Source: Elkhart Truth
by: Angelle Barbazon
abarbazon@etruth.com
GOSHEN — A biotech company that set up shop in Elkhart County more than three decades ago plans to expand by moving to a new location and adding more staff.
Agdia Inc. got the approval of the Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Monday to rezone 45 acres on the northeast corner of C.R. 1 and C.R. 10 in Cleveland Township. The company plans to buy the land and relocate from its site at 30380 C.R. 6 in Elkhart.
Agdia, which makes test kits to screen plants for pathogens, serves customers worldwide with a staff of 55 employees, company president Baziel Vrient said. With expansion on the horizon, Vrient noted that the company expects to add 25 more jobs over the next five years.
Commissioner Mike Yoder said Agdia’s expansion adds to the diversification of the county’s economy.
“It’s just continually growing, and this is an area that we want to attract more jobs in,” Yoder said.
The relocation will allow Agdia to double the size of its operation, Vrient said. The company plans to start a nine-month construction period next spring to build a 50,000-square-foot facility. The new building will house its labs, offices and greenhouses, which are currently split among three locations.
“What they’re doing to move forward is just remarkable and a wonderful project,” board president Terry Rodino said, calling Agdia a “hidden gem in Elkhart County.”
