The state-of-the-art facility is the world’s largest fermenter for probiotic production.
Our design team joined DuPont, along with state and local officials, to celebrate the opening of the company’s new probiotics fermentation unit at its Rochester facility, the largest in the world.
Completed in March, the LeChase/SWBR design/build team worked with DuPont on the design of the 48,000 SF expansion. The project is part of DuPont’s overall $100M investment to expand its probiotics capacity. The facility is now producing high-quality probiotics for the dietary supplement and food and beverage industries, which have the potential to provide health benefits to consumers of all ages. The company’s goal is to add 50 new jobs in Rochester.
“The new facility offers DuPont an opportunity to streamline their probiotic manufacturing and bring the product to the customers faster,” said Senior Project Manager Don Pannone. “It was a pleasure working with great local talent to design and construct this project. We’re proud and honored to have been part of the DuPont facility team for over 10 years.”
The state-of-the-art facility incorporates several new production innovations, including:
- The world’s largest fermenter for probiotics production and its downstream processing
- A built-in, fully automated system of sensors and monitors that helps maintain optimal growing conditions, removing the need to take traditional manual samples
- Pressurized air technology to mix fermenting solutions, replacing traditional pumps and mixing blades that can damage bacteria
- New bacteria freezing technology for safe storage of the probiotics that significantly increases efficiency
SWBR provided architectural and structural engineering design for the expansion.