Syngenta inaugurates new $61.5 million crop protection production in UK

Syngenta has unveiled a newly upgraded life sciences manufacturing facility in Huddersfield, UK, following a significant £50 million ($61.5 million) investment. The site now produces PLINAZOLIN, a pioneering plant protection product designed to combat resistant pests.

The facility has already commenced production, with the first batch of PLINAZOLIN marking a critical step in the site’s expansion as an advanced manufacturing hub. The production should become the largest maker of advanced stages of this active ingredient, with shipment potential to markets in over 40 countries, including key regions in India and South America.

PLINAZOLIN® technology, developed by Syngenta, features the new active ingredient isocycloseram, an insecticide expected to combat a variety of insect and mite pests in different crops upon approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It functions through both contact and ingestion, quickly halting pest feeding.

As part of IRAC Group 30, it offers a novel approach to resistance management and will be available in forms suitable for seed treatment, soil application, or foliar application. Its technical advantages include no known resistance, rapid action, protection against a broad range of pests, rainfastness, UV stability, and compatibility with starter fertilizers.

Mike Hollands, President of Syngenta UK, highlighted the facility’s strategic importance in tackling global food security challenges. He noted that the facility would increase production of an essential new active ingredient, vital for supporting sustainable global food production through advanced life sciences research.

The expansion is expected to generate up to 300 new jobs and contribute an additional £45 million ($55 million) to the local economy, adding to the £140 million GVA and 1,000 jobs already supported by Syngenta’s operations.