Novus International, Inc. has cut the ribbon commemorating the opening of its newly expanded Novus Arkansas facility in Little Rock.

The Novus Arkansas site was developed in the Little Rock Riverport Industrial Park in 2006 to manufacture MHA feed supplement, a dry, granular powder that provides an effective and environmentally friendly source of methionine, an essential amino acid in premixes and farm feed mills. MHA provides benefits to laying hens and other livestock and companion animals.

The new expansion features a 45,000 square foot manufacturing facility for MINTREX, a unique line of chelated trace mineral products for aquaculture, poultry, pork, beef, dairy and pet nutrition. Chelated trace mineral technology enables farmers to reduce their levels of mineral inclusion, thus saving money and reducing waste to the environment.

The Novus Arkansas facility has received numerous safety and health certifications, including:

• FAMI-QS, an industry standard for hygiene and feed safety
• Safe Feed-Safe Food from the American Feed Industry Association
• ISO 9002 certification, the international standard for quality management systems, and
• European HACCP.

Additionally, the expanded facility earned Silver LEED Certification from the US Green Building Council. LEED Certification is the internationally recognised standard for green building certification.

Environmentally conscious features of the facility include: water re-use, renewable energy sources, use of recycled materials, management of construction waste, indoor environmental quality and a number of other factors that reduce the environmental impact and enhance the human health environment.

During the ceremony, Thad Simons, president and CEO, Novus International, Inc. said: "Novus's vision is to 'help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life'. We believe that a culture that emphasises sustainability will help us achieve our global vision.

"Our decision to invest in a facility that is geared towards reducing our environmental footprint underscores Novus's commitment to creating environmental, social and economic sustainability in Arkansas and the communities we serve around the world," Dr Simons.

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, who addressed an audience of about 300 attendees at the event, said Arkansas is one of a handful of states whose economy has remained strong.

He said: "We have succeeded because the state has focused its efforts on attracting jobs like these we are announcing today."

The new facility, located on a 53-acre parcel in the Little Rock Riverport industrial park, will employ more than 40 workers – an increase of over 30 new employees.

Novus has nearly 1,000 employees worldwide serving more than 3,000 customers across 100 countries. The products from Novus Arkansas will ship to more than 60 countries around the world.

Company's history in Arkansas

Novus's Arkansas roots were set down in 2003 when they partnered with the Walton Foundation to establish the Novus International Professorship in Poultry Science award to Dr Park Waldroup, who still holds the position and addressed the audience of some 300 attendees to the ceremony.

The Professorship at University of Arkansas marked the beginning of what would become the Global Novus Graduate Scholars Program, which now active in more than 10 countries around the world, including Brazil, China, Kenya, Korea, India, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Rather than investing in buildings on University campuses, Novus has made the conscious decision to invest in people and create the Novus Scholars Program, which:

• encourages students in animal agriculture to develop strong research programs and gain an international perspective on agriculture
• builds relationships with professors and students who are and will be the future leaders in agriculture, and
• establishes a technical collaboration network to help us develop solutions relevant to Novus's customers in diverse regions of the world.

Many years before Novus established its relationship with the University of Arkansas, Novus had a valued base of Arkansas-headquartered companies. In fact, Novus's very first customer was ConAgra in El Dorado, Arkansas.

As Dr Simons stated: "We are extremely proud of this expansion in Arkansas, which supports our commitment to the local economy, and to promoting animal health, environmental safety and the profitability of our customers."