Maizex Seeds, a producer and processor of seed corn based in Ontario, has purchased the former Dow AgroSciences seed corn facility located in Blenheim, Ont. to expand its seed corn production in Canada.
Maizex currently produces and processes seed corn in its facility located near Tilbury, Ont. Dave Baute, president of Maizex Seeds, said the new purchase of the Blenheim seed corn plant will allow the company to more than double current capacity. He added that Maizex will be further investing in the Blenheim location to modernize the plant and equipment to meet anticipated demand.
“This expansion and investment in Canadian seed production is in large part thanks to the trust Canadian farmers have placed in Maizex Seeds, along with the growth we are experiencing through our announced joint venture with Sollio Agriculture,” Baute said in a released statement.
“We are proud of the growth we are seeing in Maizex Seeds and this expansion plays an important role in supporting the growth we see in the combined businesses going forward,” added Sébastien Léveillé, executive vice-president of Sollio Agriculture, formerly known as the Agri-Business division of La Coop fédérée. Through the joint venture agreement Maizex Seeds is now responsible for the seed corn and seed soybean sales of both companies with seed corn sold under the Maizex Seeds brand and soybeans under the Elite seeds brand.
The Blenheim facility is located in Chatham-Kent in southwestern Ontario, which is the primary region for seed corn production in Canada. The area features a frost-free period for seed corn production that rivals the midwestern United States, with temperatures and precipitation moderated by the surrounding Great Lakes. “It is one of the only seed corn production areas in the world where you can grow seed corn for maturities ranging from 68 to 115 days. This represents our customer base across the country,” Baute noted.
Maizex is currently contracting with seed corn growers to support processing through both its Tilbury and now Blenheim plants for the 2019 growing season.
