Aug 31, 2020

New innovation center in northern California opened by Valent USA

Valent U.S.A. has opened a new state-of-the-art facility in San Ramon, California, called the North American Innovation Center (NAIC), that physically unites employees from its California technical center in Dublin and headquarters in Walnut Creek.

According to a news release, the nearly 100,000 square-foot hub for research and development and headquarter operations for North America is custom-designed to enhance collaboration and innovation. The new site will allow Valent U.S.A. to bring sustainable agriculture solutions and professional products to market with greater speed and effectiveness.

A subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical, Valent U.S.A. provides unique biorational and traditional grower-focused crop protection solutions for both row and specialty crops in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Valent also develops products for professional turf, ornamental and aquatic uses and has maintained operations in the Bay Area for more than 30 years. Its investment in the NAIC is expected to generate immediate efficiencies and long-term savings, while advancing a research pipeline for future innovations. 

“We’ve brought the diversity, skills and expertise of our laboratory scientists and regulatory, marketing, finance and operations people together under one roof,” said Matt Plitt, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Valent U.S.A. “It’s now easier for our newly centralized team to share information in real time, even face to face, which will boost our efficiency, agility, creativity and, ultimately, benefit the farmers in the field.”

The eco-friendly design of the North American Innovation Center (NAIC) is focused on sustainable practices, including energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. Outfitted with advanced safety systems and equipment, and key safeguards in response to COVID-19, the NAIC reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability and providing a safe and healthy work environment for employees. In addition to cutting-edge research labs and modern offices, the facility houses 47 conference, project, huddle and focus rooms. The NAIC opened Aug. 3, 2020.

Valent is committed to the future of agriculture, which depends on innovative technology, products and practices. Learn more by visiting https://www.valent.com/. 

Valent U.S.A. LLC, now headquartered in San Ramon, California, develops and markets products in the United States, Canada and Mexico that advance sustainable agriculture, protect crops, enhance crop yields, improve food quality, beautify the environment and safeguard public health. Valent products include a well-known line of quality herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and plant growth regulator products for agricultural, seed protection and professional use. Valent is a leader in marketing and sales of both traditional chemical products and biorational products developed by its affiliate, Valent BioSciences LLC.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sumitomo Chemical is one of Japan’s leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products globally in the fields of petrochemicals, energy and functional materials, IT-related chemicals and materials, health and crop science products, and pharmaceuticals. For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/.