Genencor marks 20 years in Cedar Rapids

Twenty-three years ago, soybeans were growing in an 80-acre field on the northwest corner of C Street and 41st Avenue Drive SW as ground was broken for a new industry in the Corridor. On Thursday, Genencor marked the 20th anniversary of the July 1991 launch of its North American bioproducts manufacturing plant at 1000 41st Avenue Dr. SW.

The bioproducts industry came to Cedar Rapids when Eastman Kodak and a joint venture partner built the Genencor plant, which initially employed about 75 highly skilled workers. The plant, which has expanded almost from the time it began producing its first products, employs about 125.

Genencor, which uses corn as a raw material to produce enzymes for a variety of industries, discovers, develops and sells biocatalysts and other biochemicals for the industrial, consumer and agri-processing markets.

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