People love good food, and most like knowing that the foods they love are becoming safer, more nutritious and more sustainable - but few know who makes those improvements possible. The world is moving toward more sustainable bio-based products in biochemical industries like home and personal care, electronics, medical devices, agrochemicals, adhesives, and coatings - but where do those innovations come from?
Kansas City media and other media partners can get a look inside where many of tomorrow's industry innovations originate when Corbion, a global ingredient solutions provider and part of the Kansas City business landscape for nearly a century, opens the doors of its new regional headquarters and advanced laboratory facilities for a Grand Opening on Monday, November 5.
Senior leadership from Corbion will be on-hand when members of the media are invited to tour the company's new North American home at 8250 Flint Street - just blocks from where it has operated for the past 11 years in Lenexa.
Sustainably balancing the local and the global
The state-of-the-art bakery and meat research and application labs - as well as the professionally outfitted demonstration kitchen - may be the most attention-getting features of Corbion's new facility, but the building's design also reflects the company's focus on sustainability through local sourcing, clean energy, centralized waste management, composting and recycling programs. The new building also celebrates the creativity of Corbion's workforce by displaying artful photography captured by employees around the world. The result is a work environment that reflects Corbion's values and business priorities.
In selecting vendors, Corbion opted to work with local Kansas City companies instead of national providers, among them:
- Westport Flea Market - Catering in the company cantina
- Messenger Coffee and Tea Market - Company-provided beverages
- Skyline E3 - Glass etching on meeting room walls
- Unruh Furniture - Custom-built tables in refreshment areas
- Missouri Organic Recycling - Composting waste throughout the building, including from the Bakery and Meat applications laboratories
- ArtsKC Regional Arts Council - Locally produced original art displayed for sale in the main lobby area
- Yellow Lab Imaging - Photo printing services used to produce displays of images captured by Corbion employees around the world
"We constantly encourage our employees and our customers to 'Keep Creating,' because the world urgently needs better solutions to the challenges we face," said Andy Muller, Executive Vice President at Corbion. "The innovations we help create make a difference in the lives of people everywhere - people just like us. We try to merge our areas of scientific expertise with what we know and care about as consumers so we can develop solutions that make a meaningful impact for everyone, including ourselves and our families."
Corbion employs 350 people in the Kansas City area and has a tradition of supporting local community efforts, such as the KC Corporate Challenge, which benefits Special Olympics, and the Blue Valley CAPS education program. Since 2011, through its support of Harvesters Food Bank, the company has provided well over a quarter of a million meals to Kansas City area families in need. Corbion's sustainability strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aims to make a significant impact on SDG2 (Zero hunger) and SDG12 (Responsible production and consumption).
For more information: www.corbion.com.
