 40 new jobs in Kentucky and at least 30 additional jobs through late 2025.
Neogen has operated in Kentucky since locating in Lexington in 1992 with the acquisition of ELISA Technologies. ELISA was formed in 1990 by a license agreement with the University of Kentucky to develop diagnostic test kits to detect abused and therapeutic drugs in racehorses and greyhounds. Lexington is Neogen’s Animal Safety headquarters, which has grown to employ 220 residents across two Lexington facilities and one location in Mt. Sterling.
This announcement comes just three weeks after the company made public its plans to invest nearly $10 million in its Mt. Sterling facility, creating 79 full-time jobs.
In noting the project, Gov. Andy Beshear pointed out that it furthering the state’s initiative to grow Kentucky’s agritech sector.
In 2020, Neogen’s Lexington operations stepped up in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Neogen increased manufacturing and distribution of critically needed biosecurity products, including disinfectants, cleaners and hand sanitizers while working closely with government agencies around the world to quickly approve products for use.
Doug Jones, Neogen’s chief operating officer, said the Lexington expansion is another step in supporting domestic and international growth plans.
Founded in 1982, Neogen is headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. Its animal safety division manufactures and markets a variety of animal health products, including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, supplements, biologics, wound care, veterinary instruments, rodenticides, disinfectants and insecticides. The company employs more than 2,000 people worldwide, with 10 locations in the United States and 14 international facilities.
The expansion also adds to the commonwealth’s manufacturing sector, which includes more than 5,000 facilities and employs over 250,000 people statewide. Administration-to-date, more than 550 new location and expansion projects within the industry are expected to create nearly 26,000 full-time jobs with over $18.6 billion in new investments.
“Our economic development team has been proud to work with Neogen since they opened here in Lexington many years ago,” said Commerce Lexington President and CEO Bob Quick. “It’s been exciting to see Neogen’s continued growth as it strategically utilizes its partnership with the University of Kentucky, collaborates with businesses that align with its focus in agritech, and provides solutions and services for the food processing, animal protein and agriculture industries. Congratulations to Neogen Corp.”
The expansion adds to Kentucky’s thriving food, beverage and agritech sector, which includes more than 200 agribusiness-related facilities and employs over 20,000 people statewide. Administration-to-date, new location and expansion projects within the industry are expected to create nearly 4,700 full-time jobs with over $4.5 billion in new investments.
