Synergy Flavors Inc. is establishing a new flavor innovation and manufacturing campus less than a mile from its facility in Wauconda, Illinois, north of Chicago.
Synergy’s new campus will sit on 15 acres of land and utilize an existing building that will be modified and expanded into a 125,000-square-foot facility. The facility will be designed in parallel with LEED Certification Standards governed by the Green Building Institute to align with Synergy's Sustainability Platform and further Synergy’s reputation as an industry leader in corporate social responsibility.
“We have simply outgrown our current facility, and although we have added staffing and expanded shifts to increase production, we are coming to a time where we won’t be able to accommodate our growth plans in our existing facility,” CEO Roderick Sowders says. Counter to the broad industry trends, Synergy continues to add staffing for key technical, commercial, production, and engineering roles.
“Our growth has come from expanding our reach in key markets such as bakery, confection, dairy, ready-to-drink beverages, dry drinks, nutritional, and savory products,” says Synergy’s vice president of business development, Greg Bach. The company has also grown through acquisitions. “In 2006, the company acquired Vanlab, bringing 100 years of expertise in vanilla production. In 2007, AFF Aromas do Brasil was brought on to establish a technical and manufacturing base in South America.” Synergy is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Vanlab with various promotional activities throughout the year.
Synergy expects the facility to be fully operational by the end of 2012. The campus will feature an Innovation Center, which will include flavor and applications development labs, a demonstration kitchen, sensory testing labs, and analytical and pilot plant facilities. The enhancements to the innovation center are an essential element in the company’s global innovation plans. Operationally, the expanded facility will include new automation to improve liquid processing and packaging efficiencies. Synergy will be adding further capabilities in dry production as well, including substantial expansion of its spray drying facility.
“We are fortunate to have developed a great team of people, and aligned ourselves with fantastic customers,” Sowders says. “This facility represents the next phase in our development and we are proud to remain a part of the Wauconda community. We are also proud to be making huge strides in the area of corporate social responsibility and this facility will be a significant part of that.”
